BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves won their only game last week to extend their win streak to four games overall, remaining unbeaten in 2005 with three of the victories coming since January 1.
On Saturday, Mississippi blanked Texas 1-0 at Ford Arena in Beaumont on the strength of 31 saves by goaltender Matt Underhill and a power-play goal from Jeff Hutchins, who will represent the Sea Wolves at the 2005 Coors Light ECHL All-Star Game.
After 31 of 72 regular season ECHL games, the Sea Wolves sit four games above .500 with a record of 16-12-3 and 35 points.
Mississippi is in fourth place in the South Division and ranks tied for seventh place with the Greenville Grrrowl in the 12-team American Conference, where the top eight teams make the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
The Sea Wolves are 8-7-1 at home, 8-5-2 on the road, 2-2 in overtime games and 2-1 in shootouts.
LAST WEEK�S RESULTS � 1 gp, 1-0-0 = 2 pts
Saturday, January 8 at Texas Wildcatters � Ford Arena, Beaumont, Texas
Sea Wolves 1, Wildcatters 0 � Win
* Mississippi�s Matt Underhill turned aside all 31 shots that he faced to register his second shutout of the season
* Sea Wolves� Jeff Hutchins scored the only goal of the game on the power-play with 15 seconds left in the second period
* Texas goaltender Phil Osaer suffered the setback despite making 35 saves
GAMES, PROMOTIONS AND BROADCASTS THIS WEEK �
Mississippi hosts Louisiana on Thursday, before visiting Louisiana on Friday and Gwinnett on Saturday.
Thursday, January 13 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:05 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum
* Casino Night, offers casino employees two tickets for the price of one, by showing casino identification badge at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office
* Pack The House Night, offers all fans a $10 ticket in any section, based on availability
* Bay High School Night with a performance by the Bay High Tiger band
* Watch live web telecast for $6 online at msseawolves.com, courtesy of B2 Networks
* Listen live on WGCM-AM 1240 and online at msseawolves.com
Friday, January 14 at Louisiana IceGators � 7:05 p.m. CT � Cajundome, Lafayette, Louisiana
* Watch live web telecast for $6 online at msseawolves.com, courtesy of B2 Networks
* Listen live on WGCM-AM 1240 and online at msseawolves.com
Saturday, January 15 at Gwinnett Gladiators � 6:35 p.m. CT �
Arena at Gwinnett Center, Duluth, Georgia
* Watch live web telecast for $6 online at msseawolves.com, courtesy of B2 Networks
* Listen live on WGCM-AM 1240 and online at msseawolves.com
GAME PREVIEWS �
Thursday, January 13 vs. Louisiana IceGators � 7:05 p.m. CT � Mississippi Coast Coliseum
* Mississippi�s 600th all-time regular season ECHL game in team history (599 gp, 324-217-58 = .589 winning percentage)
* Fifth of 11 head-to-head meetings and fourth of five at Mississippi
* Mississippi is 2-1-1 against Louisiana this season after winning a wild 7-5 decision on January 2 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum
* Sea Wolves� Anthony Battaglia leads Mississippi with four goals against Louisiana and is tied for the team lead with five points (4g-1a) along with Louis Dumont (1g-4a) and Jeff Hutchins (1g-4a)
* Louisiana�s Wes Mason has registered five assists and six points to lead the IceGators in both departments versus Mississippi this season
* IceGators� Pascal Pelletier is tops with three goals against the Sea Wolves
* Mississippi is 34-30-8 all-time in the regular season against Louisiana and 20-12-5 at the Wolves Den
Friday, January 14 at Louisiana IceGators � 7:05 p.m. CT � Cajundome, Lafayette, Louisiana
* Second game of a home-and-home set and second of six at Louisiana this season
* Mississippi is 0-1-0 at the Cajundome in 2004-05 after dropping a 6-2 contest on November 12
Saturday, January 15 at Gwinnett Gladiators � 6:35 p.m. CT �
Arena at Gwinnett Center, Duluth, Georgia
* Fifth of seven games in the season series and third of four at Gwinnett
* Mississippi is 2-1-1 against Gwinnett in 2004-05 after falling 5-4 in overtime on November 27 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on a goal by Jim Jackson just 40 seconds into the extra session
* Sea Wolves� Louis Dumont (1g-4a) and Travis Lisabeth (2g-3a) are tied for the team lead against the Gladiators this season
* Mississippi�s Jeff Hutchins is tops with three goals versus Gwinnett
* Gwinnett�s Brad Schell leads the team with five assists and six points against Mississippi
* Gladiators� Mike Vigilante has four goals in four games versus the Sea Wolves
* Mississippi is 3-2-1 all-time in the regular season against Gwinnett and 1-1-1 all-time in Duluth, Georgia
STREAKING SEA WOLVES �
* Mississippi is unbeaten in regulation over its last eight road games (7-0-1) dating back to December 11
* Left wing Jeff Hutchins has posted points in eight straight games (5g-8a) and has scored in three consecutive contests (3g)
* Center Louis Dumont is riding an eight-game point streak (4g-6a)
* Right wing Jay Legault has collected assists in five consecutive home games (7a)
MISSISSIPPI MILESTONE WATCH �
* Center Louis Dumont is one goal from 300 tallies all-time in the ECHL, which would make him the sixth player in league history to reach the plateau (665 gp, 299g, 489a, 788 pts, 860 PIM) and Dumont is five points from 800 all-time in professional career (689 gp, 300g, 495a, 795 pts, 881 PIM).
* Defenseman Mike Martone is one point from 50 in his professional career (209 gp, 11g-38a, 49 pts, 370 PIM)
* Center Nicolas Corbeil is three points from 50 in his professional career (62 gp, 18g-29a, 47 pts, 34 PIM)
* Goaltender Jason Wolfe is two wins from 50 in his professional career (102 gp, 48-38-7 record)
* Left wing Anthony Battaglia is three games from 100 in a Mississippi uniform (97 gp, 34g, 26a, 60 pts, 42 PIM)
* Left wing Jeff Hutchins is three games from 150 in a Mississippi uniform (147 gp, 53g, 53a, 106 pts, 436 PIM)
* Left wing Darryl Campbell is seven games from 100 in a Mississippi uniform (93 gp, 17g, 20a, 37 pts, 60 PIM)
* Right wing Jay Legault is five assists from 100 in his professional career (257 gp, 65g, 95a, 160 pts, 289 PIM)
SEA WOLVES INJURED RESERVE �
* Defenseman Chris Cava went on the 7-day injured reserve on January 3
* Right wing Travis Lisabeth was placed on the 7-day injured reserve on January 7
MISSISSIPPI CALL UP �
* Right wing Lee Jacobson was loaned to the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the American Hockey League on December 28
PLAYER OF THE WEEK � Left wing Jeff Hutchins scored Mississippi�s only goal of the week in the Sea Wolves 1-0 win at Texas on Saturday. The 6-foot and 205-pound Hutchins was selected as Mississippi�s only representative at the 2005 Coors Light ECHL All-Star Game to be held on January 26 at Reading, Pennsylvania. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Hutchins leads the Sea Wolves with 17 goals including a team-high six power-play markers and a plus/minus of +12. Through 31 games, the 26-year-old is also second on the team with 32 points and 108 penalty minutes.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK � Matt Underhill backstopped the Sea Wolves to his second shutout of the season by turning away all 31 shots in Mississippi�s 1-0 victory at Texas on Saturday. The 25-year-old Underhill has appeared in 16 games posting a record of 8-5-3 this season. A native of Campbell River, British Columbia, Underhill has a team-leading 2.72 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.
TRANSACTIONS FROM LAST WEEK �
1/3 Delete, Chris Cava, D, Placed on 7-day injured reserve
1/7 Delete, Travis Lisabeth, RW, Placed on 7-day injured reserve
TEAM LEADERS �
Goals � Jeff Hutchins, 17
Assists � Louis Dumont, 24
Points � Louis Dumont, 34
Plus/Minus � Jeff Hutchins, +12
Penalty Minutes � Chris Cava, 116
Power-Play Goals � Jeff Hutchins, 6
Shorthand Goals � Anthony Battaglia, 3
Game-Winning Goals � Louis Dumont, 5
Goaltender Wins � Matt Underhill, 8
Goals-Against Average � Matt Underhill, 2.72
Save Percentage � Matt Underhill, .920
SPECIAL TEAMS (ECHL Rank) �
Power Play � 22-for-154, 14.3% (23)
Penalty Killing � 130-of-157, 82.8% (18)
Shorthand Goals For � 5 (T9)
Shorthand Goals Against � 2 (T3)
PRACTICES THIS WEEK �
Monday � No ice available
Tuesday � Noon-1 p.m., Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Wednesday � 10-11:30 a.m., Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Thursday � 10-10:30 a.m., morning skate, Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Friday � 10-10:30 a.m., morning skate, Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Saturday � To be determined
Sunday � Day off
* All practices are open to the public. Dates and times are subject to change.
LISTEN AND WATCH GAMES LIVE � Join Mike Kelly, �Voice of the Sea Wolves� for play-by-play action of all home and away games on WGCM-AM 1240. Listen on the internet at msseawolves.com, courtesy of Teamline.
Watch the games live on the web telecast for $6, courtesy of B2 Networks, online at msseawolves.com.
Bring your radio and headphones to the home games and tune into the live play-by-play broadcast on 88.5 FM inside the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
IN THE COMMUNITY �
Tuesday, January 11, 6:30-8 p.m.
* Player appearance for all ages at PJ's Coffee & Tea Company, 2180 E. Pass Rd., Gulfport
Sunday, January 16, 3-6 p.m.
* Sea Wolves players will be at �The Shed Barbeque� located at Highway 57 in Ocean Springs for �Band Aid� to help victims of the Tsunami disaster. This "World Community Coastal Style Event" will feature local bands, food, drinks and silent auctions. 100 percent of the proceeds and profits benefit �Americares.� For more information call (228) 875-9590.
Flex packs, discounted group tickets, birthday packages and fundraiser opportunities are available by calling (228) 275-WOLF.
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) 385-2600 and online at ticketmaster.com.
