IceGators slip past \'Blades in season-opener

October 13, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Week in review: LA 6, ARK 5 (SO)

The 2002-03 campaign got off to a rousing beginning, as the IceGators got a pair of goals from rookie Chris Taliercio and the deciding tally in the shootout from John DePourcq for an exciting 6-5 win over the Arkansas RiverBlades at ALLTEL Arena in the season-opener for both teams.

Bobby Brown added a goal and two assists for Louisiana, which trailed 3-1 in the second period. Cal Benazic and Nathan Rempel also scored for the IceGators, who improved to 7-1-0 all-time in season-openers. Louisiana outshot Arkansas 53-18.

Jason Bermingham and Buddy Smith each had two goals for Arkansas, while Terry Marchant also scored. DePourcq started the shootout against Jason Saal, whom he was an assistant coach for in 2000-01, and beat the netminder to improve to 14-for-28 all-time in shootout situations with the IceGators.

Cloutier stopped Bermingham, and Daniel Goneau put the pressure on Arkansas when he went upstairs on Saal and scored. Cloutier then stoned Kory Baker to keep the score 2-0.

Shawn McNeil went high glove side for Louisiana's third goal, and then Cloutier sticked aside Smith's attempt to secure the victory.

DePourcq won't get credit for the game-winner, as a new ECHL rule credits the game-winning goal in the shootout to the team, not the individual that scores it.

Cloutier stopped 13-of-18 shots, but came up big when it counted in the shootout, improving to 4-3 in shootout appearances. He allowed three goals in a period for just the third time, and the first since December 22, 2001, against Jackson.

The game also marked the first time that the IceGators have went into overtime in a season-opener.

Taliercio became the first IceGator to score two goals in a season-opener since Jay Murphy in 2000.

Coming attractions:

FRI, LA vs. MIS, 7:05 p.m., "Opening Night"

Join the IceGators as they go "Back to the Future" with special festivities both before and during the game. Please note that doors will open at 6:05 p.m. for the home opener. The IceGators went 0-4-1 against Mississippi over a six-week span in the middle of last season, but rebounded with a pair of victories, including a 5-2 home win on March 16.

SAT, LA vs. BR, 7:05 p.m.

Baton Rouge and Louisiana hit the ice for the 61st time in their history Saturday, the most frequent rivalry for the IceGators. The IceGators, who lead the series 37-16-7, are 8-0-1 in the last meetings, having picked up at least one point in all nine. Frederic Cloutier picked up his league-record tying seventh shutout of the season in the last meeting, a March 28 contest at the Centroplex. The Kingfish last beat the IceGators on December 27, 2001, a 4-1 win in Baton Rouge.

SUN, LA @ MIS, 5:05

Louisiana has typically had trouble at Mississippi Coast Coliseum, sporting a 7-9-5 franchise mark, including a 3-6-4 mark in the last 13 meetings. The IceGators did win the last contest, opening up a three-goal lead before escaping with a 3-2 win on February 26.

Make sure to follow the IceGators on 105.1 KPEL-FM, and also via the Internet on the Official Web Site.

Farrish looks for 100 wins Friday - IceGators head coach and vice president of hockey operations Dave Farrish needs two more wins to have 100 victories with the team. Farrish is an impressive 99-36-4 with Louisiana in two seasons. Farrish also won 100 games with AHL Moncton (101) and AHL Springfield (115). He coached each of those two teams for three seasons. Farrish is the third coach in team history, and he would become the second to win 100 games. Doug Shedden won 170 games in his four seasons, but it took him 171 games to pick up his 100th victory. Farrish has coached just 145 games with the IceGators and sports a mark of 99-36-10 with the team.

Unfamiliar territory - The IceGators woke up Saturday in a place they hadn't been in quite some time -- second place. Louisiana, of course, didn't play Friday night so it trailed Baton Rouge, a 7-6 victor over Jackson, by two points in the Southwest Division standings. Saturday marked the first time the IceGators didn't hold at least a share of first since December 20, 2000, nearly two full seasons ago. Louisiana woke up on that December morning trailing Mobile by one point, but a 5-4 win over Arkansas put the ‘Gators in first place for the entire campaign. Last season, Louisiana won its first three games and went 15-0-2 in its first 17 and was never headed.

They are going to learn quickly – The IceGators have seven players born in or after the year 1980, including five that are either goaltenders or defenseman. Two of them, of course, are not your typical youngsters, goaltender Frederic Cloutier (2001-02 ECHL MVP) and All-Star defenseman Kevin Mitchell. Blueliners J.P. Morin, 22, and Rod Sarich, 21, were also born in the ‘80's. Fellow defenseman Jeff Worlton was born on October 4, 1979. Other youngsters on the team are goaltender Kyle Kettles (21), center Kenny Corupe (22) and forward Semir Ben-Amor (20). The average age of a Louisiana defenseman is just 23 years old.

Diaper Dandies – IceGators goaltenders Frederic Cloutier and Kyle Kettles are a combined 42 years old, just six years older than Greensboro Generals veteran goaltender Daniel Berthiaume.

Sitting on the doorstep, thrice - IceGators left wing Daniel Goneau has 99 goals and 99 assists for 198 points in 355 pro games in North America. He spent last season in Europe.

Getting a lot of practice - Louisiana's 13 power play attempts Saturday tied its franchise record, set originally on March 28, 1998, against New Orleans.

DePourcq can pass Weingartner on goal list – John DePourcq may have not been with the team for more than two seasons, but he can tie Rob Weingartner for seventh on the team's all-time goal list with two more markers. Weingartner has 71, Depourcq has 69.

He's ferocious - DePourcq has already equaled his penalty minute total (two) from his last season in 1999-2000, when he played in 44 games.

McNeil four points behind Parsons – Shawn McNeil has 208 points as an IceGator, just four points behind Don Parsons for sixth on the team's all-time list. John DePourcq is fifth with 218.

Alumni update - Konstantin Kalmikov (2001-02) has a goal and an assist in two games for the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Player of the Week Nominees

Forward Bobby Brown - Brown had three big points, one in each period, in season-opening 6-5 shootout win over Arkansas...Brown scored Louisiana's first goal at 3:13 of the opening period, then assisted on Chris Taliercio's game-tying goal late in the second...Brown helped Cal Benazic give the IceGators a 4-3 lead near the midpoint of the third period...Veteran has 15 points (10g, 5a) in seven career season-openers.

Goaltender Frederic Cloutier - Cloutier stopped 13-of-18 shots (.722 save percentage) in 6-5 shootout win at Arkansas in only game of week...Stopped all three shots in shootout to improve to 4-3 all-time in shootouts...Was the 2001-02 ECHL MVP and Rookie of the Year after a 28-5-3 season with a 1.84 goals against average and a .985 save percentage, both league records...Under contract with NHL's Minnesota Wild.

Quotables

Dave Farrish, on goaltender Frederic Cloutier: "He was great in the shootout. Sometimes when you're outshooting your opponent so bad and you don't face that many shots it's difficult to get any type of rhythm in your game. He did make some great saves at critical times in the third period and stood on his head in the shootout."

IceGator rookie forward Chris Taliercio: "The first period I think was a little jittery for all of us. Everyone was running around, getting used to each other. In the second and third period, we dictated play and got to know where everyone was going. It's easy to find open spots when guys on the line have been playing for awhile and can find puck."

IceGators' Practice schedule:

Monday - 10-11:30, HockeyPlex

Tuesday - 10-11:30, HockeyPlex

Wednesday - 10-11:30, HockeyPlex

Thursday - 9-10:30, HockeyPlex

Friday - 10-11, Cajundome, vs. Mississippi, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday - 10-11, Cajundome, vs. Baton Rouge, 7:05 p.m.

Sunday - @ Mississippi, 5:05 p.m.



ECHL Stories from October 13, 2002


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