BILOXI, Miss. - Making his pro debut, Pensacola goaltender Todd Ford turned aside 30 shots to backstop the Ice Pilots to a 5-0 shutout over the Mississippi Sea Wolves at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
�We came out flat in the second and penalties cost us,� Mississippi coach Bob Woods said. �Ford was also solid all night. We need to do a better job of getting someone in front of the opposing goalie. We hate to see games like this, especially at home.�
Pensacola (3-0-0, 6 points) opened the score in a 4-on-4 situation. Tyler Beechey took a pass from Corey Neilson and beat Randy Hevey with a shot for his second of the campaign.
Mississippi (3-3-0, 6 points) outshot Pensacola 19-14 in the first, but Ford kept the Sea Wolves at bay.
In the second, the Ice Pilots exploded with three goals in a span of 1:10. Cam Keith tallied his first pro goal at 17:28, assisted by Jordan Krestanovich and David Turon.
Exactly one minute later, Dwayne Hay cut into the slot and made it 3-0. Helpers went to Aaron Phillips and Tyler Beechey.
Ice Pilots� Kris Newbury capped off the sequence by tallying an unassisted power-play goal 10 seconds later.
In the third, Pensacola�s Chris St. Jacques busted in on a breakaway and netted his second of the season to make it 5-0 Pensacola.
After that goal, play turned physical with five fights in the final stanza and six total in the game.
The Sea Wolves would go on to register eight shots in the third, but we unable to solve the rookie Ford.
Mississippi went 0-for-7 on the power play, while Pensacola converted on 2-of-5 man advantage chances. Ice Pilots outshot Sea Wolves 34-30.
Additional notes: Andy Johnson made his Mississippi debut registering three shots on net and two penalty minutes � Glen Thornborough, ECHL Vice President of Marketing and Sales was in attendance.
Mississippi gets back into action with a home-and-home set against the Gwinnett Gladiators beginning at 6:35 p.m. CT on Friday at The Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia.
The Sea Wolves return home for a game at 7:35 p.m. on Saturday versus the Gladiators at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Promotions include $2 hotdogs and $2 drafts from 6:30-8:30 p.m., a performance by True Worshippers. It�s also Cellular South / WXXV Fox 25 Honor Roll Night, offering two free kids coupons for each Honor Roll student in Hancock, Harrison, Jackson and Stone Counties. In addition, there is a postgame party at Treasure Bay Casino.
Listen to the broadcasts live on WGCM-AM 1240 or online at msseawolves.com, courtesy of Teamline.
Watch the games on a pay-per-view basis online, courtesy of B2 Networks, at msseawolves.com.
Individual tickets can be purchased at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (228) 594-3707 and online at ticketmaster.com.
Season ticket packages, flex packs, groups tickets and fundraiser opportunities are available by calling (228) 275-WOLF or online at msseawolves.com.
--- Box Score ---
SCORE BY PERIODS
Pensacola 1 3 1--5
Mississippi 0 0 0--0
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Pensacola-Beechey 2 (game winner) (Neilson;
Hay) 16:16. Penalties: Kinkel, PEN (Fighting, Major), 3:36. Jacobson, MIS (Fighting, Major), 3:36. Vince, PEN (Hooking), 4:17. Neilson, PEN (Tripping), 7:48. Hutchins, MIS (Board check), 10:03. Johnson, MIS (Cross checking), 15:18. Turon, PEN (High sticking), 15:59.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Pensacola-Keith 1 (power play)(Krestanovich; Turon) 17:28. 3, Pensacola-Hay 2 (Phillips; Beechey)18:28. 4, Pensacola-Newbury 1 (power play) (unassisted) 18:38.
Penalties: Lindberg, PEN (Tripping), 12:00. Lush, MIS (Holding), 17:20. Hutchins, MIS (Roughing), 18:35.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 5, Pensacola-St. Jacques 2 (unassisted)
1:15. Penalties: Keith, PEN (Fighting, Major), 1:16. Martone, MIS(Fighting, Major), 1:16. Kinkel, PEN (Fighting, Major), 5:56. Jacobson, MIS (Fighting, Major), 5:56. O'Keefe, PEN (Fighting, Major), 10:24. Hutchins, MIS (Fighting, Major), 10:24. Stokes, PEN (Fighting, Major), 10:25. Martone, MIS (Fighting, Major), 10:25. Gionet, PEN (Fighting, Major), 11:48. Cava, MIS (Fighting, Major), 11:48. Gionet, PEN (Ten minute misc.), 11:48. Cava, MIS (Ten minute misc.), 11:48. Ellis-Toddington, MIS (Slashing), 13:13. Newbury, PEN (Holding), 14:13. Beckett, PEN (Hooking), 18:43.
SHOTS ON GOAL
Pensacola 14 11 9--34
Mississippi 19 3 8--30
Power Play Conversions: Pensacola - 2 of 5, Mississippi - 0 of 7.
Goalies: Pensacola-Ford (30 shots, 30 saves; record: 1-0-0). Mississippi-Hevey (34 shots, 29 saves; record: 1-1-0).
A: 2674. Referee: Biolata. Linesmen: Jones; Stanton.
