Mississippi overcomes late and slow starts

Published on December 13, 2002 under ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Lafayette, LA – Louisiana's Cal Benazic scored just 33 seconds into the game, but Kent Davyduke and Steffon Walby answered back later in the period on the power play for Mississippi, and the Sea Wolves held on to beat the IceGators 3-2 at the Cajundome to take over first place in the Southwest Division by one point. Tony Tuzzolino is pictured squaring off with Dwayne Blais in the first period of tonight's game.

The IceGators open up the a home-and-home series in Jackson on Saturday at 7:05 p.m., before returning home to face the Bandits on Sunday at 4:05 p.m.

Darryl Campbell also scored, Jim Baxter had three assists and Sean Matile turned aside 24 shots for Mississippi, which has 36 points, one more than the IceGators, who have a game in hand. The Sea Wolves' bus was detoured on the way to Lafayette due to a major traffic accident, and the game started at 7:56 p.m. (ct), 51 minutes late. The Sea Wolves, who won in a prompt two hours, 13 minutes, have won four of five.

Frederic Cloutier made 32 saves, including 16 in the second period, for Louisiana, which is winless in four straight (0-2-2), one shy of a season-high. The IceGators have also played five straight one-goal games to tie a franchise-record. Louisiana is 1-2-2 in those games.

The IceGators controlled the opening faceoff, and Benazic scored 33 seconds in for his fifth goal of the season. Nathan Rempel picked up a failed Sea Wolves clearing attempt and left a drop pass to Benazic at the top of the right circle. Benazic walked in and ripped a low shot that went under Matile's pads.

Cloutier was rarely tested until Davyduke's goal with 6:24 left in the stanza. With Benazic in the penalty box for interference, Baxter threw the puck on net from the top of the right circle, and Davyduke redirected the puck through Cloutier's pads to tie the game at 1-1. Davyduke, who beat the IceGators five seconds into overtime Sunday, has three goals since being acquired last week from Trenton, and has 10 tallies in 23 games this season overall.

With 3:16 left on the clock, Mississippi played connect the dots on a 5-on-3 to go up by a goal. Baxter started the play near the right point and sent a pass to Davyduke in the low right circle. Davyduke pushed a pass through the crease to a wide open Walby, who easily put the puck past a recovering Cloutier. It was the 11th goal of the season for Walby, who was in his first game off injured reserve after missing four games.

The Sea Wolves had their best chances of the second period during a four-minute power-play with Jeff Worlton in the penalty box for roughing. Cloutier and his defense were up to the task.

Louisiana's Semir Ben-Amor hit the post from the point with 7:45 left for the IceGators' best shot of the period.

The IceGators went on just their second power play of the night with 2:26 left in the period when Davyduke was called for tripping, but couldn't get a shot off.

Baxter again started the Sea Wolves' third goal, which came at the 4:08 mark of the third. Baxter took a pass from Dwayne Blais at the blue line, walked between the circles and unleashed a wrister on Cloutier. Campbell tipped it home in front of the netminder to push Mississippi's advantage to two goals.

The IceGators pulled Cloutier with 1:04 left and pulled within one on McNeil's extra attacker goal – his third in nine games – with 15 seconds left, but Mississippi was able to keep the puck away from its net to finish out the game.

Mississippi finished 2-for-6 on the power play after going just 3-for-46 with the man advantage against Louisiana in seven prior games. The IceGators had just two power play attempts, failing to record a shot.

The Sea Wolves entered the week 24th in the ECHL on the power play. Mississippi went 3-for-6 with the man advantage in last night's 4-1 win at Pensacola and now has five power-play goals in the last two games.

Gator bites:

Baxter and IceGators defenseman Kevin Mitchell, overwhelming favorites to be named starters to the ECHL All-Star game when the announcement is made next week, are now tied for the league lead among defensemen with 31 points. Mitchell leads all ECHL blueliners with 26 helpers, while Baxter has 24, second-best.

Tony Tuzzolino returned from a four-game absence with an undisclosed injury and had an assist on McNeil's goal, extending his point streak to a career-best seven games (6g, 6a).

Six of the teams' nine meetings this season have been with first place on the line.

Tonight marked the 50th all-time meeting between Mississippi and Louisiana. Although the IceGators technically lead the all-time series 25-17-8, each team holds 25 wins in the series.

Mississippi head coach Bob Woods coached his 100th game. Woods retired from playing after the 2000-01 season as the ECHL's all-time games played leader with 599.

IceGators center Bruce Richardson picked up an assist on McNeil's goal and extended his career-best point streak to 11 games (9g, 14a), tying McNeil's team season-high.

Louisiana has now played five straight one-goal games three times in franchise history, with the last coming from February 10-21, 2001. The IceGators went 1-4-0 in those games.

The IceGators went winless in five straight during an 0-3-2 stretch from November 1-9, with four of those games coming on the road.

Louisiana still holds the edge in the season series 5-2-1.

The IceGators' two power plays tied their season low, set November 13 at Jackson.

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