BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves won three games over a three-day span last week and are tied for third place in the ECHL�s Central Division with the Pensacola Ice Pilots.
On Friday, the Sea Wolves rallied past Pensacola, 5-4 in the shootout at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Mississippi topped Texas 4-1 at the Wolves Den on Saturday. Then the Sea Wolves wrapped up their three-in-three at Louisiana on Sunday, by taking the game 5-3.
Through 23 games, the Sea Wolves have 26 points with an overall record of 11-8-4. Mississippi is two points behind the second place Louisiana IceGators and seven points back of the Gwinnett Gladiators for first place in the Central Division. The Sea Wolves are 6-1-3 at home, and have a 5-7-1 record on the road.
Mississippi travels to Florida on Tuesday, visits Pensacola on Friday, hosts Louisiana on Saturday and travels to Louisiana on Sunday.
GAMES, BROADCASTS AND PROMOTIONS AT A GLANCE �
Tuesday, Dec. 9 at Florida Everblades � 6:30 p.m. CT � TECO Arena, Estero, Fla.
* Broadcast begins at 6:15 p.m. on ESPN Radio WXBD-AM 1490 and online at www.msseawolves.com
Friday, Dec. 12 at Pensacola Ice Pilots � 7:05 p.m. CT � Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, Fla.
* Broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN Radio WXBD-AM 1490 and online at www.msseawolves.com
Saturday, Dec. 13 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi
* Broadcast begins at 7:20 p.m. on WTNI-AM 1640 and online at www.msseawolves.com
* $2 draft beers and $2 hotdogs from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 14 at Louisiana IceGators � 4:05 p.m. CT � Cajundome, Lafayette, La.
* Broadcast begins at 3:50 p.m. on WTNI-AM 1640 and online at www.msseawolves.com
GAME PREVIEWS �
Tuesday, Dec. 9 at Florida Everblades � 6:30 p.m. CT � TECO Arena, Estero, Fla.
It�s the first of five games in the season series. Florida will host three of the games.
Mississippi is 3-8-1 all-time in the regular season against Florida. The Sea Wolves are 2-4-1 all-time during the regular season at TECO Arena. Mississippi�s last victory against the Everblades at TECO Arena was a 2-1 shootout victory on February 10, 2001.
During the preseason, the teams split two games at TECO Arena. Florida won 5-3 on October 11, while Mississippi rebounded one day later, winning 6-3 on October 12.
Florida won both games last season, which were played at TECO Arena. The Everblades took the first game, 5-2 on February 11, then one week later, edged the Sea Wolves, 6-5 on February 18.
Mississippi forward Anthony Battaglia goes up against his former team for the first time in the regular season. Battaglia played his rookie season last year with the Everblades, notching six goals, 13 points and 26 penalty minutes in 48 games with Florida.
Florida forward Stu Pietersma is serving the third game of a three-game ECHL suspension and will not suit up against his former team in this contest. Last season in 55 games with the Sea Wolves, Pietersma had five goals and 11 points. He led the ECHL with 32 major penalties and piled up 275 penalty minutes in his rookie campaign. Pietersma did not play against Mississippi in the preseason action.
Sea Wolves goaltender Sean Matile appeared in both games last season against his former team and made 54 saves on 65 total shots. Matile played with Florida during the 2001-02 season and is in his second year with Mississippi.
Friday, Dec. 12 at Pensacola Ice Pilots � 7:05 p.m. CT � Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, Fla.
Mississippi is 1-3-1 against Pensacola this season and 0-3-0 at the Pensacola Civic Center. The contest marks the sixth of 14 games in the season series.
The Ice Pilots took the opening four games in the season series, but the Sea Wolves rebounded on December 5, with a come-from-behind 5-4 shootout victory at the Wolves Den.
Sea Wolves center Brent Gauvreau has a team-high six assists and seven points in the season series. Gauvreau had four points (1g-3a) in the Mississippi victory against Pensacola last Friday. Louis Dumont, Jeff Hutchins, Roger Maxwell and Steffon Walby have each scored two goals against Pensacola this season.
Ice Pilots defenseman Corey Neilson leads Pensacola with eight assists and nine points against Mississippi. Jim Abbott, Tyler Beechey and Greg Chambers have scored three goals each to lead the Ice Pilots in that department against the Sea Wolves.
Mississippi is 39-18-4 all-time in the regular season against Pensacola. Sea Wolves are 17-12-1 all-time in the regular season at the Hangar.
Saturday, Dec. 13 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi
Mississippi is 1-1-2 against Louisiana this season and 0-0-2 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. It�s the fifth game of 14 in the season series.
Sea Wolves topped Louisiana in the last meeting on Sunday, winning 5-3. Mississippi goaltender Sean Matile stopped 30-of-33 shots for the win. Steffon Walby and Louis Dumont each scored twice and added an assist to lead the Sea Wolves offensively.
The last game at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Louisiana won 3-2 in the shootout on November 7.
Steffon Walby (4g-2a) and Jim Baxter (6a) are the Sea Wolves top point producers in the head-to-head games.
Louisiana�s Ben Storey leads the IceGators with six points (1g-5a) in the season series. Bobby Brown has four goals, which is tops for the IceGators against Mississippi.
Mississippi is 27-25-6 all-time in the regular season against Louisiana. Sea Wolves are 16-10-3 all-time in the regular season at the Wolves Den.
Sunday, Dec. 14 at Louisiana IceGators � 4:05 p.m. CT � Cajundome, Lafayette, La.
The second of a home-and-home set on back-to-back days. It�s the seventh of 14 games in the season series.
Mississippi won the last meeting between the teams, 5-3 at the Cajundome on Sunday.
Sea Wolves are 10-15-3 all-time in the regular season at the Cajundome.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK � Steffon Walby picked up seven points highlighted by scoring four goals in three games. He was activated off the injured reserve on Thursday, after missing seven games and in his first game back, Walby netted two goals and picked up an assist in the comeback win against Pensacola. The 6-foot and 200-pound native of Lodi, Wisconsin had a helper in the victory over Texas and the 31-year-old wrapped up the week by scoring twice and adding an assist in the Sea Wolves win at Louisiana.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK � Sean Matile backstopped Mississippi to a pair of wins last week. The 6-foot-4 and 215-pound native of Vernon, British Columbia made 17 stops in the victory over Pensacola. The 28-year-old turned away 30-of-33 shots in the Mississippi victory at Louisiana.
TRANSACTIONS FROM LAST WEEK �
12/4 Delete Dwayne Blais, C, placed on 7-day injured reserve.
12/4 Add Steffon Walby, RW, activated off 7-day injured reserve.
12/7 Delete Greg Gardner, G, recalled to Rochester (AHL)
STREAKING SEA WOLVES �
* Mississippi is riding a season-high three-game winning streak (also had three straight wins November 9-14).
* Steffon Walby has an eight-game point and assist streak (7g-15a), including 18 points over his last six games (6g-12a).
* Brent Gauvreau has a three-game point (3g-3a) and goals in each of the last three games (3g).
* Louis Dumont has points over his last two games (2g-2a).
* Andrei Lupandin has points in back-to-back contests (1g-4a).
* Sergei Kuznetsov has points in two games in a row (2g-2a).
SEA WOLVES APPROACHING MILESTONES �
* Louis Dumont is five points from 700 in his ECHL career (585 gp, 269g, 426a).
* Kerry Ellis-Toddington is two games from 100 in pro career (98 gp, 10g, 30a, 40 pts).
* John Evangelista is three points from 150 in pro career (293 gp, 60g, 87a, 147 pts) and seven games from 300 in pro career.
* Patrick Rochon is three points from 250 in his pro career (518 gp, 35g, 212a, 247 pts).
* Steffon Walby is four goals from 100 in his Sea Wolves career (137 gp, 96g, 116a, 212 pts) and six assists from 300 in pro career (658 gp, 294a).
* Bob Woods is four coaching wins shy of 100 in his pro and Sea Wolves career
(167 gms, 96-57-13, .614 WPCT).
* Sergei Kuznetsov is seven goals from 50 in his pro career (221 gp, 43g).
* Jeff Hutchins is nine games from 100 in pro and Sea Wolves career (91 gp, 21g, 30a, 51 pts).
TEAM LEADERS �
Goals � Louis Dumont, 13
Assists � Brent Gauvreau, 21
Points � Steffon Walby, 32
Plus/Minus � Steffon Walby, +17
Penalty Minutes � Roger Maxwell, 117
Power-Play Goals � Jim Baxter and Jeff Hutchins, 5
Shorthand Goals � Sergei Kuznetsov and Steve O�Rourke, 1
Game-Winning Goals � Brent Gauvreau, 4
Goaltender Wins � Greg Gardner, 8
Goals Against Average � Greg Gardner, 2.68
Save Percentage � Greg Gardner, .917
SPECIAL TEAMS (ECHL Rank) �
Power Play � 29-134, 21.6% (4)
Penalty Killing � 117-149, 78.5% (29)
Shorthanded Goal For � 2 (T19)
Shorthanded Goals Against � 2 (T9)
INJURED RESERVE � Center Dwayne Blais and right wing Roger Maxwell are on the 7-day IR.
PRACTICES THIS WEEK �
Monday � Travel to Estero, Fla.
Tuesday � 11-11:30 a.m., morning skate, TECO Arena, Estero, Fla.
Wednesday � Travel back to Biloxi, Miss.
Thursday � 10-11:30 a.m., Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Friday � 10-10:30 a.m., morning skate, Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Saturday � 10-10:30 a.m., morning skate, Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Sunday � 10-10:30 a.m., morning skate, Mississippi Coast Coliseum
* All practices open to the public; Times are subject to change
IN THE COMMUNITY �
Wednesday, Dec. 10 � 7-8 p.m.
�Your Home Team� weekly radio show, for all ages at Club Caribe, Biloxi. Catch the show live on ESPN Radio WXBD-AM 1490.
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.
Individual game tickets start at $9 for children and $11 for adults. Tickets are available at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office, all TicketMaster locations and by calling 228-594-3707.
Season seat packages, flex plans and discounted group tickets are still on sale by calling 228-275-WOLF.
