Khudobin Stops 42 in 3-2 Texas Win
January 27, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Texas Wildcatters News Release
Beaumont, TX-Troy Riddle and Max Taylor each had a goal and an assist and Anton Khudobin made 42 saves as the Texas Wildcatters won their third straight with a 3-2 victory over the Mississippi Sea Wolves Saturday night in Ford Arena.
The Catters (31-4-3-4) ceded the first five minutes to the Sea Wolves, who rattled of six shots on Khudobin before Texas managed a shot on Mississippi keeper Morgan Cey, but the first-place Texas team hit high gear with the help of several Sea Wolves penalties. John McNabb scored his team-leading 20th goal of the season on the power play at 8:02 after connecting on a long rebound given up by Cey to make the score 1-0. Riddle and Taylor would collect assists on the goal.
Kevin Baker scored his eighth of the season less than two minutes later with an even-strength tally assisted by John Adams-who is +5 in the first two games of this series. Riddle would ring the crossbar after a beautiful centering pass on another Texas power play, and Texas would enter the first intermission comfortably in command of the game with a 2-0 lead and 16-11 shots advantage.
The second period appeared to be more of the same as Taylor would center a pass on an odd-man rush to a diving Riddle, who was trailing the play. The pass would deflect off a Mississippi defender's stick as Riddle went horizontal and past Cey to give the Catters a 3-0 lead.
However, Mississippi roared back and went on to fire 24 shots and get two goals on Khudobin in the middle frame. Jason Tejchma (TEACH-muh) would register both tallies for the Sea Wolves, the first on a top-shelf snap shot from the low slot and the second after a pileup in front of the goal as the Texas lead shrunk to just one goal at 13:56 of the second.
Khudobin, whose acrobatics thrilled the 2,300 Texas faithful all night, made several key saves to preserve the Texas lead and send the game into the third period with the Catters on top 3-2.
Texas would regain much of their early momentum in the third period, thanks in part to Cleve Kinley's fight with Monych. Kinley, not known as a fighter, left the Mississippi winger bloodied and energized the Texas bench.
With Cey on the bench for an extra attacker in the final minute, Khudobin appeared half-man-half-Slinky with several more seemingly impossible saves to secure the win for Texas.
Both teams finished 1-for-6 on the power play as Cey finished with 34 saves and Khudobin dazzled with 42.
The teams finish the series with a 4:05 match Sunday at Ford Arena. Kids 12 and under get mezzanine tickets for just $6. Several Wildcatters players will sign autographs on the concourse following this and every Wildcatters home game.
The Texas Wildcatters are the proud ECHL affiliate of the AHL's Houston Aeros and the NHL's Minnesota Wild! Book your next party with the Catters with their group discounts! Call (409) 951-5500!
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