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IceGators within four points of playoffs after 1-2-0 week

February 17, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Week in review: LA 3, BR 2; PEN 2, LA 1; MIS 4, LA 1

Louisiana stayed four points away from a playoff berth with Sunday's 4-1 home loss to Mississippi, which wrapped up a 1-2-0 week. The IceGators have 70 points, two up on Mississippi and three on Pensacola with six weeks left in the ECHL regular season.

Steffon Walby and Mike Scott each scored on the red-hot Mississippi power play, as the Sea Wolves beat the IceGators 4-1 at the Cajundome on Sunday. Jim Baxter and Dave Paradise each added a goal and an assist, and Sean Matile finished with 29 saves for Mississippi, which jumped over Pensacola into second place in the Southwest Division.

Kyle Kettles, playing his third game in as many nights, turned aside 26 shots and Shawn Skiehar scored a power play goal for Louisiana, which has lost three of four. The IceGators, who went 16 minutes without a shot in the second and third periods, could have moved within two points of a playoff berth with a win.

Mississippi went 2-for-4 on the power play, improving to 7-for-15 in its last three games. Louisiana scored its first man-advantage goal in three contests, going 1-for-5.

Saturday, Chris Minard scored a power play goal early in the first period and Mike Jones added a man advantage tally early in the third, as the Pensacola Ice Pilots edged closer to first-place Louisiana with a 2-1 home victory over the IceGators. Maxime Gingras made 16 of his 34 saves in the third period for the Ice Pilots.

Kenny Corupe scored and Kettles made 23 saves for the IceGators, who are just 1-3-1 this season in Pensacola

Friday, Bobby Brown had two goals in the first period, Shawn McNeil snapped a tie in the second and fan favorite Jeff Worlton picked up his first pro point on Brown's first tally, as the red-and-pink clad IceGators beat the Kingfish 3-2 at the Cajundome on Valentine's Day.

Kettles finished with 33 saves for Louisiana.

Marquis Mathieu and Dwayne Blais each scored for the Kingfish, who fell to 1-11-1 in their last 13. Niklas Sundberg turned aside 27 shots for Baton Rouge.

In the community - Tuesday, Bobby Brown will be throwing out the first pitch at the Comeaux High School softball season-opener. Also Tuesday, the IceGators will be taping a public service program with Savoy Medical Center. Friday, Jeff Worlton and Chris Taliercio will be giving a "Just Say No" presentation at Ridge Elementary, while two players will also visit the Tim's Used Computers Grand Opening in Lafayette from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, IceGators media and community relations director Ryan Stanzel will be hosting the Krewe of Karencro Ball at the Holidome.

Coming attractions:

WED, LA vs. PEN

7:05 p.m.

The IceGators have a light week before their big road trip to the Northern Conference, playing just one game. Louisiana and Pensacola is quickly becoming the rivalry in the Southwest Division. The IceGators are 3-4-1 versus the Ice Pilots this season, although they are 2-1-0 at the Cajundome against Pensacola.

Schedule for

upcoming

Northern Conference road trip:

Wednesday, 2/26

at Cincinnati, 6:05 p.m.

Friday, 2/28

at Peoria, 7 p.m.

Saturday, 3/1

at Toledo, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, 3/2

at Peoria, 3 p.m.

Within four points of playoffs - The IceGators will become the first team to qualify for the 2003 Kelly Cup Playoffs with two more wins, or a Baton Rouge loss to Arkansas on Tuesday and an IceGators win over Pensacola on Wednesday. Louisiana is trying to qualify for the post-season for the eighth time in as many seasons. That would be the fourth-longest current streak in the ECHL. Dayton has made the playoffs in 11 straight seasons, but currently wouldn't qualify for the post-season.

Brown one away from 100th ECHL goal, career high in points – Bobby Brown has 59 points combined between the IceGators and AHL Houston, just one shy of his career high. Brown had 60 points in both 1998-99 with Dayton (30g, 30a) and in 2000-01 with CHL Austin (21g, 39a). Brown's 28 goals are two shy of his career-best 30-tally campaign in 1998-99, while his 31 combined assists are eight shy of the 39 he had in 2000-01. Brown also has 99 career ECHL goals.

McNeil hits 30, again – Shawn McNeil has reached the 30-goal plateau for the third straight season. McNeil will likely be the only ECHL player to boast that honor for the 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. Only Dean Tiltgen, Jay Murphy, Hugues Gervais and Dany Bousquet had 30 goals in each of the past two seasons. Of those four, only Murphy is currently in the ECHL, and he is currently on 30-day IR with Greensboro.

Stops ‘em late – The statistics don't lie, Kyle Kettles gets stronger as the game goes on. Kettles allows just .70 goals per third period he plays, better than the second period (0.88), which is better than the first (1.08). In 27 third-periods this season (Kettles had a third period in relief of Frederic Cloutier on November 15), Kettles has yielded only 18 goals.

The race for the Brabham is on, again – Louisiana enters the week with the most points (70) in the Southern Conference and the fourth most in the ECHL. Only Peoria (75), Toledo (74) and Atlantic City (73) have more. The IceGators are trying to become the first team in league history to repeat as Brabham Cup champions after last season's 116-point campaign. Just one Brabham Cup winner has ever won the ECHL's post-season title – South Carolina in 1996-97.

Worlton gets first point, still racking up the PIM's – Rookie defenseman Jeff Worlton picked up his first pro point in his 62nd game Friday, assisting on the first of Bobby Brown's first-period goals. Worlton's 237 penalty minutes are the 14th most for an IceGator in a single season. Jason McQuat is up next on the list; he's 13th with 251, set in 1997-98. If he were to play in each of the IceGators' final 18 games, Worlton's current pace would give him 332 penalty minutes, fifth-best in team history.

Keep it under 30 – The IceGators sports a 9-0-2 mark when allowing 29 or fewer shots at the Cajundome.

Scoring drought - The IceGators have scored just one goal in each of two straight games for just the fourth time in team history and for the first time since February 23 and 24, 2001. Louisiana got shut out 5-0 at South Carolina, then lost 5-1 in Greenville the next night.

Jersey auction - The Boy Scout commemorative jerseys from February 1 are being auctioned off via www.icegators.com. The auction will run through Wednesday, February 26 (not February 21 as previously announced), and the ending times vary. Remember, the purchase after the first $100 is tax deductible. All jerseys will be autographed.

Player of the Week Nominees

Center Kenny Corupe -

Notched points in all three games last week, getting a goal and two assists while the IceGators went 1-2-0...Three-game point streak is one shy of season high...Had assist in 3-2 win over BR Friday...Scored team's lone goal in Saturday's 2-1 loss at PEN...Assisted on Shawn Skiehar's power-play tally, Louisiana's only goal, in 4-1 home loss to MIS on Sunday...Sixth on team with 33 points (16g, 17a).

Goaltender Kyle Kettles -

Went 1-2-0 with a 2.36 goals against average and a ..921 save percentage last week, playing three games in as many nights...Won second straight start, making 33 saves in 3-2 win over BR Friday...Turned aside 23-of-25 shots in 2-1 road loss to PEN on Saturday...Stopped 26 shots and allowed three goals in 4-1 loss to MIS Sunday...Is 13-7-6 with a 2.74 goals against average (10th in ECHL) and a .912 save percentage. IceGators' Practice schedule:

Monday - Off

Tuesday - 10-11:30, Cajundome

Wednesday - 10-11, Cajundome, vs. PEN 7:05

Thursday - 10-11:30, HockeyPlex

Friday - 10-11:30, HockeyPlex

Saturday - TBA, HockeyPlex

Sunday - TBA, HockeyPlex

Don't forget to watch Chomp Time, the weekly television show dedicated to the Louisiana IceGators. Andy Davis hosts Chomp Time, every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on Fox-15. Make sure to follow the IceGators on 105.1 KPEL-FM, and also via the Internet at www.icegators.com.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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