BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves open their season at 7:35 p.m. on Friday, signaling the start of the season-long �Party with the Pack!� The Sea Wolves will play host to the Louisiana IceGators at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Highlights for the opening night �Party with the Pack� include a special pregame ceremony, with two banners to be raised, commemorating the Sea Wolves on-ice success over the past two seasons. The first 5,000 fans through the gates will receive a magnetic schedule. Military personnel, active or retired, receive two tickets for the price of one, by showing military identification at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office only.
The Sea Wolves play their 72-game regular season in new ECHL Central Division, along with six other teams. New rivals include three teams based in Georgia, the Augusta Lynx, Columbus Cottonmouths and Gwinnett (Duluth) Gladiators. Mississippi�s other division foes, consist of the expansion Texas (Beaumont) Wildcatters, and longtime rivals, the Louisiana IceGators and Pensacola Ice Pilots.
The Week Ahead at a Glance:
Today, Oct. 13 � Players receive day off.
Tuesday, Oct. 14 - Team practice, open to the public, from 10-11:30 a.m.
Club Wolf Pack "Meet the Players Party" starting at 7 p.m. at Imperial Palace Casino Royal Hall B
Wednesday, Oct. 15 � Team practice, open to the public, from 10-11:30 a.m.
�Your Home Team� weekly radio show for all ages, 7 �8 p.m. at Club Caribe
Thursday, Oct. 16 � Team practice, open to the public, from 10-11:30 a.m.
Friday, Oct. 17 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Mississippi
Broadcast: ESPN Radio WXBD-AM 1490; Internet through Sea Wolves site, listen live at msseawolves.com
Promotions: Opening Night Party with the Pack!
Two banners will be raised to commemorate success over past two seasons
2-for-1 Military Night for Individual Game Tickets
Magnetic Schedules giveaway to first 5,000 fans
Saturday, Oct. 18 at Louisiana IceGators � 7:05 p.m. CT � Cajundome, Lafayette, Louisiana
Broadcast: WTNI-AM 1640; Internet through Sea Wolves site, listen live at msseawolves.com
Sunday, Oct. 19 vs. Pensacola Ice Pilots � 4:05 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Mississippi
Broadcast: WTNI-AM 1640; Internet through Sea Wolves site, listen live at msseawolves.com
Promotions: �Party Four-Pack�, four tickets, four hotdogs, four soft drinks for $44
Postgame player appearance for all ages at Village Sports Pub, Edgewater Village, Biloxi
Game Previews:
Friday, Oct. 17 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:35 p.m. CT - Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Mississippi
Promotions: Opening Night Party with the Pack!
Pregame Ceremony: Two banners will be raised to commemorate success over past two seasons
2-for-1 Military Night for Individual Game Tickets
Magnetic Schedules giveaway to first 5,000 fans
The game between Mississippi and Louisiana, is the opener of a home-and-home set, and first of 14 head-to-head meetings. The games will be divided equally, with seven games at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and seven contests at the Cajundome in Lafayette.
Mississippi�s all-time record for season opening games is 5-2, including three straight victories. The Sea Wolves are 6-1 in home openers, taking the last four overall. Last season, Mississippi started its season on the road, winning 5-2 at Baton Rouge on October 12, 2002. The Sea Wolves returned home the next night and defeated Jackson 4-3.
This game is a rematch of the 2003 Southwest Division Finals. Mississippi won the best-of-five series, three games to none. The Sea Wolves took Game 1 on April 9 in Biloxi, by a final score of 5-2. Mississippi defenseman Jim Baxter netted the game-winning goal. The Sea Wolves blanked the IceGators, 4-0 in Game 2 at Louisiana. Mississippi goaltender Greg Gardner made 33 saves to register the shutout. The Sea Wolves wrapped up the series in Game 3 at the Wolves Den, taking it by a final score of 3-2 on April 14. Mississippi rookie Mike Scott scored the series-clinching goal with 59 seconds remaining in regulation.
During the 2002-03 regular season, both teams finished with 92 points. Mississippi (44-24-4) was awarded the division title due the ECHL�s first tie-breaking formula, which is regular season wins. The Sea Wolves had 44 victories, compared to the IceGators� 40. Louisiana (40-20-12) took second place.
During the regular season last year, Louisiana won eight of the 12 head-to-head games, and took four of six games at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
The game features three former IceGators, now playing for the Sea Wolves. Mississippi center Louis Dumont suited up for Louisiana from 1996-99, right wing Roger Maxwell was a member of the IceGators in 1998-99 and again in 2000-01, while defenseman Steve O�Rourke played with Louisiana in 1999-00.
The Sea Wolves all-time record against the IceGators, through 54 regular season games, is 26-24-4.
Mississippi�s all-time home record at the Wolves Den is 16-10-1, after 27 games, during the regular season.
Saturday, Oct. 18 at Louisiana IceGators � 7:05 p.m. CT � Cajundome, Lafayette, Louisiana
It�s the second game of a home-and-home set between the Central Division rivals.
The IceGators enter the game with an all-time record for home openers at 7-1, including six straight wins. Last season, Louisiana doubled Mississippi, 4-2. IceGators� goaltender Frederic Cloutier turned away 19 of 21 shots. John DePourcq scored the game-winning goal.
During the regular season last year, Louisiana captured four of six games at the Cajundome and took eight of the 12 head-to-head games.
Louisiana will retire uniform No. 24, in honor of former defenseman Chris Valicevic. The four-time ECHL Defenseman of the Year will be the first member of the IceGators to have his uniform retired. He played in every Louisiana game prior to retiring after the 2000-01 season, for a total of 494. Valicevic was also named to the ECHL�s 15th Anniversary First Team. He is the ECHL�s all-time assist leader with 460, and his seven All-Star Game appearances remain a league record.
The Sea Wolves all-time road record at the Cajundome, through 27 regular season games, is 10-14-3.
Sunday, Oct. 19 vs. Pensacola Ice Pilots � 4:05 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Mississippi
Promotions: �Party Four-Pack�, four tickets, four hotdogs, four soft drinks for $44
Postgame player appearance for all ages at Village Sports Pub, Edgewater Village, Biloxi
This game is the first of 14 head-to-head meetings between the teams. There will be seven games played at the Wolves Den and seven at the Pensacola Civic Center.
It�s a rematch of the 2003 Southwest Division Semifinals. The Sea Wolves took the best-of-five series, three games to none. Mississippi won all three games by identical 5-1 scores. Game 1 and 2 were played at the Mississsippi Coast Coliseum, while Game 3 shifted to Pensacola. Sea Wolves goaltender Greg Gardner backstopped Mississippi to the series sweep. Sea Wolves� Steffon Walby, Cody Bowtell and Mike Scott scored the game-winning goals.
Last year, the Sea Wolves (44-24-4) finished first in the Southwest Division, with 92 points. While the Ice Pilots (33-30-9) struggled down the stretch, winning just two of their final 18 games, ending up in fifth place with 75 points.
In the 2002-03 regular season, Mississippi went 8-3-1 in the 12 game season series, and posted a 4-1-1 record in six games at the Wolves Den.
Two former Ice Pilots are now skating for the Sea Wolves. Veteran Louis Dumont played with Pensacola over the past two seasons, while defenseman Kerry Ellis-Toddington suited up for the Ice Pilots last year, in his rookie campaign.
The Sea Wolves all-time record against the Ice Pilots, through 56 regular season games, is 38-15-3, for a winning percentage of 70.5.
Mississippi�s all-time home record against Pensacola at the Wolves Den, after 29 regular season games, is 21-6-2, for a 75.9 percent win efficiency.
The Sea Wolves all-time road record at the Pensacola Civic Center, through 27 games, is 17-9-1, for a 64.8 win percentage.
Sea Wolves In The Community:
Tuesday, Oct. 14 � 7 p.m.
Club Wolf Pack �Meet the Players Party� at Imperial Palace Casino, Biloxi � Royal Hall B
Wednesday, Oct. 15 � 7-8 p.m.
�Your Home Team� weekly radio show for all ages at Club Caribe, Biloxi.
Win prizes and meet the players!
Groups, organizations and companies that are interested in having members of the Sea Wolves appear at an event, are invited to call 228-275-WOLF.
A limited number of tickets are available for the Sea Wolves home opener at 7:35 p.m. on Friday against the archrival Louisiana IceGators.
Individual game tickets start at $9 for children and $11 for adults. Tickets are available at all TicketMaster locations, the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office and by calling 228-594-3707.
Season seat packages, flex plans and discounted group tickets are still on sale by calling 228-275-WOLF.
