IceGators to open ECHL season October 12
July 18, 2002 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release
Lafayette, LA â The East Coast Hockey League's Louisiana IceGators will play the home opener of their eighth season on Sunday, October 13 against the Arkansas RiverBlades, the ECHL and the team announced Thursday. The IceGators open up their season the previous night, Saturday, October 12, against the RiverBlades at ALLTEL Arena in North Little Rock. The schedule is subject to change, as there are still three home game dates in question, and game times for all IceGators' games will be announced at a later date.
The IceGators, who rewrote the ECHL record book with last season's 116-point season, will play 13 games against non Southwest-Division opponents in the 2002-03 season, up from just six last season. Louisiana's opponents averaged 76.2 points last season, or a .529 winning percentage. Eight of the IceGators' 12 opponents made the playoffs in 2001-02.
A highlight for IceGators' fans will be the 2001-02 Kelly Cup Champion Greenville Grrrowl's first trip to the Cajundome since the 1999-00 campaign. Greenville, which defeated Dayton to win the ECHL's ultimate prize in May, comes to Lafayette for a Sunday, November 10 tilt. Another team from the Palmetto State, the South Carolina Stingrays, make a visit to the Cajundome for the seventh straight season. The two teams, who have met three times in the playoffs, take the ice on Sunday, March 9, as the IceGators finish off a three-games-in-three nights stretch at home.
Louisiana will play host to the Columbus Cottonmouths for the first time this season, with the âSnakes' coming into town for three matchups. The IceGators will also play in Columbus twice. The Cottonmouths make a trip to the Cajundome for back-to-back games on Saturday, November 23, and Sunday, November 24, then come back again on Sunday, January 12.
The IceGators will get a taste of cold weather with a trip through the Northwest Division in late February and early March. Louisiana plays at Cincinnati (Wednesday, February 26), at Peoria (Friday, February 28), at Toledo (Saturday, March 1) and at Peoria (Sunday, March 2). The IceGators and Rivermen met for the 2000 Kelly Cup, with Peoria winning in six games.
Louisiana will play Jackson, which eliminated the IceGators from the playoffs in 2001-02, for the first time on Wednesday, November 13 at the Mississippi Coliseum. The Bandits make their first trip to the Cajundome on Sunday, December 15.
All told, the IceGators play 33 of their 36 home games on the weekend, including 14 Sunday games, up from 10 last season. Louisiana plays 12 home Friday games and seven on Saturday. The IceGators have three weekday games scheduled, with two having a holiday flair. Louisiana will play host to Pensacola on Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 28), and Baton Rouge comes to town on New Year's Eve (Tuesday, December 31).
IceGators release schedule 2/2/2
Home games (36)
Sunday, October 13 vs. Arkansas; Friday, October 18 vs. Mississippi; Saturday, October 19 vs. Baton Rouge; Friday, October 25 vs. Arkansas; Sunday, November 10 vs. Greenville; Friday, November 22 vs. Baton Rouge; Saturday, November 23 vs. Columbus; Sunday, November 24 vs. Columbus; Thursday, November 28 vs. Pensacola; Friday, November 29 vs. Mississippi; Friday, December 6 vs. Arkansas; Saturday, December 7 vs. Arkansas; Friday, December 13 vs. Mississippi; Sunday, December 15 vs. Jackson; Saturday, December 21 vs. Arkansas; Tuesday, December 31 vs. Baton Rouge; Sunday, January 12 vs. Columbus; Friday, January 17 vs. Jackson; Sunday, January 19 vs. Arkansas; Friday, January 24 vs. Mississippi; Sunday, January 26 vs. Pensacola; Friday, January 31 vs. Florida; Saturday, February 1 vs. Florida; Sunday, February 2 vs. Baton Rouge; Sunday, February 9 vs. Pensacola; Friday, February 14 vs. Baton Rouge; Sunday, February 16 vs. Mississippi; Thursday, February 20 vs. Pensacola; Sunday, February 23 vs. Jackson; Friday, March 7 vs. Pensacola; Saturday, March 8 vs. Jackson; Sunday, March 9 vs. South Carolina; Sunday, March 16 vs. Baton Rouge; Friday, March 21 vs. Jackson; Saturday, March 22 vs. Mississippi; Sunday, March 30 vs. Jackson
Road games (36)
Saturday, October 12 at Arkansas; Sunday, October 20 at Mississippi; Saturday, October 26 at Baton Rouge; Friday, November 1 at Columbus; Saturday, November 2 at Columbus; Sunday, November 3 at Mississippi; Saturday, November 9 at Arkansas; Wednesday, November 13 at Jackson; Friday, November 15 at Pensacola; Saturday, November 30 at Mississippi; Sunday, December 8 at Mississippi; Wednesday, December 11 at Baton Rouge; Saturday, December 14 at Jackson; Tuesday, December 17 at Pensacola; Friday, December 20 at Mississippi; Friday, December 27 at Jackson; Sunday, December 29 at Baton Rouge; Wednesday, January 1 at Jackson; Friday, January 3 at Arkansas; Saturday, January 4 at Baton Rouge; Tuesday, January 14 at Arkansas; Saturday, January 18 at Mississippi; Saturday, January 25 at Pensacola; Friday, February 7 at Baton Rouge; Saturday, February 8 at Pensacola; Saturday, February 15 at Pensacola; Wednesday, February 26 at Cincinnati; Friday, February 28 at Peoria; Saturday, March 1 at Toledo; Sunday, March 2 at Peoria; Friday, March 14 at Arkansas; Saturday, March 15 at Pensacola; Wednesday, March 19 at Jackson; Wednesday, March 26 at Jackson; Friday, March 28 at Baton Rouge; Saturday, March 29 at Arkansas
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