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IceGators top Sea Wolves 3-2 in shootout

November 7, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Biloxi, MS – Konstantin Kalmikov scored the deciding shootout goal and Ben Kilgour and Ben Storey each tallied power play goals, as the Louisiana IceGators beat the Mississippi Sea Wolves 3-2 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in a physical game that saw heavyweights Dennis Shiryaev and Roger Maxwell duke it out early on. Kevin Mitchell had two assists in his return to an IceGators uniform and Derek Gustafson made 28 saves for Louisiana, which is 4-2-0 on the season – with three wins coming against the arch-rival Sea Wolves.

Louisiana, which played without the ejected Shiryaev for the final 61 minutes, plays at Texas on Saturday at 7:05 p.m., with the Wildcatters opening up brand new Ford Arena in Beaumont. Texas is encouraging all fans to get to the game early. For directions to the Ford Park entertainment complex, please see the bottom of this press release.

The IceGators also improved to an impressive 7-1-1 in their last nine trips to Mississippi, and 13-3-1 in the last 17 meetings overall.

Jeff Hutchins tied the game with 43 seconds left in regulation, and Greg Gardner made 36 saves for Mississippi, which is 1-2-1 in its last four and 3-3-3 this season. Brent Gauvreau also scored for the Sea Wolves.

The IceGators took a one-goal lead into the final minute of the game in Mississippi for the second time this season, but again couldn't hold the edge.

Hutchins threw a knuckler on net from the left circle, and with Steffon Walby camped out in front, the puck got by a screened Gustafson for Hutchins' second goal of the night and team-best eighth of the season with 43 ticks left.

Gardner made an unbelievable save on Louisiana rookie Jamie Johnson early on in overtime. The puck actually got behind Gardner, who reached behind to cover up. With a minute left in overtime, Gardner made another great save on Storey.

In the shootout, Mitchell went first for Louisiana and had his shot blocked by Gardner. Walby, the Sea Wolves' captain, then went for the Sea Wolves and beat Gustafson by faking to the left and going right.

In the second round, Johnson went to the forehand late and snuck the puck past Gardner. Jim Baxter, the reigning ECHL Defenseman of the Year, was stoned by Gustafson's glove at the goal line, keeping the shootout 1-1.

Konstantin Kalmikov was the third IceGators shooter, and he beat Gardner five-hole with a quick wrister. Gustafson then stopped Gauvreau.

Veteran Martin Masa was denied by Gardner's stick in the fourth round, and Gustafson poke checked the puck away from former IceGator Louis Dumont to keep the lead at one.

Gardner stoned Bobby Brown, giving the Sea Wolves one last shot. But Gustafson's kick save on Sergei Kuznetsov's quick wrister preserved the victory.

The shootout victory moved the IceGators to 106-5-4 under Dave Farrish when leading after two periods. That includes a 48-1-2 mark on the road.

There was no scoring in the first period, but enough action to satisfy the crowd – including the ejection of Shiryaev.

Maxwell charged up those fans just 1:02 in with a crushing hit on Johnson. Louisiana didn't score on the power play, and just 43 seconds after Maxwell came out of the box, he and Shiryaev squared off at center ice, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Maxwell's best fighting opponent was sent out of the game, though, when it was ruled his jersey was not properly tied down.

With eight minutes left in the first, the IceGators had one of their best chances of the stanza, when Masa's attempt on a 2-on-1 was stopped by a sliding Gardner.

Kenny Corupe and Brown each had good chances with 15 seconds remaining in the stanza, but again Gardner was there.

The IceGators went up 1-0 at the 3:41 mark of the first period, after a critical too many men on the ice penalty on Mississippi. The same penalty also cost the Sea Wolves a 2-1 loss at the Cajundome on October 18.

Maxime Fortunus sent a shot on net from the point, and Gardner made the original stop. The puck squirted behind Gardner, and Kilgour hammered it into the back of the net for his second goal in as many games with Louisiana. The assist was the first point of Fortunus' career, while Mitchell also helped out on the play, his first point since being assigned by AHL Houston yesterday.

Seconds later, Gardner gave Kenny Goetz a shot in the head after making a save, and 10 players gathered in front of Gardner, including Maxwell. The Sea Wolves ended up on the power play after the fracas, but lost three players – Maxwell among them – for 10 minutes.

Mississippi eventually went on a 5-on-3 for just one second when Josh Mizerek went for high sticking. But before Konstantin Kalmikov – serving Goetz' second minor – could rejoin the play, Gauvreau jammed the puck home from the near post at the 6:02 mark.

Storey's first goal as an IceGator – the team's first tally by a defenseman this season – put Louisiana back on top with 7:56 remaining in the stanza. Mitchell ripped a shot from the point that changed direction in front. The puck dropped to the side of Gardner, and Storey banged it off the netminder and into the cage. The tally came with Walby in the box for holding, while Maxwell, Travis Lisabeth and John Evangelista were still serving their 10-minute misconducts.

The IceGators have scored eight of their 13 regulation goals this season on the power play. Amazingly, six different players have those eight power-play tallies.

Gardner kept the Sea Wolves within one as time expired in the second, stopping Storey's rifle shot from the point, then Brown's rebound attempt.

Mississippi slowly gained momentum throughout the third period, holding the IceGators without a shot for six minutes. However, Gustafson robbed Walby with nine minutes left after Corupe lost his stick in front, and then he stoned Hutchins' redirection seconds later.

Gardner turned aside Alex Materukhin on a partial breakaway with five minutes left, keeping the deficit at one.

Louisiana finished 2-for-5 on the power play, while Mississippi went 1-for-4. Neither team went on the man advantage in the third period or overtime.

Gator Bites:

Kilgour is the only Louisiana rookie with a goal this season, and he has two of them in as many games.

The Sea Wolves (nine points) lead the IceGators (eight) by one point for third place in the Central Division with eight points. Gwinnett (7-1-1) leads with 15 points.

Shiryaev's fight pushed him into the top 10 on the IceGators' all-time penalty minute list. He now has 430, 13 more than Steve O'Rourke. Next on the list is Chris Valicevic (463).

Walby, Mississippi's captain and best player, was held without a point versus Louisiana for just the fourth time in 21 career games.

Dumont, who played 185 games with Louisiana, is just 5-11-3 when facing the IceGators. Gustafson also stopped him in the shootout October 17.

Gardner dropped to 2-6-2 in the regular season versus Louisiana, although he did help the Sea Wolves beat the IceGators in three straight games in last season's Southwest Division Finals.

Hutchins has netted goals in five straight home games, with six goals in that span.

IceGators rookie forward Armands Berzins was a healthy scratch.

Louisiana is 4-0-0 when scoring first and 0-2-0 when allowing the game's first goal.

Walby had scored with 36 seconds left in regulation to force overtime on Opening Night, October 17, when the IceGators won 3-2 in a shootout.

Louisiana was just 4-8 in overtime and shootouts against Mississippi entering this season, including a 1-6 mark in Biloxi. But the IceGators have two shootout decisions at the Coast Coliseum this season.

Directions to Ford Park entertainment complex:

From the East

Take I-10 West; exit Highway 69 South, exit #846. Exit Fannett Road and turn right. The complex will be 3 miles down on the right.

Ford Park Box Office is located in the Arena on the northwest corner.

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