READING, Pa. � Mississippi Sea Wolves forwards Jeff Hutchins and Nicolas Corbeil each registered an assist and four shots on net, but the National Conference scored four goals in the second period to cruise past the American Conference 6-2 at the 2005 Coors Light ECHL All-Star Game in front of a sold-out crowd of 6,746 at the Sovereign Center.
Idaho goaltender Frank Doyle, who earned the win, took the Most Valuable Player of the Game Award after making 20 saves on 21 shots in the second period.
The Sea Wolves connection helped the American Conference open the score at 10:22 of the first period. Hutchins got the puck to Corbeil and he flipped it ahead for South Carolina�s Joey Tenute, who roofed a backhand shot over Long Beach goaltender Chris Madden to make it 1-0.
The National Conference had some golden opportunities in the opening period. Alaska�s Chris Minard sailed a breakaway shot wide against his brother, Columbia�s Mike Minard, who would go on to stop each of the 11 shots that he faced in the first period.
In the second, Gwinnett�s Jeff Campbell whipped the puck in front to teammate Brett Engelhardt, making it 2-0 for the American Conference tallying a marker on Doyle at the 3:45 mark. Lou Dickenson also picked up an assist.
Just 10 seconds later, Brent Robinson of Trenton put the National Conference on the scoreboard getting the puck past Pensacola�s Todd Ford set up by Jon Francisco of host Reading.
National Conference tied the score 2-2 at 7:19. Johnstown's Jean Desrochers deposited in close with Dana Lattery of Las Vegas collecting a helper
The eventual game-winning goal was notched by Tyler Kolarik on a rebound swept into the back of the cage by the forward from Dayton. San Diego�s Andrew Canzanello and Reading�s Ryan Kinasewich garnered assists at 10:48.
The National Conference started to pull away by netting their fourth goal of the middle stanza. Atlantic City rookie Derek Edwardson unleashed a shot from the high slot beating a screened Ford to score an unassisted goal making it 4-2.
In the third, Bakersfield forward Connor James fed Robinson for his second of the game beating Louisiana�s Nathan Marsters to make it 5-2 for the National Conference. Toledo�s Dan Eberly also had a helper.
In the late going, the American Conference pulled its goalie for the extra attacker, but Kinasewich capped off the scoring at 18:28 for an empty-netter. Kolarik and Reading goaltender Barry Brust, who made 11 saves on 11 shots, were awarded assists.
The National Conference outshot the American Conference 49-45.
Each team went 0-for-1 on the power play, after referee Nygel Pelletier assessed two minor penalties in the game. Pensacola�s Corey Neilson received two minutes for hooking, while the other penalty for holding went to Marco Rosa of Long Beach.
The Sea Wolves get back into action at 7:35 p.m. on Friday against the Pee Dee Pride at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Promotions consist of Military 2-for-1, sponsored by Keesler Federal Credit Union, which offers all military personnel, active or retired, two tickets for the price of one by showing military identification at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office. It�s also SeaBee Appreciation Night and St. Martin High School Night with a performance by the St. Martin Yellow Jacket Band.
Mississippi also hosts Pee Dee at 7:35 p.m. on Saturday. Promotions feature $2 hotdogs and $2 drafts from 6:30-8:30 p.m., a Mardi Gras Parade On Ice will take place in the second intermission, plus there�s a Mardi Gras Jersey Raffle to benefit the Gulf Coast Youth Hockey Association.
Individual tickets for home games can be purchased at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (228) 385-2600 and online at ticketmaster.com.
Flex packs, discounted groups tickets, birthday packages and fundraiser opportunities are available by calling (228) 275-WOLF or online at msseawolves.com.
--- Box Score ---
ECHL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
ECHL AMER CONF 1 1 0 2
ECHL NATL CONF 0 4 2 6 FINAL
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: AME - JOEY TENUTE 1 (NICOLAS CORBEIL, JEFF HUTCHINS) 10:22
2ND PRD: AME - BRETT ENGLEHARDT 1 (JEFF CAMPBELL, LOU DICKENSON) 3:45
NAT - BRENT ROBINSON 1 (JON FRANCISCO) 3:55
NAT - JEAN DESROCHERS 1 (DANA LATTERY) 7:19
NAT - JEAN DESROCHERS 2 (ANDREW CANZANELLO, RYAN KINASEWICH)
10:48
NAT - DEREK EDWARDSON 1 (UNASSISTED) 17:03
3RD PRD: NAT - BRENT ROBINSON 2 (CONNOR JAMES, DANNY EBERLY) 8:16
NAT - RYAN KINASEWICH 1 (TYLER KOLARIK, BARRY BRUST) 18:28
POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: AME - 0 OF 1, NAT - 0 OF 1.
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
AME 13 21 10 44
NAT 11 18 19 48
GOALIES: AME - MIKE MINARD, TODD FORD (2ND),
NATHAN MARSTERS (3RD)
NAT - CHRIS MADDEN, FRANK DOYLE (2ND),
BARRY BRUST (3RD)
ATT: 6,746
