LAFAYETTE, La. � In a showdown for first place in the Southwest Division, the Louisiana IceGators narrowly slipped past Mississippi, 5-4, halting the Sea Wolves three-game win streak.
Louisiana sits in first place with 58 points. The Sea Wolves are two points back with 56.
Mississippi (26-14-4) opened the score at the 2:16 mark. Rookie forward Mike Scott beat goaltender Kyle Kettles, to score his 12th of the year.
Louisiana (25-10-8) rebounded 15 seconds later. IceGators� forward Shawn McNeil tucked the puck past goaltender Sean Matile, tying the score 1-1. The goal was McNeil�s 24th of the season.
The IceGators grabbed the lead at 4:38. Forward Bobby Brown let go with a right circle shot over the right shoulder of Matile, making it 2-1 for Louisiana.
Mississippi got back on even terms in the middle stanza. Forward Travis Lisabeth converted in front at 7:44 on a centering pass from Sergei Kuznetsov, knotting the score 2-2.
The Sea Wolves jumped ahead in a penalty killing situation at 15:16. All-Star Steffon Walby barged down the slot and knived it in, setting a Sea Wolves single-season record by scoring his sixth shorthand tally of the season. The goal was Walby�s 22nd overall.
Louisiana responded quickly once again, converting on its power play, 48 seconds later. Bobby Brown cashed in on the power play, tying it 3-3.
In the third, Mississippi went on top at 1:38. Veteran Cody Bowtell buried a pass in the slot from Jeff Hutchins. Bowtell�s 20th of the year, gave the Sea Wolves a 4-3 lead.
But McNeil stepped up for Louisiana. He tallied his second of the night at 5:35, tying the score 4-4.
Then McNeil let go with a turnaround shot from the left circle at 16:45, to complete his hat trick performance and send the IceGators to victory.
Matile stopped 30-of-35 shots, dropping to 6-4-0. Kettles surrendered four goals on 27 shots, improving to 9-4-4.
Mississippi failed to score on four power play opportunites. Louisiana converted on 1-of-4 chances with the man advantage.
The Sea Wolves head up north on a road swing beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT in Dayton, Ohio. Listen to live play-by-play hockey action on Q 92.5 FM.
Mississippi returns home on Sunday, February 9 at 5:05 p.m. against the Peoria Rivermen at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Adults purchasing an individual game ticket, receive one free ticket for a child 12 and under.
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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