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IceGators pick up five of eight points

January 6, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Week in review: LA 3, BR 2 (SO); JCK 3, LA 2 (SO); ARK 5, LA 2; LA 5, BR 0

The IceGators went 2-1-1 in a busy week, maintaining a two-point lead over Mississippi for the Southwest Division lead but falling one point behind Atlantic City for the overall ECHL points lead.

Louisiana, which has 52 points, also has head coach and vice president of hockey operations Dave Farrish on the verge of a milestone. The IceGators' win over Baton Rouge on Saturday moved Farrish's career coaching record to 399-341-78-9.

Saturday, the week was capped off with a resounding 5-0 victory over the Kingfish. Kyle Kettles made 31 saves for his first pro shutout, Kenny Corupe scored twice and Derek Boogaard's first pro goal went down as the game-winner.

Bobby Brown had a goal and two assists and Nathan Rempel added a goal and a helper for Louisiana.

Friday, Jason Bermingham had two goals and an assist and Mike Cirillo had a pair of goals in the third period, as the Arkansas RiverBlades snapped Louisiana's nine-game unbeaten in regulation streak with a 5-2 win at ALLTEL Arena. Former IceGator Matt Pagnutti and All-Star Buddy Smith each had three assists, Eric Long also scored and Jason Saal made 28 saves for the RiverBlades.

Shawn McNeil and Rempel each scored for Louisiana, which was 6-0-3 in its last nine games and also saw its six-game road unbeaten streak (3-0-3) snapped.

Wednesday, Dave Stewart scored the game-winner in the shootout and Tyrone Garner made 24 saves, then all four in the shootout, as the Jackson Bandits outlasted the IceGators, 3-2, at Mississippi Coliseum. Josh Olson and Billy Newson each scored in regulation for Jackson.

The IceGators got 36 saves from Kettles and a goal apiece from Daniel Goneau and Dennis Shiryaev. Bruce Richardson added two assists.

Louisiana began the week with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win at the Cajundome against the Kingfish. Cal Benazic scored twice in the game's final 55 seconds to force overtime, and McNeil got the shootout's only goal to give the IceGators the extra point.

Cloutier finished with 34 saves, and turned aside all five in the shootout, to outduel Niklas Sundberg (36 saves), who came up just shy of his first pro shutout.

Coming attractions:

THU, LA vs. CBS

7:05 p.m.

"Elvis Night"

The IceGators celebrate Elvis' birthday by welcoming the Columbus Cottonmouths to the Cajundome and giving away a trip for two to Memphis. The trip includes round trip airfare for two from Lafayette, a two-nights stay at the Hollywood Casino, two tickets to Graceland, and two tickets to two Memphis Riverkings games. The IceGators and Cottonmouths have met four times, with Columbus winning three games -- two in overtime or a shootout. Louisiana last met the Cottonmouths on November 24, with Columbus emerging with an exciting 7-6 win the night after Bruce Richardson scored four goals in a 7-3 IceGators win. There promises to be plenty of offense in this matchup, Louisiana's only game of the week.

Friday at 7 p.m.at Hooters,

the IceGators will auction off the New Year's Carnival Eve theme jerseys, with proceeds going to youth roller hockey in Acadiana. Come on out and bid on your favorite player's jersey.

After this Thursday's game, the IceGators are off until Tuesday at Arkansas, and they return home Friday, Jan. 17 versus the Jackson Bandits at 7:05 p.m.

Farrish at 399 - IceGators head coach and vice president of hockey operations Dave Farrish enters the week with a 399-341-78-9 career record. With one more win, Farrish would become the third active ECHL coach with 400 overall coaching victories, trailing Wheeling's John Brophy (1,013) and Greenville's John Marks (657). Farrish sports a 120-44-18 mark in 2 ½ seasons with the Ice-Gators for a sparkling .709 winning percentage.

Shiryaev gets the call - IceGators winger Dennis Shiryaev was loaned to AHL Houston after Friday's game in Arkansas. Shiryaev, who had 11 points (4g, 7a) and 88 penalty minutes in 27 games with Louisiana, played a pair of games with Houston over the weekend. Shiryaev was held without a point, but did pick up a fighting major, dueling with Rochester's Sean McMorrow, in his first recall to the AHL as Houston went 1-0-1.

In his last 14 games with the IceGators, Shiryaev had nine points (3g, 6a).

Kettles on a roll - Kyle Kettles has played in exactly half the games of his counterpart, Frederic Cloutier, but his laurels are also impressive. Kettles, coming off his first pro shutout Saturday in Baton Rouge, is in the midst of a nine-game unbeaten in regulation streak (5-0-4) and hasn't lost in regulation in nearly two months, since a 4-3 loss in Columbus on November 2. Kettles currently ranks third in the ECHL among goaltenders with a 2.47 goals against average. Prior to Saturday, each of Kettles' last five games had gone into overtime or a shootout.

It's all about special teams - The IceGators are 16-1-4 when yielding one or less power play goals this season, but they are 6-7-4 when allowing two or more.

Three's the magic number - Louisiana is 20-2-3 when yielding three or less goals, including a 12-0-1 mark when allowing two or less. When allowing four or more goals, the IceGators are 2-6-5.

Congratulations are in order - IceGators forward Bobby Brown had a big week, playing in his 450th pro game, notching his 100th ECHL assist and scoring his 150th pro goal. The tally came in Saturday's 5-0 win in Baton Rouge against the Kingfish, his former team.

Four straight OT's tied franchise record - The IceGators' four straight overtime/shootout games, a string that was snapped Friday night, matched their franchise record. Louisiana also played in four consecutive overtime/shootout games from January 10-17, 2001. The IceGators ended the string five games shy of the ECHL record for consecutive extra time games. Their three straight overtime/shootout games on the road were a new franchise record, bettering the old mark of two, which was set four times.

McNeil continues to climb - Shawn McNeil's two assists Saturday gave him 138 as an IceGator, moving him past Louis Dumont for fifth place on the team's all-time list. Teammate John DePourcq, currently on injured reserve, ranks fourth with 152 assists. Also, McNeil's 115 goals are two behind Don Parsons for fourth place.

More overtime snippets - The IceGators have gone to overtime 14 games this season, most in the ECHL. The IceGators are 3-4 in overtime games and 3-4 in games decided in a shootout. Louisiana is 3-2 after regulation at home but just 3-6 on the road. The most times that the IceGators have gone into overtime or a shootout in one season is 18, in 1999-2000. That season, Louisiana was 9-9, including a 7-3 home mark. The ECHL record for most overtime/shootout games in a season is 25, by Toledo in the 1995-96 campaign.

First pro goal - Rookie winger Derek Boogaard, who had three goals and 670 penalty minutes in 174 junior games, picked up his first pro goal, the game-winning tally in Saturday's 5-0 win in Baton Rouge. Boogaard joins teammates Semir Ben-Amor, Chris Taliercio, Louis Mass and Rod Sarich as IceGators to pick up their first career goal this season.

Player of the Week Nominees

Forward Bobby Brown -

Had four points (1g, 3a) in leading IceGators to 2-1-1 mark last week...Had an assist in Friday's 5-2 road loss against Arkansas...Picked up fourth three-point game of season in Saturday's 5-0 win at Baton Rouge, scoring two goals and registering two assists...Is fourth on the team in scoring with 35 points, and his 21 assists rank him fifth among IceGators...His 14 goals are also fourth on the team, while his six power-play goals are third...Had his 100th ECHL assist in Friday's game, while he scored his 150th pro goal Saturday.

Goaltender Kyle Kettles -

Went 1-0-1 with a 0.96 goals against average and a ..971 save percentage last week...Made 37 saves, but dropped a 3-2 shootout decision in Jackson on Wednesday, his fifth straight overtime game...Got first pro shutout, a 31-save performance, in 5-0 win at Baton Rouge on Saturday...Is 6-2-4 with a 2.47 goals against average, third in the ECHL, and a .918 save percentage this season...Is unbeaten in nine straight games (5-0-4).

IceGators' Practice schedule:

Monday - 11-12, Cajundome

Tuesday - 10-11:30, Cajundome

Wednesday - 10-11:30, Cajundome

Thursday - 10-11, Cajundome, vs. CBS 7:05

Friday - TBA

Saturday - TBA, HockeyPlex

Sunday - TBA, HockeyPlex

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