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Richardson, Kettles help IceGators beat Columbus 7-0

January 9, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release


Lafayette, LA – Bruce Richardson tied his career-high with five points (2g, 3a) and rookie Kyle Kettles began his stint as a No. 1 goalie with a bang, making 30 saves for his franchise record-tying second straight shutout, as the Louisiana IceGators pounded the Columbus Cottonmouths 7-0 at the Cajundome. The victory was IceGators head coach and vice president of hockey operations Dave Farrish's 400th career coaching victory, and came just two days after IceGators front office volunteer Rhonda Crain Franklin died at the age of 36.

Louisiana, which reclaimed the overall ECHL points lead (54) in playing its only game in the week, is off until Tuesday at Arkansas. The IceGators, one point ahead of both Toledo and Atlantic City, improved to 8-1-4 in their last 13 games. Louisiana earned its largest margin of victory since February 16, 2000, an 11-3 home win over Mobile.

Kettles, coming off a 5-0 shutout in Baton Rouge on Saturday night, made nine saves in the first period, 10 in the second and 11 in the third. Kettles, unbeaten in 10 straight games (6-0-4), is the IceGators' top goalie with last year's ECHL Most Valuable Player, Frederic Cloutier, in AHL Houston.

Kettles ran his shutout streak to 153:07, less than a period shy of Cloutier's club-record 167:08 mark. His goals against average dropped to 2.29, moving past Mike Smith (2.46) into second in the ECHL, trailing only All-Star Rob Zepp (2.07) of the Florida Everblades.

There was plenty of support to go around for Kettles, besides Richardson. Bobby Brown and Daniel Goneau each had a goal and two assists, while Cal Benazic and Chris Taliercio each added a goal and a helper. Rod Sarich chipped in his second pro goal.

Rookie Matus Kostur, playing with only emergency backup Jason Brown behind him on the depth chart, finished with 36 saves for the Cottonmouths, who are 0-4-1 in their last five and 1-5-2 in their last eight. In that eight-game string, Columbus hasn't scored more than two goals in any contest.

A bad line change just 12 seconds in, which caused a too many men on the ice penalty, and a high-sticking call to Columbus' Mike Bishai led to the IceGators first goal on a 5-on-3. Richardson won the draw back to Brown at the left point, and Brown – playing the blueline on the power play – slid a cross-ice pass to Benazic all alone at the right point. Benazic's one-timer eluded Kostur glove side for the game's first goal, his 11th of the season.

Goneau converted a nifty 2-on-1 with Richardson at the 3:40 mark to give the IceGators a two-goal edge. Richardson, taking a pass from Taliercio at center ice along the right boards, skated up ice and sent the puck to a streaking Goneau in the slot. Goneau deposited the puck far side past Kostur for 17th goal of the season.

Meanwhile, Columbus' offense stuttered. The Cottonmouths, coming off a 10-shot game Tuesday in a 2-1 home loss to Columbia, had just one shot in the game's opening 12 minutes. Columbus also went without a shot on an early power play.

Brown struck with 5:56 left in the period to give Louisiana a 3-0 lead. Shawn Skiehar won a battle along the right boards and slid a pass between defenders to Brown in the slot. Brown, all alone, touched the puck just inside the far post before Kostur could recover for his 15th goal of the season.

The IceGators went on top 4-0 with 1:15 left in the period, capitalizing on another odd-man rush. Goneau sent a pass left to right on a 2-on-1 to Taliercio, who tapped the puck into an open net for his seventh goal of 2002-03.

Louisiana finished the first period outshooting Columbus 15-9.

Sarich put the IceGators up 5-0 at the 7:43 mark of the second period, winding up on a one-timer from the left point on a pass from Shawn McNeil for his second pro goal.

Jeff Worlton had a great chance for his first pro goal with five minutes left in the second. Worlton took a pass between the circles alone, and Kostur just nabbed his wrister as it was about to go by him.

Things got out of hand in the third, both on the scoreboard and with the physical play. There were a total of 52 penalty minutes handed out in the third, with all but six in the first 2:31 of the stanza.

Louis Mass and Jerome "Boom Boom" Bechard squared off 22 seconds into the stanza, with Mass landing several shots against the veteran Cottonmouth. Bechard was tangled with Kettles when Mass came in.

Just more than a minute later, Brown and Jay Vancik fought, as Brown took exception to some extra physical play in front of Kostur.

At the 2:30 mark, Richardson made it 6-0, redirecting a Benazic shot from the point past Kostur on the power play.

The matchup everyone waited for came just one second later on the ensuing faceoff, as Louisiana's Derek Boogaard and Columbus' Mike Lee fought for the first time since a storied junior rivalry. Lee, who broke Boogaard's jaw early in Boogaard's rookie season of juniors, didn't fare as well this time, as the 20-year-old IceGators enforcer landed no less than six straight shots to Lee's helmet.

When the players went to the penalty box, Lee engaged in a shouting match with a fan behind the penalty box.

There were little fireworks after that, until Richardson converted yet another 2-on-1 with Goneau, sending a cross-ice pass top shelf over Kostur for his fifth point of the night and 18th goal of the season to cap the scoring at the 14:31 mark.

The IceGators finished 2-for-5 on the power play, while Columbus was 0-for-4.

Gator Bites:

Richardson's other five-point game also came against Columbus, a four-goal, one-assist performance in a 7-3 win at the Cajundome on November 23.

Cloutier had back-to-back shutouts last November 2 (at New Orleans) and November 9 (vs. South Carolina).

Cloutier set his string of 167:08 last October 26-November 10.

The IceGators have held their opponents without a power play goal in the last 10 chances over the past two games.

Kettles was backed up by 18-year-old assistant equipment manager Jody Green. Green, 5-foot-11, 172 pounds, is a native of Gulfport, MS.

Farrish is 400-341-78-9 in his pro coaching career.

Kettles hasn't lost in regulation since a 4-3 loss in Columbus on November 2.

Crain was honored before the game for her service with a moment of silence.

Richardson has 39 points (14g, 25a) in 18 home games.

Richardson and Goneau have combined for 26 points (9a, 17a) in five games against Columbus this season.

Richardson leads the team with 18 multi-point games, three better than Goneau.

Benazic's 11 goals are second among ECHL blueliners, one behind Columbia's Corey Hessler.

The IceGators have scored four goals in a period on five occasions this season.

Richardson had the 25th five-point game in team history.

Sarich was a team-best plus-four. He was also on the ice for Richardson's first goal.

Cloutier did not play in Houston's 4-4 tie tonight against Chicago. He backed up Derek Gustafson, who finished with 40 saves.

Columbus' other goalie, Mike Morrison – another rookie – missed the game while attending to a family emergency.

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