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Louisiana game notes at Mississippi

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


IceGators at Sea Wolves – One of the most intense ECHL rivalries is renewed tonight in the season opener between Louisiana and Mississippi. The IceGators are 28-18-8 all-time against the Sea Wolves after an 8-3-1 regular-season mark in 2002-03, a season which saw the two teams tie for the Southwest Division title. Mississippi was given the top-seed in the post-season by virtue of more regular season wins, and defeated Louisiana in three games on its way to the Southern Conference Finals. Louisiana is 10-3-1 in the last 14 regular season meetings, including an impressive 5-1-1 mark in the last seven trips to Biloxi. These marks are so impressive in that they came after an 0-4-1 skid against the Sea Wolves during the IceGators' record-setting 2001-02 campaign. Louisiana sits just above the .500 mark all-time at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, with an 11-10-6 record. Last season, returnee Bobby Brown was second on the team in points versus the Sea Wolves with 13 (5g, 8a), including four power-play goals. Goalie Frederic Cloutier went 5-2-0 with a 2.15 goals against average and his one shutout was against Mississippi. Returning players Steffon Walby (6g, 6a) and Jim Baxter (4g, 6a) were second and third on the team, respectively, in scoring against Louisiana last season. Sean Matile was 2-3-0 with a 3.22 goals against average, while Mike Buckley suffered a season-ending injury in his only game, at the Cajundome, on Opening Night after just 21-plus minutes. This is the first of 14 meetings between the teams this season.

Scouting the IceGators – The IceGators went 40-20-12 last season, tying for the division title with the Sea Wolves despite being nine points back with less than a month to play. Louisiana went 7-1-1 in its last nine games before sweeping Arkansas in the Southwest Division Semifinals. The IceGators should again battle for their eighth division title in nine years in 2003-04. Goaltenders Frederic Cloutier and Derek Gustafson lead the way. Both have time at the AHL level, and Gustafson was an AHL All-Star in 2002-03. With Louisiana in 2002-03, Cloutier was the 2001-02 ECHL MVP, Rookie of the Year and Goalie of the Year when he went 28-5-3 with league records in goals against (1.84) and save percentage (.945). Cloutier was in Houston in March when he suffered a season-ending injury. Gustafson has three years experience in the AHL, with five games with NHL Minnesota as well. In front of the netminders, veteran Milt Mastad and Ben Storey help form a solid blueline. Mastad anchored the defensive corps in the final month of the 2002-03 season after he was acquired from Richmond at the trade deadline, while Storey is an offensive defenseman who had 45 points (18g, 27a) in 62 games with Lexington last season, his first in the ECHL. Former Brass and Kingfish player Josh Mizerek was also signed in the off-season, and those three are joined by rookies Nick Cammarata, Kevin Holdridge and Maxime Fortunus. Cammarata did play nine regular-season games late last season with Louisiana. Up front, the IceGators expect to be led by the offense of veterans Bobby Brown, Konstantin Kalmikov and Martin Masa. Brown enjoyed his finest season as a pro last year and can also play the blueline. Kalmikov spent most of the season in AHL Bridgeport, a year after helping the IceGators to the best record in league-history. Masa is in his 10th pro season and has a Kelly Cup Title to his credit (2002, Greenville). Kenny Corupe had a breakout season in 2002-03 with Louisiana and just returned from training camp with AHL Hamilton. The IceGators have rookies to look out for as well, led by Minnesota draft pick Armands Berzins, who is just 19 but stands 6-foot-3, 227 pounds, 100-point OHL scorer Jamie Johnson and Quinnipiac product Brian Herbert. Returnee Dennis Shiryaev returns from injury, while Dave Farrish also picked up Alex Matieroukhine from Richmond and Kenny Goetz from CHL Corpus Christi.

Scouting the Sea Wolves – Mississippi appears capable of matching its 44-24-4 record from last season, with several additions to make up for the loss of veteran forward Dave Paradise, who went to the UHL. Leading the way as always for the Sea Wolves is captain Steffon Walby, who picked up an eye-popping 89 points (42g, 47a) in just 59 games last season. Mississippi also signed former Pensacola Ice Pilot and IceGator Louis Dumont. The playmaker notched 71 points (20g, 51a) in 68 games last season and will fit in well with the Sea Wolves unit, especially the power play. Mississippi also got physical in the off-season, reaching for an old friend in Roger Maxwell. Maxwell, who used to play for both Mississippi and Louisiana, has totaled 2,548 penalty minutes and 166 fighting majors in seven pro seasons. Last season, Maxwell's 388 penalty minutes for WCHL Long Beach ranked him second in the league, despite playing just 40 games. Maxwell does have an offensive side, as he scored two goals in pre-season action against Florida last weekend. Anchoring the blueline is Jim Baxter, who was the ECHL's Defenseman of the Year in 2002-03 despite suffering through some injuries. Baxter had 74 points (16g, 58a) in 68 games and has a sharp shot from the point. Bob Woods also signed Steve O'Rourke from overseas, and inked another former Ice Pilot in Kerry Ellis-Toddington. Ellis-Toddington, acquired prior to the trade deadline, had 13 points (6g, 7a) in 27 games with Pensacola. Mississippi starts the season without last year's post-season hero Greg Gardner (AHL Rochester). Sean Matile will be the No. 1 goalie in his absence. Matile went 12-7-0 with a 3.04 goals against average in 24 games last season, his most games played since 1999-2000. Mike Buckley will give it another go as well. Buckley suffered a season-ending groin injury on October 18 at the Cajundome in his only game of the season. Buckley is in his fourth pro year, yet with only 15 games played he's still considered a rookie.

Opening Night success – The IceGators look forward to Opening Night every season. Louisiana is 7-1-0 all-time in season-openers (including four straight wins), with the only blemish coming in 1998 at Pensacola, a 5-2 defeat. That game marks the only time in team history that the IceGators haven't scored at least four goals during the season opener. Louisiana has scored six goals in each of the last three season openers, with last year's comeback 6-5 shootout victory in Arkansas at the forefront. Rookie Chris Taliercio scored twice in that game, in which the IceGators trailed by two goals in the second period. This is the first time that the IceGators and Sea Wolves have met in the IceGators' season opener. Louisiana has opened each of its nine ECHL seasons on the road. Looking ahead to tomorrow night, the IceGators are a perfect 8-0-0 all-time in home openers, including a 4-2 win over Mississippi in 2002-03.

IceGators' scoring streak is franchise best – The IceGators have scored in 140 straight regular-season games, dating back to a 1-0 shootout loss to Mike Tamburro and Jackson at the Cajundome on October 17, 2001. That's the longest regular-season streak in team history by five contests. Louisiana went 135 games without being shut out from the franchise's first game, on October 13, 1995, to a 1-0 loss at Baton Rouge on March 22, 1997. In the team's current streak, they have been held to one goal on 18 occasions, including 11 times last season. The IceGators have recorded an astounding 16 shutouts since they were last kept off the scoreboard. Mississippi did shut out Louisiana in the post-season in April.

Masa three points from 500 in pro career – Louisiana left wing Martin Masa is just three points shy of 500 as he enters his 10th pro season. Masa, at 30 the eldest statesman in the IceGators locker room, has 497 points (211g, 286a) in 573 pro games beginning in 1994-95. Masa, who was a member of Greenville's 2002 Kelly Cup winning team, has more game-winning goals (32) than all of his teammates, except Bobby Brown, have goals in the ECHL. Masa has most victimized South Carolina, with four game-winners.

Cloutier returns – Frederic Cloutier, the league MVP in 2001-02, has rejoined the IceGators and will look to continue to climb the IceGators' charts. Cloutier's goals against average of 2.35 trails only Marc Magliarditi (2.26) and Bujar Amidovski (2.32) on the team's ledgers. Cloutier had a 1.84 gaa in his MVP season. His save percentage of .927 is best in team history. Magliarditi is second (.924). Cloutier's eight shutouts are also a team-best (Kyle Kettles, 5).

Quick hits

The IceGators went 33-4-7 when yielding one or less power play goals last season, including a 20-1-1 mark at home.

In 2002-03, Louisiana went 36-7-8 when scoring three or more goals, including a 28-3-4 mark when scoring four or more.

In the three-year Dave Farrish era, Louisiana has dropped just five games in regulation when leading after 40 minutes. The IceGators are 102-5-4 when taking a lead into the third period under Farrish.

Tonight, Dennis Shiryaev will become the 21st player in IceGators history to play in 100 games. Shiryaev's 388 penalty minutes with the IceGators are 13th all-time, and he needs just 29 PIM's to move into the top 10. (Dan O'Rourke, 417)

Frederic Cloutier needs one more game played for 75 in his pro career and two wins for 50.

Kenny Corupe has 49 career professional goals Derek Gustafson's next shutout will be his 10th.

With his next goal, Bobby Brown will tie Jason McQuat and Dan O'Rourke for 16th on the IceGators' all-time list with 38.

The IceGators have outscored their opponents 44-30 in their eight season openers.

Louis Dumont played for Louisiana from 1996-1999 and ranks fifth on the team's all-time point list (239), sixth in assists (137) and sixth in goals (102).

Roger Maxwell was an IceGator from 1999-2001 and is still eighth on the team's penalty-minute list (542) and seventh in fighting majors (34).

Steve O'Rourke played for Louisiana in his rookie season in 1999-2000 before heading overseas. The brother of official and former IceGator Dan O'Rourke had 2 assists in 10 regular-season games and a goal and two helpers in 13 playoff games.

Mississippi's Kerry Ellis-Toddington and Louisiana's Milt Mastad were teammates in Richmond last season.

In 2000-01 and 2001-02, Louisiana's Ben Storey and Mississippi's Steffon Walby were teammates in AHL Hershey.

Mississippi director of player development Chuck Thuss played 15 games for the IceGators in 1995-96.



ECHL Stories from October 17, 2003


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