BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves have reeled off five straight victories and sit in a tie for first place with Louisiana in the Central Division with 54 points heading into the ECHL All-Star festivities this week.
Through 41 games, the Sea Wolves have an overall record of 24-11-6. Mississippi is 11-2-5 at home, and posted a 13-9-1 record on the road.
On Tuesday, Mississippi slipped past Gwinnett 2-1 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The Sea Wolves completed their two-game week by taking a 4-3 victory over the Pensacola Ice Pilots at the Wolves Den.
Mississippi wraps up its four-game homestand by hosting Augusta on Friday and Columbus on Sunday.
GAMES, BROADCASTS AND PROMOTIONS AT A GLANCE �
Wednesday, Jan. 21 � 2004 Par-A-Dice ECHL All-Star Game � 7:30 p.m. CT
Western Conference vs. Eastern Conference � Carver Arena at the Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, Illinois
* Radio broadcast begins at 7:15 p.m. CT on ESPN Radio WXBD-AM 1490
* Television coverage is available on DIRECTV to subscribers of the NHL Center Ice package at 7:30 p.m. CT
* Internet coverage is available on Yahoo! Broadcast at broadcast.com at 7:15 p.m. CT
* Mississippi will be represented by ECHL Western Conference starters Brent Gauvreau and Steffon Walby, who has also been named team captain.
Friday, Jan. 23 vs. Augusta Lynx � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Miss.
* Broadcast begins at 7:20 p.m. on ESPN Radio WXBD-AM 1490 and online at msseawolves.com
* 2-for-1 military night, courtesy of Keesler Federal Credit Union
* Cellular South / WXXV Fox 25 Honor Roll Night
* Postgame party for all ages at Club Caribe
Sunday, Jan. 25 vs. Columbus Cottonmouths � 4:05 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Miss.
* Broadcast begins at 3:50 p.m. on WTNI-AM 1640 and online at msseawolves.com
* Party four-pack, four tickets, four hotdogs and four soft drinks, starting at only $44
* Postgame party for all ages at Roadhouse Grill
SEA WOLVES GAME PREVIEWS �
Friday, Jan. 23 vs. Augusta Lynx � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Miss.
Mississippi is 0-1-0 against Augusta this season. The game marks the second and final regular season contest in the season series between the Central Division rivals.
The Lynx won the last meeting, 3-1 on November 16 at Augusta. ECHL All-Star Greg Jacina scored two goals, including a shorthand marker to lead Augusta offensively. Martin Lapointe also tallied for the Lynx. Kerry Ellis-Toddington scored Mississippi�s lone goal. Augusta goaltender Jason Saal made 28 saves to backstop the Lynx to victory. Sea Wolves� Mike Buckley, now playing for Gwinnett, suffered the setback turning away 22 shots.
Former Sea Wolves forwards Josh Bennett and Nick Greenough return to Mississippi for the first time as members of Augusta.
In 35 regular season games last season, Bennett collected one goal, four points and racked up 155 penalty minutes with Mississippi. In the postseason, Bennett appeared in two games, going without a point.
Greenough played for the Sea Wolves in 2001-02. He scored six goals and totaled 15 points, while accumulating 224 penalty minutes in 42 regular season games. In the 2002 Kelly Cup Playoffs, Greenough appeared in seven games, notching one goal, one assist and 48 penalty minutes. He also suited up in one game earlier this season with Houston of the American Hockey League, registering two penalty minutes.
Mississippi has two former Lynx on its roster. Defenseman Jim Baxter collected an assist in the Sea Wolves loss on November 16. Baxter was acquired in a trade from Augusta with futures (Jonathan Roy) on December 11, 2001 for Jeff Bes. In 2001-02, Baxter appeared in 26 games with Augusta, totaling 11 points on four goals and seven assists.
Sea Wolves� Louis Dumont is also a former Augusta player. He also registered an assist on November 16 in the 3-1 defeat. Dumont played with Augusta from 1999-2001. In 119 Lynx games, Dumont netted 54 goals, picked up 93 assists for 147 points.
Mississippi is 4-4-1 all-time against Augusta in the regular season and 1-2-1 at the Wolves Den. The teams did not meet last season.
Sunday, Jan. 25 vs. Columbus Cottonmouths � 4:05 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Miss.
Mississippi is 3-2-0 against Columbus in the season series and 2-1-0 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. It�s the sixth of nine games in the head-to-head battles.
Mississippi won the last meeting at Columbus, 5-1 on January 11. Sea Wolves� Greg Gardner made a season-high 45 saves. Mississippi received goals from five different scorers in the win, Anthony Battaglia, Jim Baxter, Louis Dumont and ECHL All-Stars Brent Gauvreau and Steffon Walby.
In the last meeting at Mississippi on December 20, Gardner stopped 34 shots to earn a shutout as the Sea Wolves blanked the Cottonmouths, 4-0. Walby netted a pair of goals, Gauvreau and Travis Lisabeth also scored for Mississippi.
Gauvreau is tops for the Sea Wolves with seven assists and 10 points against the Cottonmouths this season. Steffon Walby has four goals to lead Mississippi in that department versus Columbus.
Colin Pepperall has four points (2g-2a) to lead Columbus in the head-to-head meetings against Mississippi. Pepperall, Kenton Smith and John Morlang have a pair of goals each to top the Cottonmouths versus the Sea Wolves.
Mississippi is 9-3-0 all-time against Columbus during the regular season and 6-1-0 all-time at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK � Right wing Travis Lisabeth finished with three points and a +2 rating in the two Mississippi victories last week. The 6-foot and 200-pound Lisabeth registered an assist and +1 rating in the victory over Gwinnett on Tuesday. The native of Langton, Ontario then scored twice and had another +1 contest in the Sea Wolves win past Pensacola. In 37 games this season, Lisabeth has netted 15 goals and 25 points to go along with a +9 rating and 67 penalty minutes.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK � Greg Gardner backstopped the Sea Wolves to wins in both games last week. The 6-foot and 190-pound Gardner made 26 saves against Gwinnett, as Mississippi won 2-1 on Tuesday. He followed up that performance by stopping 31-of-34 Pensacola shots on Friday, in the Sea Wolves 4-3 win. Gardner has posted an overall record of 13-8-3, 2.53 goals against average and .923 save percentage.
TRANSACTIONS FROM LAST WEEK �
1/17 Delete Kaleb Christenson, G, released as emergency back-up
STREAKING SEA WOLVES �
* Travis Lisabeth has an eight-game point streak (8g-3a).
* Steffon Walby has seven assists over his last five games and has a 10-game point streak at home (8g, 12a, 20 pts).
* Brent Gauvreau has a five-game point streak (4g-4a).
* Louis Dumont has a four-game point streak (1g-6a).
* Kerry Ellis-Toddington has three assists in his last two games.
* Anthony Battaglia has scored in four straight road games (4g).
* Greg Gardner has won three consecutive games.
* Sean Matile has posted two straight victories.
SEA WOLVES APPROACHING MILESTONES �
* Bob Woods is tied for Mississippi�s all-time coaching wins record (185 gms, 109-61-15, .630 WPCT) with Bruce Boudreau (210 gms, 109-75-26, .581 WPCT from 1996-99)
* Austin Miller is one game away from 100 in his pro and Sea Wolves career (99 gp, 9g, 15a, 24 pts).
* Sergei Kuznetsov is one point shy of 150 in his pro career and five goals from 50 in his pro career (239 gp, 45g, 104a, 149 pts).
* Roger Maxwell is two games from 100 in Sea Wolves career (98 gp, 8g, 11a, 19 pts, 673 PIM)
* Chris Cava is two games from 150 in his pro career (148 gp, 2g, 16a, 18 pts, 538 PIM)
* Jim Baxter is three points shy of 250 in his pro career (302 gp, 67g, 182a, 247 pts).
STEFFON WALBY WATCH �
(Regular season totals with Mississippi - 152 gp, 103g, 131a, 234 pts, 37 PPG, 18 GWG)
* Two points from tying Mississippi�s all-time leader Dave Paradise at 236 points.
* Three goals from tying all-time Sea Wolves leader Dave Paradise (106 goals in 262 games).
* Four power-play goals from tying all-time Mississippi leader Dave Paradise at 41.
TEAM LEADERS �
Goals � Louis Dumont and Jeff Hutchins, 20
Assists � Brent Gauvreau, 35
Points � Brent Gauvreau, 54
Plus/Minus � Brent Gauvreau, +29
Penalty Minutes � Roger Maxwell, 182
Power Play Goals � Jeff Hutchins, 9
Power Play Assists � Jim Baxter, 18
Power Play Points � Jim Baxter, 24
Shorthand Goals � Anthony Battaglia, 2
Game-Winning Goals � Brent Gauvreau, 7
Goaltender Wins � Greg Gardner, 13
Goals Against Average � Greg Gardner, 2.53
Save Percentage � Greg Gardner, .923
SPECIAL TEAMS (ECHL Rank) �
Power Play � 49-235, 20.9% (4)
Penalty Killing � 201-249, 80.7% (24)
Shorthand Goal For � 5 (T15)
Shorthand Goals Against � 2 (T3)
INJURED RESERVE � Goaltender Sean Matile and defenseman Andrei Lupandin remain on the 7-day IR.
PRACTICES THIS WEEK �
Monday � ECHL All-Star break, day off for players.
Tuesday � ECHL All-Star break, day off for players.
Wednesday � ECHL All-Star break, day off for players.
Thursday � ECHL All-Star break, day off for players.
Friday � 10-10:30 a.m. morning skate, Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Saturday � 10-11:30 a.m., Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Sunday � 10-10:30 a.m. morning skate, Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
* All practices open to the public; Dates and times are subject to change
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.
