BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves open their ninth season as a member of the ECHL with two home games this weekend. The Sea Wolves opening night begins at 7:35 p.m. on Friday against the Louisiana IceGators at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Then at 7:35 p.m. on Saturday, Mississippi plays host to the Pensacola Ice Pilots.
For opening night on Friday, fans are asked to bring an unwrapped item on �Military Care Package Night� to be delivered to the troops in Iraq by Christmas Day. Each fan that brings an item will receive a ticket to a future Sea Wolves game.
It�s also �Military 2-for-1� on opening night, sponsored by Keesler Federal Credit Union. Military personnel, active or retired, receive two tickets for the price of one, by showing military identification at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office only.
In addition, the first 5,000 fans on Friday will receive a Sea Wolves Magnetic Schedule courtesy of PJ�s Coffee.
On Saturday, the promotion consists of $2 hotdogs and $2 drafts from 6:30-8:30 p.m. There is a postgame party for all ages at Village Sports Pub, located at Edgewater Village on Eisenhower Drive in Biloxi.
The Sea Wolves play a 72-game regular season, comprised of 36 games at home and 36 games on the road. The team will be featured in the new ECHL South Division of the American Conference. Other teams in the South Division consist of the Florida Everblades, Gwinnett Gladiators, Louisiana IceGators, Texas Wildcatters and Pensacola Ice Pilots.
To make the playoffs, Mississippi must finish in the top eight of 12 teams in the American Conference, which include the South Division, plus teams in the East Division. The ECHL East Division features the Augusta Lynx, Charlotte Checkers, Columbia Inferno, Greenville Grrrowl, Pee Dee Pride and South Carolina Stingrays.
GAMES AND PROMOTIONS AT A GLANCE �
Friday, Oct. 22 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum
* �Military Care Package Night�. Fans are asked to bring an unwrapped item for the troops in Iraq, which will be delivered by Christmas Day. Each fan that brings an item will receive a ticket to a future Sea Wolves game.
* Military 2-for-1, sponsored by Keesler Federal Credit Union
* PJ�s Coffee Magnetic Schedules giveaway to first 5,000 fans
Saturday, Oct. 23 vs. Pensacola Ice Pilots � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum
* $2 hotdogs and $2 drafts from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
* Postgame party for all ages at Village Sports Pub, located on Eisenhower Drive at Edgewater Village, Biloxi
GAME PREVIEWS THIS WEEK �
Friday, Oct. 22 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum
* This game marks the season opener for both teams, which is the ninth season in the ECHL for Mississippi, 10th Anniversary campaign for Louisiana.
* The Sea Wolves have an all-time record of 5-2-1, dropping a 3-2 shootout loss to Louisiana last year in the season opener at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
* Mississippi is 6-1-1 all-time in home openers, falling to Louisiana last season, 3-2 in the shootout of the home opener.
* It�s the first of 11 head-to-head meetings, which consists of five games at Mississippi, six at Louisiana.
* In 2003-04, Mississippi went 6-5-3 in 14 head-to-head games against Louisiana, including 2-2-3 at home.
* Mississippi�s veteran defenseman Milt Mastad goes up against his former team for the first time. Mastad played with Louisiana from 2002-04.
* Louisiana�s veteran forward John Evangelista goes up against Mississippi for the first time after playing with the Sea Wolves for five seasons from 1999-03.
* IceGators coach Todd Gordon makes his debut behind the bench for Louisiana after spending the last three seasons with Pensacola of the ECHL, where he totaled a 111-81-24 record for a .569 win percentage. In the Kelly Cup Playoffs, the Ice Pilots under the guidance of Gordon posted a .250 win percentage, going 3-9 over 12 postseason games.
* Sea Wolves have won the last three games in the season series.
* Mississippi is 32-29-7 all-time in the regular season against Louisiana and 18-12-4 all-time at the Wolves Den.
Saturday, Oct. 23 vs. Pensacola Ice Pilots � 7:35 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum
* The Ice Pilots conducted their training camp at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum after Hurricane Ivan destroyed the condo in Pensacola that was to be lived in by the players.
* The first of 12 games in the season series, which features six games at each venue.
* The season opener for Pensacola, which marks the ninth ECHL season for the Ice Pilots.
* Debut of coach Dave Farrish behind the bench for the Ice Pilots. Farrish spent the last four seasons as the bench boss with Louisiana, where he accumulated a regular season record of 186-78-24 in 288 games for a .688 win percentage. In 34 postseason games, Farrish and the IceGators were 15-19 for a .441 win percentage.
* In 2003-04, Mississippi went 8-4-2 in 14 head-to-head contests against Pensacola, including 5-1-1 at home.
* Mississippi is 46-19-5 all-time in the regular season against Pensacola and 26-7-3 at the Wolves Den.
PRACTICES THIS WEEK �
Monday � 10-11:30 a.m.
Tuesday � 10-11:30 a.m.
Wednesday � 10-11:30 a.m.
Thursday � No ice available
Friday � To be determined.
Saturday � 10-10:30 a.m., morning skate
Sunday � To be determined.
* All practices are open to the public at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, unless otherwise noted.
* Dates and times are subject to change.
Season seat packages, flex packs and group discounts are on available by calling (228) 275-WOLF or online at msseawolves.com.
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, by telephone at (228) 594-3707 and online at ticketmaster.com.
