BILOXI, Miss. � The 50 millionth fan in ECHL history was in attendance as Mississippi built up a 3-0 lead and hung on for a 4-2 triumph over the Texas Wildcatters at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Biloxi's Carol Stuart, who was attending her first-ever hockey game, became the 50 millionth regular season ECHL fan. Stuart won a Sea Wolves jersey, Sea Wolves season tickets for 2004-05 and the ECHL also awarded her with two league-wide season passes that will allow admittance to any ECHL preseason, regular season and Kelly Cup Playoff game for 2004-05 as well as an assortment of league apparel and novelties.
Mississippi gains two points for a total of 79 points, moving within nine of Louisiana for first place in the Central Division.
Sea Wolves lead the battle for the Nextel Cup against the Wildcatters, 20 points to 5.
�We found a way to win,� said Sea Wolves coach Bob Woods. �Texas never quits and they made it interesting in the third period. They are a hard-working team. When it came down to the crunch, when got the job done.�
Mississippi (36-19-7) started the scoring at 2:10 of the first period. Anthony Battaglia darted in on a breakaway and slid a backhand through the legs of Davis Parley for his 18th tally of the year. Andrei Lupandin and Sergei Kuznetsov picked up assists.
The Sea Wolves went up 2-0 on the power play. Lupandin unleashed a point shot finding the back of the net through traffic. Travis Lisabeth and Battaglia collected the helpers.
Texas (18-37-5) forward Lukas Smital, who had his 10-game point streak on the road snapped, was denied on two breakaways in the opening stanza by Sea Wolves goaltender Greg Gardner.
In the second, Mississippi�s Kerry Ellis-Toddington fired a wrist shot from the slot, scoring his 6th of the campaign. Steffon Walby earned an assist, which was the 600th point of his career in his 692nd game (278g-322a). A helper was also awarded to Brent Gauvreau, who was playing in his first game back with the Sea Wolves after 12-games with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
The Wildcatters mounted a comeback in the third. Chris Taliercio scored his second of the season on the 23rd shot of the night, beating Gardner from the right circle. Ashlee Langdone and Aaron MacInnis registered helpers.
Then at the 9:24 mark, Martin Masa slipped in his 19th of the year to bring Texas within one. Assists were credited to Cory Morgan and Rob Davidson, who attended training camp with Mississippi.
Sea Wolves were forced to kill a double-minor penalty to Walby for high-sticking at 10:24.
In the dying seconds, the Wildcatters pulled Parley for the extra attacker. Sea Wolves� Kuznetsov sent the puck into the empty cage. Patrick Rochon drew the lone assist.
Mississippi converted on 2-of-4 power play opportunities, while Texas went 0-for-4. Sea Wolves outshot the Wildcatters 35-33.
Additional Note: Defenseman Jim Baxter appeared in the 150th game of his Sea Wolves career, bringing his Mississippi�s totals to 37 goals, 126 assists and 161 points.
The Sea Wolves next action is at 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday against the Pensacola Ice Pilots 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 - 03/11/04 Texas (2) at Mississippi (4)
SCORE BY PERIODS
Texas 0 0 2--2
Mississippi 2 1 1--4
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Mississippi-Battaglia 18 (Lupandin; Kuznetsov) 2:10. 2, Mississippi-Lupandin 6 (power play) (Lisabeth; Battaglia) 6:39. Penalties: Stefishen, TEX (Slashing), 4:41. Fultz, TEX (Elbowing), 7:27. Gardner, MIS served by Baker (Slashing), 17:56.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Mississippi-Ellis-Toddington 6 (game winner) (power play) (Walby; Gauvreau) 13:03. Penalties: Smital, TEX (Cross checking), 12:32. Dumont, MIS (Holding stick), 15:54.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Texas-Taliercio 2 (Langdone; MacInnis) 3:17. 5, Texas-Masa 16 (Davidson; Morgan) 9:24. 6, Mississippi- Kuznetsov 17 (empty net) (Rochon) 19:25. Penalties: Gauvreau, MIS (Holding), 4:55. Walby, MIS (High sticking, Double minor), 10:24. Morgan, TEX (Holding), 17:00. Gauvreau, MIS (Instigator), 17:13.
SHOTS ON GOAL Texas 6 13 14--33 Mississippi 9 9 17--35
Power Play Conversions: Texas - 0-of-4, Mississippi - 2-of-4.
Goalies: Texas-Parley (34 shots, 31 saves; record: 16-23-2). Mississippi-Gardner (33 shots, 31 saves; record: 24-13-3).
A: 2070. Referee: T. Koharski. Linesmen: Jones; Stanton.
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