PENSACOLA, Fla. � Pensacola�s Dwayne Hay scored a dramatic game-winning goal in overtime, while goaltender Brian Eklund set an ECHL record for saves in a season allowing the Ice Pilots to defeat the Mississippi Sea Wolves, 3-2.
Mississippi picks up one point to remain in second place in the Central Division, nine points behind Louisiana for the top spot. The IceGators edged Gwinnett 4-3 in the shootout.
Pensacola takes two points and moves into sole possession of third place in the Central Division, pulling within four points of Mississippi, with two games in hand.
�It was a hard-fought battle,� said Sea Wolves coach Bob Woods. �Both goaltenders played great and the defense for both teams were stingy. I would have liked the two points, but I�ll take the one and try to build on that for Thursday�s home game against Texas.�
The teams skated to a scoreless first period. Mississippi goaltender Sean Matile turned aside 12 shots. Pensacola�s Brian Eklund made 10 saves in the opening stanza, to pull within seven saves of tying the ECHL record for most saves in one season.
In the second, Pensacola (33-19-7) opened the score in the second. Corey Neilson, the ECHL scoring leader among defensemen, was pinching on an Ice Pilots rush and re-directed in his 17th goal and 65th point of the season. Assists went to Jade Galbraith and Aaron Phillips.
Mississippi (35-19-7) tied the score with the man advantage. Sergei Kuznetsov ripped a shot high over the left shoulder of Eklund, on the Sea Wolves 17th shot of the game. Kuznetsov�s 16th marker of the year was assisted by Andrei Lupandin and Jim Baxter, who was playing in his first game back after playing two contests with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League.
Moments later, Baxter was stopped by Eklund on a long shot, giving the Pensacola goalie his ECHL record-tying save for a season.
With 7:24 left in the second period, Eklund made ECHL history. Mississippi�s Jack Baker skated in front, cutting off the left wing and went to his backhand, but Eklund denied him by making a terrific left toe save. The stop for Eklund set an ECHL record for saves in one season by making his 1,832, moving one ahead of Mark Michaud of Hampton Roads, who set the record in 1993-94.
In the third, Pensacola grabbed its lead back at the 16:52 mark. Greg Chambers unleashed a shot from the slot that eluded Matile, for his 12th goal of the campaign. Tyler Beechey and Dwayne Hay collected helpers.
Sea Wolves pulled Matile in the dying minute for the extra attacker and then the Ice Pilots� Neilson was assessed a cross-checking penalty at 19:05. On the ensuing power play, Steffon Walby, who was stoned on two breakaways earlier in the game, tallied through traffic from the slot for his 27th goal of the year with 35 seconds left in regulation. Anthony Battaglia assisted along with Baxter, who picked up his second helper of the game.
In overtime, Hay busted in on the right wing side and buried a wrist shot at 1:24 of the extra session to give Pensacola the victory and snap Mississippi�s seven-game win streak in the season series. Beechey and Neilson both garnered their second assists of the night.
Eklund picked up his league-leading 31st win of the year and would finish the game with 30 stops to bring his total to an ECHL record 1,845 saves this season.
Mississippi went 2-for-5 with the man advantage, while Pensacola failed to convert on three opportunities. Ice Pilots outshot the Sea Wolves 38-33.
The Sea Wolves return home for a 6:35 p.m. tilt on Thursday against the Texas Wildcatters for another installment in the battle for the Nextel Cup 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, by calling (228) 594-3707 and online at ticketmaster.com.
--- Box Score ---
DATE - 03/09/04 Mississippi (2) at Pensacola (3) OT
SCORE BY PERIODS
Mississippi 0 1 1 0--2
Pensacola 0 1 1 1--3
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: Soucy, PEN (Unsportsmanlike Cond), 8:43. Fregoe, PEN (Interference), 16:38.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Pensacola-Neilson 17 (Fregoe; Galbraith) 1:41. 2, Mississippi-Kuznetsov 16 (power play) (Baxter; Lupandin) 11:00. Penalties: Gionet, PEN (Tripping), 10:39. Rochon, MIS (Holding), 16:16.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Pensacola-Chambers 12 (Beechey; Hay) 16:52. 4, Mississippi-Walby 27 (power play) (Battaglia; Baxter) 19:25. Penalties: Miller, MIS (Elbowing), 4:13. Baker, MIS (Hooking), 9:02. Collins, PEN (Roughing), 11:59. Neilson, PEN (Cross checking), 19:05.
OVERTIME -- Scoring: 5, Pensacola-Hay 24 (game winner) (Beechey; Neilson) 1:24. Penalties: None.
SHOTS ON GOAL Mississippi 10 10 11 2--33 Pensacola 12 9 16 1--38
Power Play Conversions: Mississippi - 2-of-5, Pensacola - 0-of-3.
Goalies: Mississippi-Matile (38 shots, 35 saves; record: 12-5-4). Pensacola-Eklund (33 shots, 31 saves; record: 31-15-6).
A: 2842. Referee: Banfield. Linesmen: Jones; Stanton.
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