NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves scored three first period goals and three more in the second, to go on to annihilate Arkansas, 7-1.
The victory gives the Sea Wolves 66 points and third place in the Southwest Division, one point behind Pensacola. Arkansas falls for its fifth straight game and remains in fourth place with 60 points.
Mississippi (31-19-4) opened the score at 1:59. Rookie Kent Davyduke backhanded a shot past Jimi St. John. The goal was Davyduke�s 16th of the season.
Arkansas (26-18-8) responded on the power play at 7:53. Veteran Matt Pagnutti rifled a left point shot behind Greg Gardner and into the cage. Pagnutti�s 12th of the campaign, tied the score 1-1.
The Sea Wolves regained the lead with another backhand shot. Steffon Walby spotted defenseman Jim Baxter pinching from the blueline. Baxter buried from in close. His 13th of the year, gave Mississippi a 2-1 lead.
Mississippi added to its lead at 18:21. Former RiverBlades forward Darryl Campbell potted his third goal against Arkansas this year and eighth overall, making it 3-1 for the Sea Wolves.
In the second, the Sea Wolves added to their lead with the man advantage. Walby snapped a right circle shot into the net. Walby�s 33rd of the campaign, made it 4-1 Mississippi.
Campbell went back to work for Mississippi, connecting on his second of the game and ninth of the season at the 3:08 mark of the middle stanza. It was the Sea Wolves fifth goal on just nine shots.
St. John was taken out of the game in favor of Scott Fankhouser, who was signed earlier in the day. RiverBlades� Dean Stock had a penalty shot chance at 16:16, but shot wide of the net.
Sea Wolves� Mike Scott scored a left circle shot at 16:56, beating Fankhouser, giving Mississippi a 6-1 lead through 40 minutes.
In the third, Mississippi kept rolling. Travis Lisabeth tucked a shot from in close under the cross bar at 6:03. Lisabeth�s 14th of the season, gave the Sea Wolves a 7-1 lead.
Gardner set the Sea Wolves single-season goaltending record by posting his 23rd regular season win, surpassing Travis Scott and his 1998-99 mark of 22.
Gardner surrendered just one goal on 25 shots, improving his overall record to 23-14-4. St. John turned away just four of nine shots, falling to 6-8-1 on the season. Fankhouser stopped nine of 11 shots.
Mississippi converted on 1-of-2 chances with the man advantage. Arkansas went 1-for-2 on the power play.
Mississippi continues its road trip today at Lafayette, Louisiana. The puck drops at 4:05 p.m. at the Cajundome. Listen live to Sea Wolves hockey on 92.5 FM.
The Sea Wolves Faceoff Against Kids' Cancer at the next home game on Sunday, February 23 at 5:05 p.m. as against the Pensacola Ice Pilots at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Purchase your commemorative T-shirt for $15. The T-shirt gets you into the game plus the postgame party and jersey auction at Grand Casino Biloxi.
Individual game tickets are available at all TicketMaster locations, the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office and by calling 228-594-3707.
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