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Turning things around

March 10, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
Baton Rouge Kingfish News Release


The Kingfish have been playing better hockey since a bunch of trades on February 15th. The Kingfish have gone 6-6-0 since the 15th and are 5-5-0 in their last ten games games. It's the second best stretch the Kingfish have had all season long as Baton Rouge went 7-5-1 in thirteen games between November 24th and December 20th.

Looking to the Power Play: The Kingfish have been relying on their power play in the past 11 games. During that stretch, the Kingfish have won six of eleven and have picked up at least one power play goal in each of their wins. In Baton Rouge's five losses, the Kingfish have been kept off the scoreboard on the power play including an 0-7 outing last night against the Cottonmouths.

Gimme a Hat: Kingfish rookie forward Joe Guenther picked up his first career hat trick in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Mississippi Sea Wolves. It was also the first hat trick this season by a Kingfish while the three goals scored has been the most goals scored by one Kingfish player in a single game yet this year.

Carrying the Load: Kingfish goaltender Niklas Sundberg has started eight of the last eleven games for the Kingfish while going 6-2-0 in those seven games. He has posted a 3.24 goals against average and a .905 save percentage during that stretch. In addition, he tallied an assist, giving the rookie net minder out of SUNY-Plattsburgh three assists on the season.

Blanked... AGAIN: The Jackson Bandits shutdown the Kingfish for the third time this season in Friday's 2-0 shutout win at the Centroplex. The Bandits join the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks (now Lexington) as the only team to shutout the Kingfish three times in a season. The Tiger Sharks kept the Kingfish off the board in three games during the ‘Fish's inaugural season in Baton Rouge, '96-'97. The Louisiana IceGators hold the record for most shutouts against the Kingfish all time blanking Baton Rouge 6 times, including this season, dating back to the '96-'97 season.

In overtime: The Kingfish have been coming through in overtime lately. In the last four overtime/shootout games that the Kingfish have been involved in, Baton Rogue has won them all. The Kingfish last dropped a decision in an overtime or a shootout was on January 31st, a 4-3 shootout loss at Pensacola.

Last Week's Games: 2-2-0, 4 pts.

March 5th, Kingfish 5, Mississippi 4

The Kingfish beat the Mississippi Sea Wolves for just the second time this season and the first time at home. Joe Guenther recorded his first career hat trick in the 5-4 victory. Alexandre Burrows got things going for the Kingfish on the power play just three minutes into the game. Joe Guenther made it 2-0 as he was left alone with the puck in the corner one and a half minutes later and skated along the goal line and beat Matile on a bad angle shot from right along the crease. At the 11:41 mark of the period, Guenther added his second of the night on the power play as he pushed the puck out of a scrum and past Matile. Mississippi answered and cut the Kingfish lead to 3-1 at the 13:53 mark as Chris Allen's shot from the point on the power play found its way past Niklas Sundberg and into the net. Darryl Campbell cut the lead to one as he picked up a loose puck along the goal line and fired it past an out of position Sundberg at the 15:27 mark of the first period. Dwayne Blais regained the two-goal lead for the Kingfish as he intercepted a Mississippi centering pass at the blue line and beat Matile on a breakaway with 6:06 left in the second. The Sea Wolves again cut the lead back to one as Dave Paradise beat Sundberg 2:03 into the third period. Guenther completed the hat-trick three and a half minutes later as he hooked up with Blais and beat Matile. Midway through the third, Campbell added his second of the night as Sundberg only got a piece of his shot.

March 7th, Jackson 2, Kingfish 0

Jackson shutout the Kingfish for the third time this season and used 36 saves from Adam Hauser in the win. Darryl Laplante opened the scoring early in the second period on a weird goal just 1:50 into the second period. Goaltender Jeff Blair made the original save but a Kingfish defenseman, trying to push the puck into the corner, lost his footing and ended up taking Blair, the puck and himself into the net. Late in the third, John McNabb fired a centering pass under Blair to give the Bandits a 2-0 lead and all the scoring they would need. The Kingfish went 0-7 on the power play despite firing 13 shots on Adam Hauser during the man advantage.

March 8th, Kingfish 4, South Carolina 3 (so)

South Carolina jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on the power play as Mike Jickling beat Niklas Sundberg with a slapshot from the point just 1:46 into the first period. The Kingfish answered on the power play as Jim Vickers took a pass in the slot a fired a shot over the shoulder of David Brumby. Dan Sullivan gave the Kingfish a 2-1 lead as he slipped out of the penalty box and picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and beat Brumby on a break away at the 2:10 mark of the second period. South Carolina answered twenty seconds later as Andy Powers took a centering pass in the slot and fired a slap shot that beat Sundberg. Joe Guenther regained the lead for the Kingfish as he threw the puck to the front of the net on the power play and it deflected off a defenseman, off Brumby, and again off a defenseman and past Brumby for the goal. Late in the third period, South Carolina tied the contest up at three as Ryan Brindley stuffed a third effort on top of the crease past Sundberg with 1:21 left in the period. Mike Martiniello's shootout goal was the difference as neither team could score in the overtime session.

March 9th, Columbus 3, Kingfish 0

The Kingfish were shutout for the second time this week as Columbus blanked the Kingfish, 3-0. Randy Copley gave the Cottonmouths a 1-0 lead as he rolled the puck up Jeff Blair's pad on a third effort in front of the Kingfish net 4:55 into the second period. In the third period, John Morlang gave the Cottonmouths a 2-0 lead as he took a centering pass and buried it past Blair at the 5:22 mark of the period. Copley's second goal of the evening extended Columbus's lead to three as he deflected a pass in the air over an outstretched Blair for the goal with 7:22 left in the third. The Kingfish were held off the board on the power play as Mike Morrison made 21 saves for the shutout.

This Week's Games:

Friday, March 14th, @ Jackson, 7:05 p.m. (sportsjuice.com)

First of the final two meetings with the Bandits this season, with both of the last two games in Jackson. Kingfish have been shutout three times this season against the Bandits. Baton Rouge has scored just 10 goals against the Bandits in the last 8 games against Jackson.

Sunday, March 16th, @ Louisiana, 4:05 p.m. (sportsjuice.com)

First meeting with the IceGators in over a month. Kingfish are 3-5-2 this season against the IceGators and are 1-3-1 in the Cajundome this season. The Kingfish have lost the last two against the IceGators by a combined 6-2 score.

This Week's Practice Schedule:

All practices are open to the public unless otherwise specified, Please call to verify practice times.

Monday: day off

Tuesday: off – ice conditioning

Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 12 noon skate @ Leo's Ice Land

Thursday: 10 a.m. to 12 noon skate @ Leo's Ice Land

Friday: Game @ Jackson, 7:05 face off (bus leaves approx. 1:45 p.m.)

Saturday: 10 a.m. to 12 noon skate @ Leo's Ice Land

Sunday: Game @ Louisiana, 4:05 face off (bus leaves approx 12:45 p.m.)

Get Your Group On: Call the Kingfish office at 225-336-GOAL to find out about special rates and benefits for groups and birthday parties at a Kingfish game. Check out all the fun an excitement at the ‘Fish Tank' this season.

Season Tickets Now on Sale: Show your support for the Kingfish by reserving your season tickets for next season. Call the Kingfish at 336-4625 to place your $25 refundable deposit to reserve your seats for next season. Season ticket packages start at just $198 per seat!



ECHL Stories from March 10, 2003


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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