Mississippi Sea Wolves Official Hockey Web Site

ESTERO, Fla. � Mississippi�s Brent Gauvreau scored two goals and added an assist as the Sea Wolves rallied to win their season-high fourth straight over a five-day span, delivering the Florida Everblades their first regulation loss at home this year, with a 3-2 final before 4,888 at TECO Arena.

With the win, Mississippi moves into a tie for second place with idle Louisiana in the Central Division with 28 points.

�It was a playoff-style hockey game,� said Sea Wolves coach Bob Woods. �Our players are realizing what it takes to be successful in this league. You have to pay the price and guys were sticking up for one another. I�m happy with the effort.�

The best chance for Florida (14-5-4) in the first period came off a Jay Legault breakaway. However, Sea Wolves goaltender Sean Matile, who beat his former team for the first time in three regular season games, got a piece of the puck to deny Legault.

Mississippi (12-8-4) got its offense in gear while shorthanded. On a 2-on-1 break, Steffon Walby moved in on the right wing side and sent a centering pass across for Brent Gauvreau, and he slid the puck by Jeff Maund at 17:45. Gauvreau�s 11th goal of the year also extended Walby�s point streak to nine games (8g-16a).

Everblades tied the score at 4:01 of the second period. Brent McDonald sent a pass in front from the near corner, it went off the goal stick of Matile and into the back of the net. It was McDonald�s 10th of the campaign.

The ECHL�s highest scoring line gave Florida its first lead of the game on the power-play. Keith Anderson netted his 13th goal of the year, with assists going to McDonald and the league�s top point producer, Brian McCullough.

Mississsippi started its comeback at 4:00 of the third. Walby, with his helmet knocked off earlier in the shift, buried on the backhand in close on the power-play for his 13th goal in 17 games.

Gauvreau scored his second of the game and the eventual game-winner at the 9:20 mark by waiting and then placing a backhand shot over Maund.

Florida dropped to 8-1-2 at home this season.

Mississippi converted on 1-of-9 chances on the power-play, while Florida went 1-for-5. Sea Wolves outshot the Everblades, 40-33.

Three Sea Wolves did not finish the game. Jim Baxter (broken skate), Travis Lisabeth (knee) and Andrei Lupandin was boarded awkwardly in the Mississippi zone by Legault, who was handed a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. Lupandin was sent to a local hospital. His status was unavailable at press time.

Mississippi wraps up its three-game road swing with a game starting at 7:05 p.m. on Friday at Pensacola. The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. with the Nextel Pregame Show on WXBD-AM 1490 and online at www.msseawolves.com.

The Sea Wolves next home game is at 7:35 p.m. on Saturday against the Louisiana IceGators at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Promotions include �Hook's Holiday Toy Drive�. The Sea Wolves mascot, Hook, is asking fans to bring a new unwrapped toy to the game for delivery to the pediatric ward at Gulfport Memorial Hospital. There are also $2 draft beers and $2 hotdogs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Listen live on WTNI-AM 1640 and online at www.msseawolves.com starting with the Nextel Pregame Show at 7:20 p.m.

Individual game 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.

--- Box Score ---

DATE - 12/09/03 Mississippi (3) at Florida (2)

SCORE BY PERIODS
Mississippi 1 0 2--3
Florida 0 2 0--2

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Mississippi-Gauvreau 11 (short handed) (Walby; Ellis-Toddington) 17:45. Penalties: Walby, MIS (Roughing), 7:31. Battaglia, MIS (Hooking), 9:17. Berg, FLA (Unsportsmanlike Cond), 11:33. Legault, FLA (Slashing), 14:29. Lisabeth, MIS (Slashing), 16:00. Reynolds, FLA (Interference), 19:28.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Florida-McDonald 10 (Insana) 4:01. 3, Florida-Anderson 13 (power play) (McDonald; McCullough) 7:17. Penalties: Evangelista, MIS (Unsportsmanlike Cond), 3:34. Reynolds, FLA (Roughing), 3:34. Rochon, MIS (Roughing), 7:25. Legault, FLA (Roughing), 14:25. Berg, FLA (Cross checking), 16:39.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Mississippi-Walby 13 (power play) (Gauvreau; Ellis-Toddington) 4:00. 5, Mississippi-Gauvreau 12 (game winner) (Hutchins; Cava) 9:20. Penalties: Coalter, FLA (Fighting, Major), 2:04. Cava, MIS (Fighting, Major), 2:04. Van Buskirk, FLA (Roughing), 2:38. Hutchins, MIS (Roughing), 2:38. Insana, FLA (Cross checking), 2:53. O'Rourke, MIS (Hooking), 4:06. McCullough, FLA (Board check), 11:49. Legault, FLA (Board check, Major, Game misc.), 14:22. Reynolds, FLA (Roughing), 14:53. Hutchins, MIS (Roughing), 14:53. O'Rourke, MIS (Tripping), 14:53.

SHOTS ON GOAL
Mississippi 13 11 16--40
Florida 8 19 6--33

Power Play Conversions: Mississippi - 1-of-9, Florida - 1-of-5.

Goalies: Mississippi-Matile (33 shots, 31 saves; record: 4-1-1). Florida-Maund (40 shots, 37 saves; record: 8-2-1).

A: 4888. Referee: Hughes. Linesmen: Phillips; Steen.