Wildcatters Get Last Laugh, 50th Win in 5-1 Victory in Biloxi
March 23, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Texas Wildcatters News Release
Biloxi, MS-Kevin Baker and John McNabb eached scored twice as the Wildcatters notched their fiftieth win of the year, getting the last laugh in Mississippi with a 5-1 win over the Sea Wolves Sunday afternoon at the Mississippi Coast Colesium.
Baker began the scoring for the Catters (50-7-4-7 = 111 pts) with the first of three Texas power play goals at 9:03 of the first period (McNabb, Brandon Benedict), his 24th of the year.
Outshooting the Sea Wolves 16-10 through the first frame, McNabb would add to the Texas lead with his first of the night and 28th of the season at 11:14 of the second period (Dan Welch, Cleve Kinley) and again with a power play goal at 17:53 to make the score 3-0.
Poised to take a three-goal lead into the final period, Jason Tejchma would score a controversial goal in the final moments of the second period, stuffing a rebound past Catters goalie Kris Tebbs as the goal judge's green light came on, indicating the end of the period. Referee Jason Rollins ruled in favor of the home team, allowing the goal to stand as the squads retreated to the locker room.
That would be all the eighth-place Sea Wolves could muster as the Wildcatters appeared in top form despite still missing nine of the players that have Texas on the verge of matching the ECHL points record (116, Louisiana 2001-02). John Adams, Max Taylor, Jonathan Paiement, Marco Rosa, Ross Carlson, Matt Kassian, Troy Riddle, and goalie Anton Khudobin all are currently recalled to the AHL and Scott Champagne is sidelined with a knee injury.
Tebbs would make 27 saves and the Wildcatters power play would go 3-for-6 while putting 46 pucks on net as the Wildcatters.
With four games remaining in the regular season, the Wildcatters need just one more victory or tie to guarantee a new ECHL record is set for fewest regulation losses (11, Richmond 1995-96) and one more win to move into a four-way tie for the third-most wins in a season.
The Wildcatters continue their down-to-the-wire race with Cincinnati for home ice throughout the playoffs as well as the Brabham Cup, awarded to the best regular-season record in the ECHL. The Cyclones (50-10-1-4 = 105 pts) have seven games remaining.
The Wildcatters return home for the final regular season series of the season as the host the Charlotte Checkers Friday, March 28 and for Neches Federal Credit Union Fan Appreciation Night Saturday, March 29. All non-glass tickets are just $5 Saturday and include admission to the Second Annual Chili For Charity Cook-Off on the Ford Park Midway from 3-6 p.m!
The Texas Wildcatters are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild and the AHL's Houston Aeros. Kelly Cup Playoff Packages are now available, call 409-951-5500!
ECHL Stories from March 23, 2008
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Wildcatters Get Last Laugh, 50th Win in 5-1 Victory in Biloxi - Texas Wildcatters
- Wranglers beat RoadRunners 4-1 - Las Vegas Wranglers
- Wranglers Lasso RoadRunners 4-1 - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Sea Wolves Broom Has Broken Handle, Texas Wins 5-1 - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Nailers Celebrate Easter With Win - Wheeling Nailers
- Chiefs Poked By Nailers - Johnstown Chiefs
- Miller Loaned To Milwaukee - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Grizzlies Fall 3-2 In Shootout - Utah Grizzlies
- Fukufuji and the Condors shutout Fresno 3-0 - Bakersfield Condors
- Falcons Blanked by Condors 3-0 - Fresno Falcons
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