BILOXI, Miss. � Mississippi rookie Mike Scott scored with 59 seconds left in regulation time to complete the Game 3 rally, giving the Sea Wolves a 3-2 series-clinching victory over the Louisiana IceGators.
The Sea Wolves sweep the best-of-five Southwest Division Finals, 3 games to 0.
Mississippi advances to the Southern Conference Finals for the second straight season and third time in team history.
The Sea Wolves next opponent, dates and times of the best-of-seven series are still to be determined. Mississippi will face either the Columbia Inferno or Pee Dee Pride, both teams based in South Carolina. Columbia leads that best-of-five Southeast Division Finals, 2 games to 0.
�Louisiana played well enough to win that game, but our goaltending saved us and we found ways to score,� said Mississippi coach Bob Woods. �Late in a game, the game plan was to throw everything at the net. Mike Scott was rewarded. It was great for him because he had a great game.�
Both teams had chances in the first period. Louisiana�s Bobby Brown re-directed a shot off the crossbar. In the dying seconds of the opening stanza, Mississippi�s Cody Bowtell hit the goalpost on a shot while on a 2-on-1 break on the penalty kill with Steffon Walby.
In the second, IceGators� Shawn McNeil let go with a hard wrist shot from the slot, but Sea Wolves goaltender Greg Gardner made a phenomenal glove save.
At 8:20 of the middle period, Mississippi�s Darryl Campbell was assessed a four-minute high sticking penalty for getting up into the face of Semir Ben-Amor.
Louisiana took advantage on the ensuing power play at 9:37. Andrew Proskurnicki deflected a Bobby Brown shot past Greg Gardner. Proskurnicki�s third of the postseason, ended Gardner�s shutout streak in the series at 109:41.
Less than one minute later, the IceGators capitalized again on the same man advantage. Nathan Rempel ripped a left circle shot into the cage, making it 2-0 for Louisiana. The goal for Rempel was his team-leading fourth of the playoffs.
The Sea Wolves bounced back at 14:42. Sergei Kuznetsov re-directed a point shot from Austin Miller past Kyle Kettles for his fourth goal of the playoffs.
Mississippi tied it on the power play. Dave Paradise blasted a right circle shot into the back of the net at 16:14. It was the fourth goal of the playoffs for Paradise.
With overtime looming, Sea Wolves Mike Scott whipped the puck from the corner and snuck past Kettles for the game-winner with 59 seconds remaining. The goal was Scott�s fourth of the playoffs.
The Sea Wolves outscored the IceGators, 12-4 in the series. Mississippi also extended two team records, winning its 16th consecutive home game and going unbeaten at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in 22 straight contests. The Sea Wolves are 20-0-2 at home since suffering a regulation setback on December 20 against Louisiana.
Gardner surrendered two goals on 29 shots, raising his postseason record and the Sea Wolves to 6-0. Kettles stopped 24-of-27 shots, finishing the 2003 Kelly Cup Playoffs with a 3-3 record.
Mississippi converted on 1-of-7 chances on the power play. Louisiana went 2-for-7 with the man advantage.
Sea Wolves individual playoff tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations, the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office and by calling 228-594-3707.
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