Louisiana game notes at Columbus

Published on October 31, 2002 under ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


IceGators at Cottonmouths – Louisiana and Columbus hook up for the second time since the Cottonmouths relocated from Hampton Roads, Va. The IceGators, who play Columbus five times this season, won their previous trip to the Columbus Civic Center last March 2, a 3-2 victory. Louisiana is 4-2-0 all-time against the franchise, including a 2-0-0 mark on the road.

Sunday night – Bruce Richardson had four assists, Daniel Goneau had a goal and two helpers and Kenny Corupe scored twice, as the IceGators routed the Jackson Bandits 6-1 at the Cajundome. Cal Benazic, Bobby Brown and rookie Chris Taliercio also scored and Frederic Cloutier made 28 saves to move to 5-0-0 for the IceGators, who kept Jackson off the board during eight power play opportunities. Cloutier's bid for an eighth career shutout was ruined with 5:06 left when former first-round draft pick Kevin Grimes beat the second-year netminder with a screened one-timer from the left point. Shawn McNeil's five-game goal-scoring streak was snapped in the contest, although both he and Kevin Mitchell extended their point streaks to seven games.

Scouting the Cottonmouths – Columbus enters tonight's game a loser of two straight contests, giving up seven goals in each of two games against Greenville. Saturday, the Grrrowl beat the Cottonmouths 7-5 in Columbus, a night after a 7-4 victory in Greenville. Saturday, Jeff Zehr's hat trick was ruined by goals from seven different Greenville players. Mike Morrison gave up three goals and Matus Kostar four in the game. The Cottonmouths' leading scorer is 22-year-old winger J.J. Hunter, who had 45 points (23g, 22a) last season and has 10 points (5g, 5a) and is a plus-two so far this season. Zehr, a former second-round pick of the New York Islanders, has nine points (5g, 4a) and has four games of experience with the Boston Bruins. Columbus' leading defenseman is veteran Darren McAusland, who had 27 points (9g, 18a) last season and has two points (1g, 1a) in seven games this season. The Cottonmouths are talented, but young and inexperienced, between the pipes with a pair of rookies. Morrison helped Maine win the NCAA title in 1999 and led the Black Bears into the Frozen Four last season. Morrison sports a 1-2-1 record with a 3.58 goals against average and a .893 save percentage so far this season. The other highly-touted rookie goaltender is Kostur, from the New Jersey Devils organization. This is Kostur's first year as a pro in North America. The Czech native is 2-1-0 with a 4.82 goals against average and a .850 save percentage.

McNeil ready to take sole possession of fifth place – Shawn McNeil's career-best five-game goal scoring streak, snapped Sunday against Jackson, gave him 102 goals in his career with the IceGators, tying Louis Dumont for fifth place on the team's all-time list. Parsons is fourth with 117, and if McNeil keeps up his current streak, it may not take him long to get there. McNeil is tied with John DePourcq for fifth place on the team's all-time points list with 220.

Mitchell's point, assist streaks at seven – Defenseman Kevin Mitchell is playing the best hockey of his two-year pro career. The 22-year-old has 10 points, all assists, in the first seven games of the season. Dating back to last season, Mitchell has points in each of his last 12 games (1g, 14a). His seven-game point streak to begin the season is a new career-high, bettering a six-game streak from January 25-February 4, 2002. Eight of Mitchell's 10 assists this season have come on the power play.

DePourcq needs one goal to pass Weingartner – John DePourcq's 70 goals have him one shy of Rob Weingartner for seventh on the IceGators' all-time goal list.

Stellar second periods – One of the biggest reasons for the IceGators' success so far has been their second-period dominance. Louisiana has outscored its opponents 14-0 in the middle stanza so far this season. Rookie Chris Taliercio has four of the IceGators' 14 second-period goals.

Cloutier perfect to start – Frederic Cloutier is the second Louisiana goaltender in as many seasons to begin the campaign with a 5-0-0 start. Marc Magliarditi went 6-0-0 to start the 2001-02 season, although Cloutier was unbeaten in regulation in 15 games (13-0-2) to begin the campaign. The IceGators record for most wins to begin a season is nine, set by Marc Delorme in the 1996-97 season. Cloutier has won each of his last eight starts, dating back to last season.

It's all in the family - The NHL, AHL, ECHL combination of Minnesota, Houston and Louisiana has a record of 21-3-2 (heading into last night's play), for a sparkling .846 winning percentage. Each team has one loss in regulation.

Taliercio second in goals among rookies - IceGators forward Chris Taliercio is second among all ECHL rookies in goals scored with five. Pee Dee's Mike Glumac leads with six. Taliercio's six points are also tied for 10th among league rookies.

Welcome to the club – IceGators goaltender Frederic Cloutier picked up a two-minute roughing penalty in the third period Sunday's win over Jackson. Of the 14 goaltenders to play eight or more games with Louisiana, that leaves just Bujar Amidovski without a penalty minute. It didn't take Cloutier's teammate, Kyle Kettles, very long to join the club, as he had a cross-checking penalty just 19:46 into his first game with the team. Bryan Schoen holds the team record with 55 penalty minutes in 58 contests.

Quick hits

Shawn McNeil has points in each of his last 14 regular-season games, dating back to last season. He has 22 points (13g, 9a) in that span.

Shawn McNeil has scored Louisiana's first goal in four of seven games. Five of his eight goals have given the IceGators a lead.

Shawn Skiehar's first-period boarding call Sunday against Jackson gave him 500 career penalty minutes.

Bobby Brown needs one assist for 200 in his professional career and two goals for 75 in his ECHL career.

The IceGators have at least one power play goal in each of their last 11 games, dating back to last season.

Kevin Mitchell's seven-game assist streak is the longest in the ECHL this season. He and Shawn McNeil are tied with Columbus' J.J. Hunter with the longest point streak (seven) in the league.

Louisiana has failed to score first in each of its three road games this season. The IceGators have won two out of those three games.

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ECHL Stories from October 31, 2002


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