BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves won their third straight game, all at home, slipping past the Columbus Cottonmouths in the shootout, 3-2.
Mississippi (23-11-3) opened the score on the power play at 12:09 of the first period. At the side of the net, Cody Bowtell jammed in his 14th goal of the season, getting it by Mike Morrison.
Columbus (15-14-5) tied the score at 10:34 of the middle stanza. Jay Vancik netted his 5th goal of the year by beating Greg Gardner, tying the score 1-1.
In the third, Cottonmouths� John Morlang fed a pass up the middle to all-star J.J. Hunter. He waltzed in on a breakaway and lifted a shot over Gardner at 2:39. Hunter�s seventh of the campaign, gave Columbus its first lead of the game at 2-1.
The Sea Wolves would get the equalizer at 12:05. John Evangelista tucked a backhand just underneath the crossbar. It was Evangelista�s fifth of the year, knotting the score 2-2.
The game remain deadlocked until the shootout. Hunter scored for Columbus. But Dave Paradise and Jim Baxter replied for Mississippi.
Gardner stoned Andrew Long to preserve the Sea Wolves win.
The 11-game point streak (8g-9a) for Paradise ended, even though he scored in the shootout. The rules in the East Coast Hockey League state that no shootout goals count towards the statistics for an individual player.
Gardner made 38 saves on 40 shots, raising his record to 18-8-3. Morrison stopped 42-of-44, dropping to 5-9-5.
Mississippi went 1-for-2 on the power play. Columbus failed to convert on three chances with the man advantage.
The Sea Wolves complete their four-game homestand tomorrow at 7:35 p.m. against the Pensacola Ice Pilots at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Purchase the Sea Wolves new �Pick Six Plan�, starting at just $48. Choose your favorite six home games and receive a free Sea Wolves gift package consisting of an official game puck autographed by Coach Bob Woods, plus a Sea Wolves Souvenir Media Guide.
Individual Sea Wolves game tickets are available at all TicketMaster locations, the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office and by calling 228-594-3707.
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