COLUMBUS, Ga. � The Columbus Cottonmouths scored two third period goals to defeat Mississippi 3-1, halting the Sea Wolves season-high 10-game unbeaten streak and ECHL high six-game road win streak.

�We could make lots of excuses but the bottom line is we didn�t want it as bad as they did,� said Sea Wolves coach Bob Woods. �Greg Gardner was great and if it wasn�t� for him, it could�ve been uglier. Plain and simple, we weren�t willing to move our feet and work hard tonight.�

Mississippi (17-9-5) started off the scoring at 2:28 of the first period. Patrick Rochon sent the puck in front from the left circle, and Jeff Hutchins re-directed his 14th of the season past Matus Kostur. The assist for Rochon was his fifth in as many games. John Evangelista had the other helper, which was his 150th career pro point.

Sea Wolves goaltender Greg Gardner, named the ITECH HOCKEY ECHL Saver of the Week on Tuesday, made 17 first period stops including a brilliant glove save robbing Christian Larrivee in close.

In the second, Gardner came out of his net trying to clear the puck and nearly got caught. Cottonmouths� John Morlang picked up the puck and sent it towards the empty net, but Sea Wolves� Austin Miller intercepted the shot to keep Mississippi on top.

Columbus (11-17-2) solved Gardner on the 32nd shot of the game. At 19:38 of the second, with a delayed penalty going against Mississippi, Cottonmouths� Kenton Smith snapped a shot from the slot that eluded Gardner for his fourth of the season. Peter Hogan, in his first game after being assigned by Toronto of the American Hockey League, picked up an assist along with Colin Pepperall.

The four shots in the second period by the Sea Wolves was a season-low. Through 40 minutes of action, Columbus outshot Missisippi, 32-9.

In the third, John Morlang scored the eventual game-winner sweeping home a rebound in the crease at 6:39.

Then at 13:09, Pepperall streaked in on the left wing and beat Gardner with a shot over the right shoulder.

Mississippi failed to score on two power play opportunities, while Columbus also went 0-for-2. Cottonmouths outshot the Sea Wolves overall, 45-17.

Additional Notes: Mississippi�s Steve O�Rourke played in his 150th pro game � Sea Wolves� Travis Lisabeth was unable to make the game in time from the holidays � Mississippi left wing Roger Maxwell served the fourth and final game of his ECHL suspension � Sea Wolves defensemen Andrei Lupandin and Jason Kean remain on the 7-day injured reserve.

The Sea Wolves return home for a 7:35 p.m. start tomorrow against the Pensacola Ice Pilots at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Promotions include $5 tickets for students and Teacher Appreciation Night, courtesy of Cellular South and WXXV Fox 25. The first 1,500 fans receive a Roadhouse Grill puck giveaway. There are also $2 drafts and $2 hotdogs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The game can be heard beginning at 7:20 p.m. with the Nextel Pregame Show on WTNI-AM 1640 and online at www.msseawolves.com.

Individual game tickets can be purchased at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office, all TicketMaster locations and by calling 228-594-3707.

Flex packs, discounted group tickets and fundraiser opportunities are available by calling 228-275-WOLF.

--- Box Score ---

DATE - 12/26/03 Mississippi (1) at Columbus (3)

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

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Mississippi-Hutchins 14 (Rochon; Evangelista) 2:28. Penalties: Shasby, CBS (Hooking), 5:19. Pepperall, CBS (Roughing), 6:41. Evangelista, MIS (Roughing), 14:55. Voth, CBS (Roughing), 14:55. Blais, MIS (Roughing), 14:55. Plourde, CBS (Roughing), 14:55.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Columbus-Smith 4 (Hogan; Pepperall) 19:38. Penalties: Cava, MIS (Roughing), 5:08. Ndur, CBS (Unsportsmanlike Cond), 18:48. Hutchins, MIS (Unsportsmanlike Cond), 18:48. Dumont, MIS (Tripping), 20:00.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Columbus-Morlang 8 (game winner) (Micka; Hogan) 6:39. 4, Columbus-Pepperall 6 (Lewis) 13:09. Penalties: Voth, CBS (High sticking), 9:13.

SHOTS ON GOAL
Mississippi  5  4  8--17
Columbus    17 15 13--45

Power Play Conversions: Mississippi - 0-of-2, Columbus - 0-of-2.

Goalies: Mississippi-Gardner (45 shots, 42 saves; record: 10-7-3). Columbus-Kostur (17 shots, 16 saves; record: 3-2-1).

A: 2203. Referee: Krauss. Linesmen: O�Brien, G. Wright.