Inferno Advance to Kelly Cup Finals

May 5, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Columbia Inferno News Release


LAST WEEK SOUTHEAST DIVISION FINALS

Monday, April 28th MISSISSIPPI 3 Columbia 1 @ Mississippi

The Columbia Inferno lost their first post-season game 3-1 in game four of the Southern Conference Finals against the Mississippi Sea Wolves. After a scoreless first period, Shawn Wansborough scored at 8:41 on the power play to tie the game at one a piece. Trevor Demmans and Eric Labelle had the assists. In the third period, Mississippi scored two more goals as they skate past the Inferno to win game four and extend the stay for the Inferno in Biloxi.

Wednesday, April 30th MISSISSIPPI 2 Columbia 1 (OT) @ Mississippi

Steffon Walby scored the game-winning goal for the Sea Wolves with a shot over the top right hand shoulder of goaltender Patrick Couture as Mississippi force game six of the Southern Conference Finals. Eric Labelle scored the lone goal for the Inferno at 12:04 of the second period with passes from Chris Pittman and Chris St. Croix on the power play. Mississippi tied the game at one a piece with only 1:04 left in regulation to send the game into overtime.

Friday, May 2nd COLUMBIA 4 Mississippi 2 @ Columbia

The Seawolves opened up the scoring when the puck popped out of a scrum in the slot onto Sergei Kuznetsov's stick and he roofed at the 5:50 mark of the opening frame. Columbia's Sean Owens put the Inferno on the board when he turned on a Chris Pittman rebound and beat Greg Gardner five-hole. Coach White fired up the Inferno side during the intermission and they came out smoking. Darrell Hay took a cross ice pass from Trevor Demmans and snuck the puck under the crossbar with a twisted wrister at the 5:25 mark of the second period. Tim Smith snuffed the game-winner past Gardner's pad three minutes later to give the Inferno the two goal lead. With the second period winding down, Mike Scott was able to dribble one past Couture to cut the Inferno lead to one. The third period was full of big hits, big saves, and great scoring chances. Chris Pittman scored the only marker of the period at 17:24 when he knifed through three Seawolves' defenders and backhanded it off the post to secure the win. Patrick Couture stopped 26 of 28 shots and Greg Gardner of the Seawolves stopped 27 of 31 in the loss. The Seawolves converted 2 of 6 on the power play and killed off all three penalties.

THE WEEK AHEAD EAST COAST HOCKEY LEAGUE KELLY CUP FINALS

Wednesday, May 7th vs. Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies @ Carolina Coliseum 7:05pm

GAME ONE – This is the first time ever the Inferno will play for the Kelly Cup.

Friday, May 9th vs. Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies @ Carolina Coliseum 7:05pm

GAME TWO – Atlantic City beat the Cincinnati Cyclones to advance to the Kelly Cup Finals.

Saturday, May 10th vs. Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies @ Atlantic City 7:30pm

GAME THREE - Columbia has not faced the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies this year in regular season. The only time the Inferno faced the Bullies was January 5th, 2002 and lost.

Playoff Record: 10-2-0 Position: Southern Conference

Weekly Record: 1-2-0 Champions

INFERNO NUMBERS

Record: 10-2-0

Home: 7-0-0

Road: 3-2-0

Goals: 6 – Robin Carruthers, Barrie Moore, Shawn Wansborough

Assists : 11 – Rejean Stringer

Leading Scorer: 14 – Rejean Stringer

Power Play: 28.6% - 3rd

Power Play Goals: 4 – Barrie Moore

Penalty Kill: 85.9% - 6th

Short Handed Goals: N/A

Game Winning Goals: 2 – Chris Pittman, Barrie Moore

Plus/Minus: +8 – Shawn Wansborough

Goaltending: Patrick Couture, 9-2-0, 2.09 GAA, .919 save percentage

INFERNO PLAYOFF STREAKS & HIGHLIGHTS Chris Pittman has three points (1g-2a) in his last three games...Trevor Demmans had two assists in his last game...Rejean Stringer leads the Inferno in points (3g-11a) with 14...Tim Smith leads ECHL rookies in scoring with 13 points (5g-8a)...Trevor Demmans and Darrell Hay lead ECHL defenseman in scoring for Columbia.

TRANSACTIONS

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ECHL Stories from May 5, 2003


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