JACKSON, Miss. � For the first time in team history, the Mississippi Sea Wolves clinched first place in the Southwest Division during the regular season, despite suffering a 6-2 setback at Jackson.
The Sea Wolves ended Louisiana�s five-year reign as division champions during the regular season, as the IceGators dropped a 2-1 shootout decision against Arkansas.
Mississippi (44-24-4) completed its regular season with a team record 44 wins and 92 points.
The Sea Wolves also won the battle for the Nextel Cup against the Bandits, taking 9-of-12 in the season series. At the conclusion of the game, Mississippi was presented with the Nextel Cup.
Jackson (38-25-8) won its fifth straight game and scored the first goal of the game at 5:30. Bandits captain Sean Gillam carried up the left wing, then cut to the net and beat Greg Gardner for his fourth goal of the season.
The Bandits made it 2-0, just 20 seconds later. Sean O�Connor picked off a Sea Wolves clearing attempt and buried a shot from the slot over the left shoulder of Gardner. The 12th goal of the year for O�Connor made it 2-0 for Jackson.
Jackson built up a 3-0 cushion, with a couple former Sea Wolves combining on the power play. A point shot from Jeff Bes was re-directed by Brent Gauvreau into the back of the Mississippi net at 12:28. The goal for Gauvreau was his 19th marker of the season.
In the second, Mississippi got on the board on the power play at 5:35. Rookie Kent Davyduke notched his 19th of the season, wristing the puck past Ty Garner from in close.
The Bandits regained their three-goal advantage at 12:09. John McNabb unleashed a left circle shot, beating Sean Matile. McNabb�s 35th of the year made it 4-1 for Jackson.
Jackson kept coming in the middle stanza. Josh Olson let fly with a left circle shot on the power play, giving the Bandits a 5-1 lead. The goal for Olson was his ninth of the campaign.
In the third, the Sea Wolves scored their league-leading 19th short-handed goal. Travis Lisabeth tallied on a centering pass from Darryl Campbell at 6:12. The goal was Lisabeth�s 19th of the year.
Olson rounded out the scoring by deflecting a Reagan Rome point shot in at 11:18.
Gardner made 13 saves on 16 shots in the first period, finishing the regular season with a 32-17-4 record. Matile stopped 21-of-24 shots over the final 40 minutes for Mississippi.
Garner turned away 28-of-30 shots, raising his record to 18-16-4.
Mississippi converted on 1-of-8 opportunities with the man advantage. Jackson tallied on 2-of-7 chances on the power play.
The Sea Wolves open the 2003 Kelly Cup Playoffs at home on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. for Game 1 of the Southwest Division Semifinals at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, against a still to be determined opponent.
Game 2 will also be played at the Wolves Den on Friday at 7:35 p.m.
Mississippi�s slogan for the postseason is �One Cup. One Goal.� The Sea Wolves will have special white commemorative sweaters available to commemorate the 2003 Kelly Cup Playoffs.
The Sea Wolves intend to have a �white-out� in effect for Game 1 on Wednesday at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
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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