Khudobin makes 59 saves as Texas closes perfect road trip with shootout victory

Published on November 10, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Texas Wildcatters News Release


Duluth, GA - Anton Khudobin stopped 59 of 63 shots in regulation and overtime plus four of five in the shootout, John McNabb scored twice, and round one between two South Division heavyweights did not disappoint as Texas escaped with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Gwinnett Gladiators Saturday night.

McNabb struck first for the Wildcatters with his eighth goal of the season, sneaking the puck past Gladiator goalie Craig Kowalski on the power play to make the score 1-0 at 5:20 of the first period.

A fast-paced period would continue for another ten minutes before Brandon Benedict would make the score 2-0 by slamming home a rebound on a 5-on-3 Texas power play. Dan Welch and Maxim Noreau assisted on the play, Noreau's third assist in two games with the ‘Catters.

Gwinnett, facing uncommon territory with the 2-0 first intermission deficit, would come out firing in the second period. Colin Fretter, who joined the Gladiators from AHL Chicago earlier in the week, got Gwinnett on the board just 20 seconds into the frame to cut the Wildcatter lead to one.

Khudobin may never have seen Jamie Milam's power play blast from the point that tied the game six and a half minutes into the period, but the 10,353 in attendance certainly did, erupting as the hometown team knotted the contest 2-2.

Texas would strike back with fury as McNabb would find the back of the net again on the power play to break the tie midway through the period. Marc Fulton would score his second goal in as many nights at 12:44 to give the ‘Catters their second two-goal advantage of the night.

The lead would dwindle to 4-3 as Milam would score again on the power play with 1:39 remaining, setting the stage for a thrilling third period between the top two teams in the ECHL.

The teams would exchange jabs for much of the final stanza, Gwinnett getting a golden opportunity when Fulton was called for holding with 4:31 remaining. Texas would kill the penalty, but seconds later Ryan Mahrle would send the Gwinnett faithful into a frenzy as he slid the puck past a sprawling Khudobin to knot the game at 4-4 with just 2:02 remaining,.

Overtime would begin with Texas again on the penalty kill as Fulton would get fingered for high-sticking with 15 seconds left in regulation, but Khudobin would come up with several miraculous saves to keep the ‘Catters alive in the extra frame and send the game to a shootout.

Bouchard would ring a backhander high off the left post to begin the shootout, but Khudobin would stop Fretter on the first Gwinnett attempt. The teams would both score on the second attempt as McNabb whipped a wrist shot past Kowalski and Nesbit would beat Khudobin, but neither team would score on their third attempt. Welch would score what would prove the decisive goal of the shootout on the fourth Texas chance as Khudobin kept the door shut for the remainder of the shootout to seal the victory for the Wildcatters.

The Wildcatters finished the game 3-of-7 on the power play and fired 30 shots at Kowalski. Gwinnett finished 2-of-6 on the man advantage and bombarded Khudobin with 63 shots, just six off the ECHL record of 69.

The win sends the Wildcatters to 8-1-0-1, an identical record as the Gladiators, and keeps the teams atop the American Conference South Division. The Wildcatters finish their six-game divisional road trip a perfect 6-0-0-0 and extend their unbeaten streak to nine games. The team is off to the best start in club history.

The Wildcatters return home a weekend series versus the expansion Elmira Jackals of upstate New York. The series begins with The Medical Center of Southeast Texas Night Friday at 7:30. The first 1000 fans receive Wildcatters clappers!

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ECHL Stories from November 10, 2007


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