IceGators season preview
October 10, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release
Seven players return from last year's IceGators' team that smashed all the ECHL records en route to a 56-12-4 season.
Leading the way is left wing and third-leading scorer Shawn McNeil (32g, 40a), All-Star defenseman Kevin Mitchell (7g, 32a) and ECHL MVP, goaltender Frederic Cloutier (28-5-3, 1.84 gaa, .945 save pct.). Wings Nathan Rempel (7g, 10a), Shawn Skiehar (1g, 2a), Dennis Shiryaev (9g, 14a, 282 PIM's) and defenseman Branislav Kvetan (1g, 4a) also return.
A strong cast of newcomers has been assembled by head coach and vice president of hockey operations Dave Farrish, led by the return to the ice of assistant coach John DePourcq. DePourcq last played in 1999-2000 and was the team's assistant coach in each of the last two seasons.
The trio of Bobby Brown, Daniel Goneau and Bruce Richardson will provide the IceGators with quite the scoring punch. Brown has 327 points in 416 games of pro play, while Goneau has 12 goals in 53 games of NHL experience. Richardson spent the early part of the 2000-01 season with Louisiana, tearing up the league (10g, 21a in 22 games) before a call-up. Richardson spent last season with AHL Cincinnati. Brown and Richardson will serve as Farrish's player/assistant coaches for the season.
The other forwards on the team are Chris Taliercio, Kenny Corupe and Semir Ben-Amor. Taliercio wrapped up a successful four-year career at Dartmouth in the spring, Corupe was a 50-point scorer in 49 games in the CHL last season, while Ben-Amor exits the highest level of play in his native Finland.
Mitchell will anchor a defense that includes the experienced Cal Benazic. Benazic provides good size (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) and toughness and has had success both in this country and overseas. Jaroslav Kerestes had nine points (2g, 7a) and 111 PIM's in 51 games last season with ECHL Columbus. He, too, brings size to the lineup with his massive 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame. J.P. Morin had 15 points (1g, 14a) in 2001-02 in 63 games with UHL Port Huron in his rookie season. Farrish is also high on rookie blueliner Rod Sarich, a 48-point (7g, 41a) scorer in juniors last season. Fellow defenseman Jeff Worlton started last season with the IceGators and played most of the year with Austin.
Cloutier will share the netminding duties with fellow 21-year-old Kyle Kettles, another goalie under contract with the Minnesota Wild. Kettles was 24-25-4 with a 3.11 goals against average last season with WHL Moose Jaw.
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