ESTERO, Fla. � Florida�s Brian McCullough racked up four points for a second straight game against Mississippi putting a dart through the heart of the Sea Wolves on Valentine�s Day, as the Everblades won 6-4 before 6,240 fans at TECO Arena.
�We didn�t play intense enough for long enough,� said Sea Wolves coach Bob Woods. �We have to work hard for the full 60 minutes to get back in the win column. It�s not going to get any easier hosting San Diego on Tuesday. It�s going to be a long 11-hour bus ride home.�
Midway through the first period, the Sea Wolves had a great chance on the penalty kill. Sergei Kuznetsov, who was playing in his 200th career pro game, took a pass from Anthony Battaglia on a 2-on-1 break, and blasted from the slot, but goaltender Rob Zepp made a terrific left pad save.
Mississippi (30-16-6) got things started offensively at the 18:03 mark. From behind the Florida net, Sea Wolves� Jeff Hutchins put the puck off the back of the leg of Zepp and into the back of the cage. The goal for Hutchins was his team-leading 26th of the season, assisted by Roger Maxwell and Kuznetsov.
Florida (26-19-9) responded with its own power-play goal, 55 seconds later. McCullough, the points leader in the ECHL, passed the puck to Paul Vincent, who wired a shot from the right circle over the left shoulder of Sean Matile. Vincent�s goal was his first with Florida and fifth point in just his second game with the Everblades.
In the second, the Everblades went ahead while shorthanded. McCullough unleashed a shot off the right wing, Kevin Swider buried the rebound for his first ECHL goal at 3:32. The point for McCullough was his second of the night and league leading 66th of the season.
Everblades defenseman Jon Insana tallied a shot from the slot, giving Florida a two-goal lead at the 12:42 mark. McCullough registered his third assist of the game, stretching his ECHL lead to 67 points, while Swider garnered his second point of the contest.
At 15:23 of the middle stanza, there was no love in the air as Hutchins squared off with Chris Thompson and landed several punches with the right, taking the bout decisively.
In the third, Insana pumped home his second of the game, hammering a right circle shot in at 2:14. Chad LaRose collected the lone helper.
Sea Wolves attempted to rally. Dwayne Blais lifted the puck over Zepp for his ninth of the season at 11:36. John Evangelista had only assist on the goal.
Just over three minutes later, Sea Wolves' Chris Cava, at the side of the net, flipped the puck high into the back of the net, for his third of the year. Patrick Rochon and Steve O�Rourke picked up assists.
But at 15:20, McCullough put the game away, firing a wicked slap shot from the left circle, just underneath the crossbar for his fourth point of the night, eighth in the last two games and 68th of the season. Ian Forbes picked up the helper.
However, Mississippi wouldn�t roll over. Jim Baxter, in his first game back after missing three on the injured reserve, stickhandled his way down low, deked Zepp and deposited his 14th of the campaign, assisted by Kerry Ellis-Toddington. Baxter's goal was the 150th point in his Mississippi tenure.
In the final minute, Matile was on the bench for the extra attacker. Everblades� Vincent intercepted a centering pass and tallied an empty-net goal for his second marker of the game and sixth point over the last two.
Mississippi converted on 1-of-8 chances with the power play, while Florida went 1-for-4. Sea Wolves outshot the Everblades 50-37.
The Sea Wolves get back into action at 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday by hosting the San Diego Gulls, for the first-ever game between the teams at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The broadcast starts at 6:20 p.m. with the Nextel Pregame Show on ESPN Radio WXBD-AM 1490 and online at msseawolves.com.
Flex packs, discounted group tickets and fundraiser opportunities are available by telephone at (228) 275-WOLF.
Individual game tickets can be purchased at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com and by calling (228) 594-3707.
--- Box Score ---
DATE - 02/14/04 Mississippi (4) at Florida (6)
SCORE BY PERIODS
Mississippi 1 0 3--4
Florida 1 2 3--6
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Mississippi-Hutchins 26 (power play) (Maxwell; Kuznetsov) 18:03. 2, Florida-Vincent 1 (power play) (McCullough) 18:58. Penalties: Heisten, FLA (High sticking, Double minor), 2:17. Blais, MIS (High sticking), 6:35. Hutchins, MIS (Roughing), 11:09. Pagnutti, FLA (Roughing), 16:11. Kean, MIS (Hooking), 18:38.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Florida-Swider 1 (short handed) (McCullough) 3:32. 4, Florida-Insana 4 (Swider; McCullough) 12:42. Penalties: Buckley, FLA (Slashing), 2:24. Forbes, FLA (Holding), 8:12. Thompson, FLA (Fighting, Major), 15:23. Hutchins, MIS (Fighting, Major), 15:23.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 5, Florida-Insana 5 (LaRose) 2:14. 6, Mississippi-Blais 9 (Evangelista) 11:36. 7, Mississippi-Cava 3 (Rochon; O'Rourke) 14:41. 8, Florida-McCullough 33 (game winner) (Forbes) 15:20. 9, Mississippi-Baxter 14 (Ellis-Toddington) 18:25. 10, Florida-Vincent 2 (empty net) (unassisted) 19:55. Penalties: McDonald, FLA (Board check), 4:09. Maxwell, MIS (Obstr goalie interfe, Ten minute misc., Game misc.), 6:33. Thompson, FLA (Holding), 9:31. Thompson, FLA (High sticking), 16:25.
SHOTS ON GOAL Mississippi 15 14 21--50 Florida 11 15 11--37
Power Play Conversions: Mississippi - 1-of-8, Florida - 1-of-4.
Goalies: Mississippi-Matile (36 shots, 31 saves; record: 12-4-3). Florida-Zepp (50 shots, 46 saves; record: 12-11-6).
A: 6240. Referee: Koharski. Linesmen: Panasiuk; Phillips.
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