Louisiana game notes vs. Mississippi

January 24, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Sea Wolves at IceGators – Louisiana tries to protect its home ice and first place tonight when it welcomes Mississippi to town for the 53rd all-time meeting. The IceGators, 6-2-1 versus the Sea Wolves this season, sport a 26-18-8 record all-time against Mississippi. Louisiana is 2-1-0 at the Cajundome versus the Sea Wolves this season, with two more regular season meetings to come, after tonight. In the last overall meeting, rookie Rod Sarich netted Louisiana's first goal as the IceGators rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 6-2 win in Biloxi. The teams have been balanced since their inception, splitting 52 meetings with each team winning 26 games. The IceGators are 8-2-1 against the Sea Wolves since a five-game winless streak (0-4-1) last season. All-time at the Cajundome, Louisiana is 16-7-2 versus Mississippi, although the IceGators dropped the last meeting, a 3-2 decision on December 13. Prior to that, Louisiana had won three straight home meetings.

Sunday night – Shawn McNeil's fourth extra attacker goal of the season with 51.1 seconds left sent the game into overtime, and Bruce Richardson deflected home the game-winner 1:33 into the extra session, as the Louisiana IceGators rallied for a stunning 2-1 victory over the Arkansas RiverBlades in front of 4,836 at the Cajundome. Kyle Kettles made 29 saves for Louisiana, which snapped a two-game skid and improved to 9-3-3 in its last 15. Former IceGator Jason Saal made 31 saves and Mike Sandbeck scored on Arkansas' first shot of the game as the RiverBlades were able to extend their unbeaten streak to a season high-tying eight games (5-0-3).

Scouting the Sea Wolves – Since two losses at Arkansas January 5 and 10, Mississippi has been on a roll, winning three straight games, including a dominating 4-1 home victory over Jackson on Sunday. This is the fourth time this season that the Sea Wolves have strung together at least three straight wins – their season-high of five was set from December 8-18. Sunday, Cody Bowtell scored two goals, including his second straight game-winning score, while Sean Matile made 29 saves and helped stop all six Jackson power plays for the victory. Mississippi has one of the best top units in the league. Dave Paradise (24g, 27a), the Sea Wolves' all-time leading scorer, and All-Star Steffon Walby (21g, 30a) lead the team with 51 points apiece. Walby has a league-best eight game-winning goals. Defenseman Jim Baxter, another All-Star, leads all ECHL defenseman in points with 49 (11g, 38a). Bowtell, meanwhile, as five game-winners and is fourth on the team with 42 points (19g, 23a). Kent Davyduke, who brought much-needed depth to the Sea Wolves in a trade from Trenton last month, is currently in AHL Hershey. Mike Scott is Mississippi's next leading scorer with 28 points (11g, 17a). Greg Gardner is a workhorse, having started 11 straight games until Sunday. Gardner leads the ECHL with 20 wins (20-14-2), and he sports a 2.81 goals against average. Matile, who has been prone to injuries, is 6-3-0 with an impressive 1.88 goals against average.

First place on the line, again – The winner of tonight's game will have sole possession of first place, and there's not much surprise there. This is the 10th time the teams have met this season, and in all but two of those games, first place has been on the line. The IceGators have held at least a share of first place every day since a December 20 victory over Mississippi that moved them on top. The Sea Wolves did climb into a first-place tie on several occasions since then, including Sunday. Since November 29, either Louisiana or Mississippi has held at least a share of first place for every day. Either the IceGators or Sea Wolves have been in first place for all but 16 days in the first 3 ½ months of the season. Tonight's loser could actually drop into a second place tie with Arkansas, which has 54 points and looks for its second straight home win over Baton Rouge this evening.

Hitting the road – The next month will be important for each Mississippi and Louisiana in the Southwest race. The IceGators are in the midst of a stretch where they play seven out of eight games at home. The Sea Wolves, meanwhile, open up a seven-game road trip tonight that includes four games against Northwest Division foes. Mississippi doesn't return home until February 9 against Peoria, and they then head back out on the road for six games, including two games – a week apart – in Estero, Fla., against the Everblades. All told, Mississippi plays 13 of its next 14 games away from Biloxi.

McNeil on verge of fourth place – Shawn McNeil has seemingly reached a new milestone every game this season, and he's on the verge of another. His 117 goals are tied with Don Parsons for fourth on the team's all-time list. Third on the list is the retired Chris Valicevic with 132 goals. Also, McNeil's 143 assists are 10 behind John DePourcq for fourth on the IceGators' ledgers. McNeil has passed Ron Handy (132) and Louis Dumont (137) on the assist list this season, while he got by Dumont (102) on the goal list.

Welcome back – John DePourcq returned to the lineup Sunday after missing 28 of the last 29 games due to injury. DePourcq assisted on Bruce Richardson's game-winning goal, his first point since November 3 against Mississippi. DePourcq has 223 points in 177 games in an IceGators uniform. His 70 goals are just one behind Rob Weingartner for seventh on the team's all-time list.

Kettles second-fastest with two shutouts – IceGators rookie netminder Kyle Kettles recorded two shutouts in his first 13 starts with the team, becoming the third fastest goalie in team history with two shutouts. Frederic Cloutier had two in his first four starts in 2001-02, and a third in his fifth game, while Bujar Amidovski earned two shutouts in his first six starts in 1998-99. Amidovski, also a rookie that season, had his third shutout in his ninth game in 1998-99.

Getting better as the game progresses – The statistics don't lie, Kyle Kettles gets stronger as the game goes on. Kettles allows just .65 goals per third period he plays, better than the second period (.81), which is better than the first (.94). In 17 third-periods this season (Kettles had a third period in relief of Frederic Cloutier on November 15), Kettles has yielded 11 goals – three of them January 17 versus Jackson.

McNeil has four career shootout clinchers – Shawn McNeil's shootout game-winner December 31 against Baton Rouge was his fourth career shootout game-winner. McNeil is tied for second with Ron Handy, Jay Murphy and teammate John DePourcq in that category, trailing only Louis Dumont's six.

McNeil has scored Louisiana's first goal 12 times – There's no better scorer early in the game on the IceGators than Shawn McNeil. Twelve of McNeil's 23 goals have been his team's first goal, and 11 of his goals have given Louisiana the lead. Seven of his goals have tied the game, while he is also tied for the team-lead with three game-winning goals. McNeil's nine first-period goals are also a team best.

IceGators hit 42-game mark – Louisiana has hit the 42-game mark with 56 points (24-10-8), second fewest in its eight-year team history. The IceGators, though, had 57 points three other seasons. A victory tonight would tie this team for third most after 43 games. Last season, the IceGators had 71 points after 42 games. The team's 24 wins are tied for fifth on the team's all-time list after 42 games. Last season, the IceGators had 34 wins in their first 42 games.

How good was 2001-02? – The IceGators hit the ice tonight with the fifth best winning percentage (.667) in the league. Just how good was last season's Brabham Cup winning team that reached the 116-point mark? Louisiana would have to win each of its remaining 30 games just to tie last season's league-record point mark. This season, the IceGators are on pace for 96 points, which would tie the 1997-98 team for the third most in team history.

Rempel skates in 100th game, Shiryaev closing in – Last Friday, Nathan Rempel became the 19th player in team history to skate 100 games with Louisiana. Jack Williams also played in 100 games, while Rob McCaig (17th with 114) and Gary Roach (16th with 116) are up next on the list. Teammate Dennis Shiryaev will soon join Rempel. Shiryaev has played 95 games while Kevin Mitchell, currently in AHL Bridgeport, has played in 92.

Richardson 21st on team's all-time goal list – Captain Bruce Richardson has 29 goals in 62 games with the IceGators. His 29 goals are one behind Mikhail Kravets for 20th on the team's all-time list. It took Kravets 81 games to get his 30 goals. Cory Cyrenne and Steve Aronson, both members of the 2001-02 Brabham Cup winning team, are tied for 18th with 33 goals. When he scores his next goal, Richardson will become the 13th player in team history record 200 penalty minutes and 30 goals in his time in an IceGators uniform. Richardson is eight points shy of joining the 200 penalty minute/100 point club. He will become just the 11th player in team history to accomplish that feat.

Richardson has pair of five-point games - Bruce Richardson has two five-point games this season, both against Columbus. Richardson, who picked up the 25th five or more point game in team history on January 9, is just the fourth player to have more than one such game in a season in team history. Richardson also joins John Spoltore (five), Chris Valicevic (four), Don Parsons (three), John DePourcq (two) and Jay Murphy (two) as IceGators with more than two career five-point games.

A combo that clicks – Daniel Goneau has 18 goals, and Bruce Richardson has an assist on 12 of them. Goneau has also helped out on eight of Richardson's 19 tallies.

Richardson attempting to be second IceGator to lead league in points – IceGators center Bruce Richardson is attempting to join John Spoltore as the IceGators in team history to lead the ECHL in points at season's end. Richardson has 62 points, tied for third with Arkansas' Buddy Smith. Roanoke's Jason Jaffray (66) and Reading's Brian McCullough (62) currently stand in Richardson's way. Spoltore led the league in points in 1998-99 and 1999-2000. Richardson is also tied with Smith for the league lead with 42 assists. Richardson's original assist on Shawn McNeil's goal January 19 was later credited to Nathan Rempel. Spoltore led the ECHL in helpers three times, while Ron Handy did it once.

McNeil leads all ECHL goal scorers, since 2000-01 – Shawn McNeil has more goals than any other ECHL player since the beginning of the 2000-01 season. McNeil has 90 goals, six more than former teammate Jay Murphy, who is currently on 30-day IR with Greensboro. Below are the players with the most ECHL goals since the 2000-01 season.

1. McNeil 90 Louisiana 5t. Bousquet 74 NA

2. Murphy 84 Greensboro 7t. Schneider 71 CHL – Laredo

3. Demarski 79 Greenville 7t. Seitz 71 South Carolina

4. Williamson 76 Augusta 9. Tiltgen 70 WCHL – San Diego

5t. Sirois 74 Pee Dee 10t. Two tied 68

Corupe gets 100th point – IceGators center Kenny Corupe picked up his 100th pro point January 17. In 163 games, Corupe has 40 goals and 60 assists. Corupe showing up on the scoresheet has been ultra important to the IceGators this season. The team is 5-1-3 when Corupe has a goal and 12-1-4 when he has a point. January 17 was the first time the IceGators lost when Corupe had a point.

Boogaard living up to expectations, and more – IceGators winger Derek Boogaard, who scored his first pro goal January 4, came to the team with the reputation as the top enforcer in Canada's western junior hockey ranks, and he hasn't disappointed. Boogaard has 95 penalty minutes in 11 games, picking up at least one penalty in each of his first nine games. If Boogaard continues his current pace, he would finish the 2002-03 season with 354 penalty minutes in just 41 games, which would be the fourth-highest penalty-minute season in team history. Louisiana's Rob McCaig had 512 penalty minutes in 1995-96. If you project Boogaard's current pace out on a 72-game season, he would finish with 622 penalty minutes. Not afraid to go the extra mile – The IceGators have gone to overtime 15 games this season, two more than any other ECHL team. The IceGators are 4-4 in overtime games and 3-4 in games decided in a shootout. Louisiana is 4-2 after regulation at home but just 3-6 on the road. The most times that the IceGators have gone into overtime or a shootout in one season is 18, in 1999-2000. That season, Louisiana was 9-9, including a 7-3 home mark. The ECHL record for most overtime/shootout games in a season is 25, by Toledo in the 1995-96 campaign. From December 27-January 1, the IceGators tied their franchise record of four overtime/shootout games in a row, going 3-0-1 in that span.

Strong at home – The IceGators are 15-3-2 at home this season for a winning percentage of ..800. Through 20 games at home last season, Louisiana was 17-1-2. Louisiana finished last season 30-2-4 at home. The IceGators would have to win each of their final 17 home games to equal last season's home points mark of 64. Louisiana is on pace for 58 home points, which would tie the 1998-99 team for the third most in franchise history. The IceGators played 35 home games in 1998-99 and will play 36 in 2002-03.

Road not so bad either – Louisiana is 9-7-6 on the road. The IceGators are 3-2-3 in their last eight road games (including 3-2-1 in the last six) since a 6-5 loss in Baton Rouge on December 11. The IceGators cannot reach their franchise record of 26 road wins, set last season, but could reach a tie for second place on the team's ledgers with 12 wins in their final 14 games. Louisiana went 21-10-4 away from the Cajundome in 1997-98. The IceGators have won .545 percent of their road games, which would calculate to 39 road points over the entire season, which would tie the 2000-01 squad for the fifth most in team history.

Staying on the board – In Sunday's 2-1 overtime win against Arkansas, the IceGators barely extended their streak at least one goal to 110 straight games, dating back to a 1-0 shootout loss to Jackson at the Cajundome on October 17, 2001. That's the second-longest streak in team history. 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 10 occasions. Sunday, the IceGators scored with 51.1 seconds left to force overtime. December 31, Cal Benazic scored twice inside of a minute to get Louisiana on the board.

Benazic tied for second among ECHL blueliners in goals – Cal Benazic's 11 goals are tied for second among ECHL defenseman, one behind Columbia's Corey Hessler. Benazic's career high in goals is 18, set with Hassfurt in Germany in 1999-2000. The Kelowna, B.C., native has five goals in his last eight games and is closing on one of the top five goal-scoring seasons by an IceGator defenseman. Chris Valicevic has the top five seasons; his fifth-place total was 18, in the 1996-97 campaign. Benazic is one goal shy of last season's best by a Louisiana defenseman. Corey Neilson had 12 goals and Valicevic added 11 in the 2001-02 season.

Tough to come back on – The IceGators are 17-1-3 this season when leading after two periods, with the lone loss coming January 17. In the three-year Dave Farrish era, Louisiana has dropped just five games in regulation when leading after 40 minutes. The IceGators are 88-5-4 when taking a lead into the third period under Farrish. In 2001-02, Louisiana dropped just one game in regulation when leading after two periods (45-1-1), a 5-4 home loss to Mississippi on December 29. In that game, Louisiana led 4-2 in the second period and 4-3 after two.

Shiryaev tied with Maxwell – Dennis Shiryaev's 34 major penalties are tied with Roger Maxwell for sixth on the team's all-time list. Maxwell played in 98 games, while Shiryaev has seen action in 94. Eric Cloutier is fifth on the ledger with 44. Teammates Jeff Worlton and Shawn Skiehar, each with 18, are quickly advancing into the top 10. Ryan Pisiak and Mike Kucsulain are tied for ninth with 22 majors.

Iron men – Shawn McNeil, Rod Sarich and J.P. Morin have each played in all 42 of the IceGators' games this season, the only players to do so. If the trio end up playing in all 72 games, it would mark the first time since 1995-96 that three IceGators have played in every game (John Spoltore, Chris Valicevic, John Vary). McNeil has been an ECHL iron man before, playing in all 72 games in the 2000-01 season. Since the beginning of the 2000-01 campaign, McNeil has played in 182 of 186 games. He missed four contests last season – one due to a callup and three due to injury. The IceGators have had a player go through the full 70 or 72-game schedule just 12 times without missing a game. Spoltore and Valicevic are the only players who played all games in a season more than once.

Walby nearing franchise mark for shorties – Mississippi's Steffon Walby has five shorthanded goals this season, tied with Greenville's Matt Demarski for second in the league behind Peoria's Tyler Rennette (7). Walby, who scored one of his shorthanded goals this season against Louisiana, has already tied Mississippi's franchise record with five shorthanded tallies, equaling John Kosobud's mark from 1997-98. Walby is the team's all-time leader with nine shorthanded tallies.

No Christmas cards were sent – Mississippi's Stu Pietersma has seven of his 21 major penalties this season against Louisiana. Pietersma has fought Jeff Worlton three times, Shawn Skiehar twice, and Semir Ben-Amor and Dennis Shiryaev once apiece. Another matchup to watch – Louisiana's Semir Ben-Amor and Mississippi's Jeff Hutchins fought in back-to-back games November 29 and 30. Hutchins also fought Dennis Shiryaev on November 3.

And in the lightweight division – A fight we'd like to see again would be Louisiana's 5-foot-9 center Bruce Richardson and Mississippi's 5-foot-11 center Cody Bowtell. The two duked it out in Louisiana's 6-2 win in Biloxi on December 20. The fighting major was just Bowtell's second of the season. His other? Against current teammate Sean Peach, then playing for Baton Rouge, on November 28.

A real Peach – Sean Peach, acquired from Baton Rouge last week, made quite the impression in his first two games with Mississippi. Peach picked up an assist in his first game, then tied a team season-high with a plus-four rating in Sunday's win over Jackson. Peach, who was on the ice for every Sea Wolves goal, was paired with Derrick Byfuglien on the blueline. Peach has a career-best 17 points (3g, 14a) in 39 combined games with Mississippi and Baton Rouge. He missed several games with the Kingfish after getting a concussion in a December 29 fight against Louisiana's Semir Ben-Amor.

Mississippi power play improving against the IceGators – The Sea Wolves may be only 10.2 percent (6-for-59) on the power play this season against Louisiana, but that's a step up thanks to the last three games. Mississippi hit on just one of its first 38 power plays against the IceGators in the first six games. In the last three contests, the Sea Wolves are 4-for-21 (19.1 percent), including a 2-for-6 effort in a 3-2 Mississippi win at the Cajundome on December 13. The IceGators, meanwhile, are an impressive 14-for-54 (25.9 percent) on the power play versus the Sea Wolves, although nine of the man-advantage goals came in the first three meetings – two of them IceGators wins.

Quick hits

· The IceGators have outscored the Sea Wolves 17-5 in the second period in their nine meetings this season.

· Mississippi's Jim Baxter enters tonight's game with 49 career goals.

· Daniel Goneau's 49 points (18g, 31a) tie a career-high in one season. Goneau had 23 goals and 26 assists combined with AHL Hartford and the NHL's New York Rangers in 1997-98.

· J.P. Morin has 14 assists, tying his career-high, set last season – his rookie season – with UHL Port Huron. Morin's 14 points are one shy of the 15 he had last season.

· The Sea Wolves are 12-0 when Jim Baxter has two or more points, and the same record when Cody Bowtell has a multi-point game.

· Shawn McNeil has a six-game point streak (3g, 7a), as does Nathan Rempel (3g, 4a).

· Bruce Richardson has seven assists in a four-game assist streak.

· Cal Benazic has one assist in three straight games, tying a season-high and one shy of his career-high, set from December 12-19, 1998, with WPHL Lake Charles.

· The IceGators are 18-1-4 when yielding one or less power play goals this season, but they are 6-9-4 when allowing two or more.

· Shawn McNeil needs three more games played to tie Ryan Shanahan (247) for seventh on the team's all-time list.

· Cal Benazic is a team-best plus-nine versus Mississippi this season.

· Shawn McNeil has half of his 10 power play goals this season against Mississippi, and five of his team's 14 versus the Sea Wolves.

· In the nine meetings between these teams this season, there has been a different player with the game-winning goal every time.

· Mississippi's Greg Gardner is 2-4-0 with a 3.56 goals against average versus the IceGators – all this season. Netmate Sean Matile is a hard-luck 1-5-0 with a 2.85 goals against average in his career against Louisiana, counting last season with New Orleans and Florida. Matile's teams have scored a total of just nine goals in his six games versus the IceGators.

Sea Wolves vs. IceGators, career

Patrick Rochon 50gp, 3g, 26a, 29 pts

Dave Paradise 28gp, 11g, 14a, 25 pts

Cody Bowtell 22gp, 8g, 13a, 21 pts

Steffon Walby 15gp, 10g, 9a, 19 pts

Jim Baxter 18gp, 5g, 11a, 16 pts

Greg Gardner 6gp, 2-4-0, 3.56 gaa

Sean Matile 6gp, 1-5-0, 2.85 gaa

IceGators vs. Sea Wolves, career

Shawn McNeil 28gp, 15g, 18a, 33pts

John DePourcq 14gp, 5g, 14a, 19 pts

Nathan Rempel 18gp, 2g, 8a, 10 pts

Bruce Richardson 9gp, 5g, 5a, 10 pts

Daniel Goneau 8gp, 5g, 5a, 10 pts

Kyle Kettles 2gp, 1-0-1, 3.50 gaa



ECHL Stories from January 24, 2003


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