Louisiana game notes at Mississippi

November 7, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


IceGators at Sea Wolves – One of the most intense ECHL rivalries is renewed tonight as the IceGators head east to Biloxi for their third matchup in five games against Mississippi. The IceGators are 30-18-8 all-time against the Sea Wolves after two wins this season and 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 12-3-1 in the last 16 regular season meetings, including a 6-1-1 mark in its last eight trips to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The team's only regulation loss in Biloxi in the last eight trips was a 4-3 decision on November 3, 2002. The IceGators are 12-10-6 all-time in Biloxi. In the teams' last meeting, October 18 at the Cajundome, Konstantin Kalmikov's second goal of the game, late in the third period, was the difference in a 2-1 IceGators win. Frederic Cloutier made 26 saves in the game. Tonight is the third of 14 meetings between the teams this season.

2003-04 IceGators/Sea Wolves matchups
(Louisiana leads, 2-0-0; at LA 1-0-0; at MIS 1-0-0)
Fri, Oct. 17: Louisiana 3, at Mississippi 2 (SO)
Sat, Oct. 18: Louisiana 2, vs. Mississippi 1
TONIGHT: Louisiana at Mississippi, 7:35 p.m
Sunday, Dec. 7: Mississippi at Louisiana, 4:05 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 13: Louisiana at Mississippi, 7:35 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 14: Mississippi at Louisiana, 4:05 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 3: Louisiana at Mississippi, 7:35 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 10: Mississippi at Louisiana, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30: Mississippi at Louisiana, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 7: Louisiana at Mississippi, 7:35 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 27: Mississippi at Louisiana, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, March 19: Mississippi at Louisiana, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, March 26: Louisiana at Mississippi, 7:35 p.m.
Saturday, April 3: Louisiana at Mississippi, 7:35 p.m.

Saturday night – Bobby Brown snapped a tie with 4:08 left in regulation, leading the Louisiana IceGators to a 3-2 win over the Columbus Cottonmouths at the Columbus Civic Center. Ben Kilgour and Martin Masa each scored their first goals with Louisiana, which snapped a two-game losing streak. The IceGators also got 20 saves from Frederic Cloutier. Colin Pepperall and J.F. Plourde each scored for struggling Columbus, which has dropped six of seven after a loss Sunday to Augusta.

Scouting the IceGators – Louisiana plays game four of a five-game, three-week road trip tonight, having gone 1-2-0 in the first three contests. The IceGators open up the new Ford Center in Beaumont, Texas, against the Wildcatters tomorrow night before returning home to the Cajundome to face Columbus on Sunday. The IceGators snapped a two-game skid Saturday in Columbus, earning a hard-fought 3-2 decision over the Cottonmouths. Bobby Brown had the game-winning goal, while rookie Ben Kilgour and Martin Masa each scored their first goals in IceGators uniforms. Frederic Cloutier made 20 saves for Louisiana. The IceGators have been led offensively by Brown and linemate Kenny Corupe. Brown (3g, 3a) and Corupe (2g, 4a) each have six points, including three-game point streaks that are alive entering tonight's game. Konstantin Kalmikov is tied with Brown for the team lead with three goals. The IceGators' leading defensive scorer early on is Josh Mizerek, who has four points, all assists. Kilgour became the first Louisiana rookie with a goal this season on Saturday, and he trails Jamie Johnson (2a) for the team lead in rookie scoring. Cloutier, the 2001-02 ECHL Most Valuable Player, is 2-1-0 with a 2.33 goals against average and a .903 save percentage early on. His win Saturday was the 50th of his pro career. Derek Gustafson has split his two decisions, beating the Sea Wolves on October 17. Gustafson sports a 2.88 goals against average and a .905 save percentage.

Scouting the Sea Wolves – Mississippi has struggled with consistency early on, going 3-3-2 in eight games and recording back-to-back wins on one occasion. The Sea Wolves enter tonight's game off a 1-2-0 road trip, including a 6-2 loss in Pensacola on Saturday. In that game, Mississippi allowed 10 power play chances, and Pensacola scored on four of them en route to the impressive victory. Louis Dumont picked up a goal and an assist to pace the Sea Wolves, while Greg Gardner made 27 saves. Mississippi is led in scoring by second-year player Jeff Hutchins and captain Steffon Walby. Hutchins has 10 points (6g, 4a), including three of his team's seven power play tallies, while Walby has five goals, including two on the power play, and five helpers. Dumont is fourth on the team with seven points (4g, 3a). The Sea Wolves blueline starts with Jim Baxter, last season's ECHL Defenseman of the Year. Baxter has five assists in eight games. This is a different-look Mississippi team than when these squads met the first time, mainly due to the addition of Sergei Kuznetsov. The centerman has four assists in five games and has given Louisiana some fits in the past. The Sea Wolves get most of their toughness from Roger Maxwell, who has racked up 64 penalty minutes in eight games, including 29 Saturday in Pensacola. Gardner has played five games, going 2-2-1 with a 2.56 goals against average. His backup is Sean Matile, who is 1-1-1 with a 3.60 goals against average.

‘Gators look for hot November – After ending the season's opening month with their only non-winning October in team history, the IceGators try to start November 2-0-0 tonight. The year's 11th month hasn't been as kind as the rest to Louisiana. The IceGators are 57-30-13 all-time in November, good for a .635 winning percentage – a good winning percentage but still sixth out of six months. On the road, the IceGators are 25-19-5 in November (.561), good for the fourth-best record in team history. Under Dave Farrish, Louisiana is 25-10-7 in November, including a stout 20-5-4 mark the last two seasons.

IceGators' scoring streak is franchise best – The IceGators have scored in 145 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 10 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 19 occasions, including November 24 at TECO Arena against Florida. The IceGators have recorded an astounding 16 shutouts since they were last kept off the scoreboard. Mississippi and Greg Gardner did shut out Louisiana in the post-season in April.

Masa two points from 500 in pro career – Louisiana left wing Martin Masa is just two points shy of 500 entering tonight's game. Masa, at 30 the eldest statesman in the IceGators locker room, has 498 points (212g, 286a) in 578 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. Masa was held without a point in four straight games to begin the season, but scored a goal Saturday in Columbus.

Cloutier picks up win No. 50 – 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, and he is second all-time in the ECHL in that category, trailing only Curtis Sanford (2.17). Cloutier's save percentage of .926 is best in team history. Magliarditi is second (.924). Cloutier's eight shutouts are also a team-best (Kyle Kettles, 5). Cloutier has 50 wins in his first 77 pro contests, having picked up win No. 50 Saturday in Columbus. Cloutier's all-time pro marks are 50-15-9 with a 2.36 goals against average and .923 save percentage. With the IceGators and in the ECHL, the St. Honore, Que., native is 46-12-7.

Farrish fifth among ECHL coaches with 141 wins – IceGators head coach and vice president of hockey operations Dave Farrish is 141-58-22 with the team. He is fifth among active ECHL coaches in victories in the league, behind Greenville's John Marks (341), Greensboro's Rick Adduono (201), Reading's Derek Clancey (146) and Gwinnett's Jeff Pyle (142). Farrish's 141 wins are just 29 shy of Doug Shedden's team record. Farrish's .688 winning percentage is third all-time in the ECHL, behind Don Jackson (.758) and Troy Ward (.722). Both of those coaches coached just one season, though.

Brown lights them up early – Louisiana captain Bobby Brown has 40 goals in his season-plus with the team, and 21 of them have come in the first period (52.5 percent).

Kalmikov loves the game-winner – Winger Konstantin Kalmikov has 22 goals as an IceGator, and seven of them have been game-winners (32 percent), including one in a 2-1 win over Mississippi on October 18.

Shiryaev about to crack Top 10 – Louisiana's Dennis Shiryaev picked up seven penalty minutes Saturday against Columbus, moving him within two PIM's of the IceGators top 10. Shiryaev has 415 penalty minutes in 104 games with Louisiana. Dan O'Rourke, who is currently an official and the brother of Mississippi defenseman Steve O'Rourke, is 10th on the team's list with 417. Next on the list after O'Rourke is Chris Valicevic (463).

Cloutier enjoys playing against Sea Wolves – While Mississippi has handed Louisiana's Frederic Cloutier four of his 12 career ECHL losses, Cloutier has also notched eight wins against the Sea Wolves – his most against any team. Cloutier is 8-4-0 with a 2.26 goals against average and a .922 save percentage against Mississippi, including two shutouts. Cloutier made 26 saves in a 2-1 home win over the Sea Wolves on October 18.

Vickers happy to see Mississippi – Louisiana defenseman Jim Vickers, obtained last week from Charlotte, has averaged a point per game (1g, 4a) in five career games against the Sea Wolves. Vickers even picked up an assist in his pro debut versus Mississippi, on March 27, 2002, with Jackson.

They can hold a lead – In the three-year Dave Farrish era, Louisiana has dropped just five games in regulation when leading after 40 minutes. The IceGators are 105-5-4 when taking a lead into the third period under Farrish. As amazing as those numbers are, consider this: Louisiana is 47-1-2 on the road when leading after 40 minutes, with the only blemish being a 3-2 loss in Peoria on January 4, 2001 – Farrish's first season. In that game, Louisiana led 2-0 after one period and 2-1 after 40 minutes. The IceGators went on to lose the next two games of the road trip, in Peoria and Toledo, by a combined 12-6 margin.

And the youth shall lead them – The IceGators have 10 players on their roster born in 1980 or later. Armands Berzins, who won't turn 20 until December 27, is the ECHL's youngest player.

Special teams update – The IceGators are 6-for-25 on the Louisiana Motors Pontiac Power Play so far this season, and their 24 percent ranks them fourth among all ECHL teams. On the Acadiana Bottling Pepsi Penalty Kill, Louisiana is 18-of-21 (85.7 percent). That ranks the IceGators 10th in the league. Louisiana has given up one power play goals in four of its five games. The Sea Wolves are 15th on the power play (17.1 percent), and just 27th on the penalty kill (39-for-52). Mississippi has given up a league-worst 13 man-advantage goals, including four in a 6-2 loss in Pensacola on Saturday.

Mitchell is back – Two-time ECHL All-Star Kevin Mitchell returned to the IceGators yesterday, when he was assigned to the team by the AHL's Houston Aeros. Mitchell played two games with the Aeros without recording a point. Mitchell was selected an ECHL All-Star starter last season, but was in the AHL at the time of the game. Mitchell racked up 34 points (5g, 29a) in just 30 games with the IceGators last season. Mitchell has had a lot of success against the Sea Wolves, with 13 points (3g, 10a) in 17 games, his second highest point total against any team.

Walby usually wears out the IceGators – Mississippi captain Steffon Walby has scored two game-tying goals against the IceGators this season, which is no surprise considering his history versus the team. Walby has 24 points (15g, 9a) in 20 career games versus the IceGators. Walby was held without a point against Louisiana just once in 10 games last season and just three times in 20 games overall. Walby has six power play goals, two shorthanded tallies and two game-winners versus the IceGators.

Gardner 2-7-0 versus Louisiana in regular season – Mississippi netminder Greg Gardner went 3-0 against Louisiana during the 2003 Southwest Division Finals, but he is just 2-7-0 versus the IceGators in the regular season. Gardner sports a 3.23 goals against average and a .906 save percentage against Louisiana in the regular season. Both of his wins came at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Gardner's seven losses have him in a five-way tie for fifth on the all-time IceGators opposing goaltenders list. Among those Gardner is tied with are Mississippi assistant coach Chuck Thuss. With another loss, Gardner will tie Scott Lagrande and Ron Vogel for third place on the all-time list with eight defeats. Gardner's mate in goal, Sean Matile, sports a 2-5-0 mark, but with a respectable 2.90 goals against average. Matile's 2.90 goals against average is fourth best among opponent goaltenders with a minimum of five decisions. Thuss is No. 3 on the list (2.82), which is led by former Jackson netminder Mike Tamburro (2.44).

Men behaving badly – Mississippi's Roger Maxwell, a former IceGator, is no stranger to the penalty box, although he does seem to enjoy it more against his old team. In 11 games against Louisiana, Maxwell has 144 penalty minutes, including 12 fighting majors, five 10-minute misconducts and two game misconducts. Maxwell fought both Dennis Shiryaev and Kenny Goetz on October 17 in Biloxi, but didn't drop the gloves at the Cajundome the next night.

Dumont continues to climb charts, looks for win against former team – Sea Wolves centerman Louis Dumont has 677 ECHL points, just eight behind tying Darryl Noren for second place on the team's all-time list. Dumont, who posted 239 of those points (102g, 139a) in 185 games with Louisiana, has typically seen his team struggle against the IceGators. Dumont's teams are 5-11-2 versus Louisiana, including a 5-10-2 mark since his departure in 1999-2000. You can't blame Dumont for that though, as he has 22 points (7g, 15a) in those 18 games.

Quick hits

Louisiana has scored six of its 10 goals in the first period this season, and four thereafter.

Mississippi's John Evangelista is one point from 100 in his Sea Wolves career (201 gp, 39g-60a) and five points from 150 in pro career (280 gp, 60g-85a).

Sea Wolves center Louis Dumont has scored in three consecutive games (4g) and also has six points (4g-2a) over his last three games.

Mississippi left wing Jeff Hutchins has netted goals in four straight home games (5g).

Sea Wolves center Brent Gauvreau has registered assists in four straight home games (7a).

Mississippi's Sergei Kuznetsov has picked up an assist in each of his last four games (4a).

Louisiana's Bobby Brown has 15 points (7g, 8a) in 14 career games against Mississippi.

IceGators center Kenny Corupe has 12 points (3g, 9a) in 15 games versus the Sea Wolves.

Two of Dennis Shiryaev's 13 career goals have come against Mississippi.

Louisiana's Konstantin Kalmikov has four career goals versus the Sea Wolves, tied for the most against any team (Arkansas, Gwinnett).

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 two 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, 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.

Louisiana's Dennis Shiryaev and Konstantin Kalmikov and Mississippi's Andrei Lupandin all hail from Kharkov, Ukraine.



ECHL Stories from November 7, 2003


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