BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves slipped into second place overall in the ECHL with 41 points, by going 1-2-0 over three games last week.
Through 33 games, the Sea Wolves have an overall record of 18-10-5 and sit two points behind the Gwinnett Gladiators for first place in the ECHL and Central Division. Mississippi is 8-1-4 at home, and has a record of 10-9-1 on the road.
On Friday, the Sea Wolves dropped a 3-1 decision at Columbus. Mississippi topped Pensacola, 4-3 in overtime on Saturday at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Sea Wolves wrapped up their three games in three days with a 4-3 loss at Texas on Sunday.
Mississippi begins a three-game homestand this week by hosting Texas on Tuesday, Columbia on Friday and Louisiana on Saturday.
GAMES, BROADCASTS AND PROMOTIONS AT A GLANCE �
Tuesday, Dec. 30 vs. Texas Wildcatters � 6:05 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi
* Broadcast begins at 5:50 p.m. on ESPN Radio WXBD-AM 1490 and online at www.msseawolves.com
* Holiday break special, four tickets for $44
* Postgame party for all ages at Village Sports Pub
Friday, Jan. 2 vs. Columbia Inferno � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi
* Broadcast gets underway at 7:20 p.m. on WTNI-AM 1640 and online at www.msseawolves.com
* 2-for-1 military, courtesy of Keesler Federal Credit Union
Saturday, Jan. 3 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi
* Broadcast starts at 7:20 p.m. on WTNI-AM 1640 and online at www.msseawolves.com
* $2 drafts and $2 hotdogs from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
* Teddy Bear Toss Night. Fans are asked to bring a stuffed animal to throw on ice after Sea Wolves first goal
* Postgame party for all ages at Club Caribe
GAME PREVIEWS �
Tuesday, Dec. 30 vs. Texas Wildcatters � 6:05 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi
Mississippi leads the season series and all-time 4-1-0 and 3-0-0 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. It�s the sixth game of 15 in the Nextel Cup battle between the teams.
The Wildcatters took the last meeting on Sunday, 4-3 at Ford Arena in Beaumont, Texas. Veteran Martin Masa made his Texas debut a memorable one, by scoring two goals and adding an assist to lead the Wildcatters to victory. Lukas Smital chipped in with three assists for Texas as Davis Parley made 36 saves to preserve the win. Mississippi�s Jeff Hutchins scored a pair of goals in the loss.
Sergei Kuznetsov (6g-4a) and Steffon Walby (2g-8a) are tied for the Mississippi lead with 10 points each against Texas. The six goals for Kuznetsov tops the Sea Wolves, while Walby�s eight assists leads in that category.
Lukas Smital has four assists and five points (1g-4a) for the Wildcatters to lead Texas against the Sea Wolves. Martin Masa is tops in goals with the pair he scored on Sunday in the Wildcatters victory.
Friday, Jan. 2 vs. Columbia Inferno � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi
The game marks Columbia�s first visit to Mississippi since last year�s Southern Conference Finals, won by the Inferno, four games to two.
Mississippi is 1-0-0 against Columbia during the regular season. The game is the second and final regular season meeting between the teams. Mississippi defeated Columbia, 5-2, on October 30 at the Carolina Coliseum. Sea Wolves� Dwayne Blais scored a pair of goals in the win, while Steffon Walby scored the game-winner and picked up an assist. Greg Gardner backstopped Mississippi by stopping 25-of-27 shots. Columbia�s Tim Smith and Derek Eastman each notched a goal and a helper, while Josh Blackburn suffered the loss making 20 saves.
Saturday, Jan. 3 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi
Mississippi is 2-1-3 against Louisiana this season and 0-0-3 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. It�s the seventh of 14 games in the season series.
Louisiana has won all three games at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, by the identical result, 3-2 in the shootout. The last game at the Wolves Den was played on December 13.
The Sea Wolves won the last head-to-head meeting by a lopsided margin on December 14, 7-2 at Louisiana. Jim Baxter led Mississippi offensively, netting two goals and three assists in the win.
Jim Baxter leads Mississippi with nine assists and 11 points against the IceGators. Steffon Walby is the Sea Wolves leader with five goals in the head-to-head games.
Louisiana�s Ben Storey leads the IceGators with five assists and seven points in the season series. Bobby Brown has scored five goals against Mississippi to top the IceGators in that department.
Mississippi is 28-25-7 all-time in the regular season against Louisiana and 16-10-4 all-time in the regular season at the Wolves Den.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK � Left Wing Jeff Hutchins scored five goals in three games, including back-to-back two-goal efforts. The 6-foot and 205-pound Hutchins scored Mississippi�s lone goal at Columbus on Friday. He scored two goals in the Sea Wolves overtime win over Pensacola on Saturday and followed it up with another two-goal performance on Sunday in Mississippi�s loss at Texas. Hutchins is tied for the team-lead with 18 goals, and leads the Sea Wolves with nine power-play goals. He has 32 points (18g-15a) and a +19 rating along with 60 penalty minutes in 31 games.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK � Sean Matile posted a 1-0-0 record last week, making 16 saves as Mississippi defeated Pensacola 4-3 in overtime on Saturday. The 6-foot-4 and 215-pound Matile is unbeaten in his last eight games, posting a record of 7-0-1 over that span, including five straight road wins. He has appeared in 11 games this season with Mississippi, going 8-1-2 overall, with a 2.83 goals against average and .903 save percentage.
TRANSACTIONS FROM LAST WEEK �
12/27 Add Jason Kean, D, activated off 7-day injured reserve
12/27 Delete Chris Cava, D, placed on 7-day injured reserve
STREAKING SEA WOLVES �
* Sean Matile is unbeaten in his last eight games, posting a 7-0-1 record, including five straight road wins.
* Jeff Hutchins has a six-game point streak (7g-2a) and goals in three consecutive games (5g).
* Steffon Walby has three assists in his last two games.
* Sergei Kuznetsov has assists (2a) in back-to-back games.
SEA WOLVES APPROACHING MILESTONES �
* Jeff Hutchins is one game from 100 in his Sea Wolves career (99 gp, 28g, 32a, 60 pts).
* Brent Gauvreau is one point from 200 in his pro career (237 gp, 73g, 126a, 199 pts)
* Sergei Kuznetsov is five goals from 50 in his pro career (230 gp, 45g).
* Bob Woods is six wins from tying the Sea Wolves coaching wins record (177 gms, 103-60-14, .621 WPCT since 2001) set by Bruce Boudreau (210 gms, 109-75-26, .581 WPCT from 1996-99)
STEFFON WALBY WATCH �
(Regular season totals with Mississippi - 148 gp, 102g, 127a, 229 pts, 37 PPG, 18 GWG)
* Four goals from tying all-time Sea Wolves leader Dave Paradise (106 goals in 262 games)
* Three assists from tying Dave Paradise (130 assists) for second all-time in Mississippi history. Patrick Rochon is first with 189 assists in his Sea Wolves career.
* Seven points from tying all-time Sea Wolves leader Dave Paradise at 236 points
* Four power-play goals from tying all-time Mississippi leader Dave Paradise at 41.
TEAM LEADERS �
Goals � Jeff Hutchins and Steffon Walby, 18
Assists � Brent Gauvreau, 31
Points � Steffon Walby, 47
Plus/Minus � Steffon Walby, +25
Penalty Minutes � Roger Maxwell, 151
Power Play Goals � Jeff Hutchins, 9
Power Play Points � Jim Baxter, 23
Shorthand Goals � Anthony Battaglia, Brent Gauvreau, Sergei Kuznetsov and Steve O�Rourke, 1
Game-Winning Goals � Brent Gauvreau, 5
Goaltender Wins � Greg Gardner, 10
Goals Against Average � Greg Gardner, 2.65
Save Percentage � Greg Gardner, .919
SPECIAL TEAMS (ECHL Rank) �
Power Play � 45-195, 23.1% (3)
Penalty Killing � 164-201, 80.0% (26)
Shorthanded Goal For � 4 (T13)
Shorthanded Goals Against � 2 (T4)
INJURED RESERVE � Defensemen Chris Cava and Andrei Lupandin are on the 7-day IR.
PRACTICES THIS WEEK �
Monday � 10:30 a.m.-Noon, Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Tuesday � 10-10:30 a.m. morning skate, Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Wednesday � 10-11:30 a.m., Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
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 � Day off for players.
* All practices open to the public; Dates and times are subject to change
Groups, organizations and companies that are interested in having members of the Sea Wolves appear at an event, are invited to call 228-388-6151.
Individual game tickets start at $9 for children and $11 for adults. Tickets are on sale 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.
