Special Teams Carry Catters to 6-3 Win Over Blades
February 1, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Texas Wildcatters News Release
Beaumont, TX- The highly anticipated opening round of a three-game series between two South Division rivals went to the Texas Wildcatters as the home team scored three power play goals and held on to a 4-0 first period lead to win 6-3 over the Florida Everblades Thursday night in Ford Arena.
Scott Champagne scored his 12th goal of the season just 87 seconds into the game, putting a rebound over Florida goalie David Shantz and giving the Catters a 1-0 lead and igniting the 2,138 in attendance.
Danny Welch would score the first of his two goals at 10:55, in the first minute of a 5-on-3 power play. Welch's goal, assisted by John McNabb and Max Taylor, came on a delayed penalty to Florida's Steve Czech, extending the two-man advantage for an additional 64 seconds.
It would take the Texas power play just 16 seconds to strike again as Ross Carlson would tuck a one timer inside the far post for his 13th goal of the year. McNabb would collect the second of his three assists on the play and Welch would garner an assist as well to make the score 3-0.
A goal by Taylor at 13:02 would give Texas a commanding 4-0 lead and send Shantz to the bench in favor of Josh Peters. Champagne and Kevin Baker would collect assists on what would prove the game-winning goal.
The tone, and the game, would be different in the second period. Just 57 seconds into the frame as McLean would put a rebound behind Anton Khudobin to make the score 4-1.
The lead would hold for another seven minutes, but Jared Lukin would bring the Everblades within two goals at 7:57. The lead would continue to diminish as Ernie Hartlieb brought the score to 4-3 with a power play goal and all but eradicate what was once a demanding Texas lead.
Texas would fire just four shots in the second period, but fourteen shots in the third would result in two goals and reestablish why there is no team in worldwide professional hockey with a better winning percentage than the Wildcatters.
Welch would get the all-important insurance goal after gathering a rebound in the slot and sailing a wrister through traffic at 8:57 to make the score 5-3. Carlson would get an assist and McNabb would complete his playmaker-three assists-on the play.
Any hopes the visiting Everblades had of a late comeback were finished as the Wildcatters power play struck for the third time in five chances at 14:35. This time it would be John Adams' long shot from the top of the circle left circle that snuck right inside the far post that made the score 6-3. Taylor and Champagne would cap off their multi-point nights on the play. All told, six Catters finished with two points or more.
Khudobin stopped 34 shots as Florida outshot Texas 37-31, but it was the stellar special teams play-3-of-5 on the man advantage while holding Florida to 1-of-9-that ensured the victory for the Wildcatters.
The two teams square off again at Ford Arena Friday night at 7:30 and Saturday at 7:05. Book your group with the Wildcatters! Call 409.951.5500!
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