BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves came-from-behind on three separate occasions to tie the game before Austin Miller ended it in the sixth round of the shootout 6-5 over the South Carolina Stingrays at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
�We found a way to win and that�s important at this time of year,� Mississippi coach Bob Woods said. �It was a character victory for us. We wouldn�t go away and I liked that from our guys tonight. The Sunday rematch at home is going to be a thriller.�
South Carolina (25-16-4, 54 points) hit stride at the 12:02 mark. Matt Reid got the puck past Phil Sauve to net his 18th goal of the season assisted by Carlyle Lewis and Marty Clapton.
The Stingrays went ahead 2-0 on a right circle shot from 17-year-pro Ed Courtenay, who tallied his 12th goal of the campaign set up by Brad Parsons at 14:27.
Mississippi (23-16-4, 50 points) shaved the lead in half on a four-on-four scenario in the second period. Anthony Battaglia sent a backhand shot from the slot by Justin Eddy for his 16th marker of the season. Assists at 1:46 were awarded to Miller and Stephen Greeley, who collected his first point with the Sea Wolves in his second game with the team.
South Carolina regained its two-goal lead at 3:56. Brad Parsons registered his fourth goal of the year, with helpers going to Courtenay and Nate Kiser.
Mississippi got a break to make it 3-2. Pat O�Leary centered the puck, which went inadvertently went off a skate in front past Eddy at 10:51. O�Leary�s 10th goal of the year drew assists from Lucas Drake and Mike Martone.
Just 22 seconds later, the Sea Wolves tied the contest for the first time at 3-3. Battaglia buried his second of the game set up by Greeley and Louis Dumont, who collected his 800th career point in professional hockey.
But the Stingrays made a man advantage work in their favor at 16:39. Reid was alone in close and lifted a shot high over Sauve to give South Carolina a 4-3 lead through 40 minutes. Power and Mark Ardelan had the helpers.
Sea Wolves got to South Carolina�s number one ranked penalty killing unit in the third. Louis Dumont netted his 12th of the season at 1:33, with assists going to Chris Cava and Travis Lisabeth tying the score 4-4.
Less than two minutes later, South Carolina�s Joe Tenute buried his 20th of the campaign to make it 5-4. Aaron Power and Reid garnered assists.
A 5-on-3 power play for the Sea Wolves would pull the team even again and send the game to extra time. Dumont cashed in at the side of the net for his second goal of the period and 13th of the year. Jay Legault and Kerry Ellis-Toddington picked up helpers.
In the shootout, South Carolina had goals from Tenute and Courtenay, while Dumont, Battaglia and Miller ended it in Mississippi�s favor.
Mississippi converted on 2-of-8 power play opportunities, while South Carolina went 2-for-7. Sea Wolves outshot the Stingrays 40-27.
The Sea Wolves next game is at 3:05 p.m. on Sunday, in a game that was originally scheduled for tomorrow, in the second and final regular season matchup against South Carolina at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Sunday�s promotion is highlighted by WWE Wrestling Superstar �The Heartbreak Kid� Shawn Michaels meeting and greeting fans and signing autographs from 2-4 p.m. VIP Packages are on sale, which allows each fan to be among the first to meet Shawn Michaels. A VIP Package includes one platinum ticket along with a lanyard for the game, plus one 8x10 color photograph with a guaranteed autograph from Shawn Michaels for $50. Call the Sea Wolves hockey office at (228) 275-WOLF to reserve today.
It�s also Teddy Bear Toss Night on Sunday. Fans are asked to bring a teddy bear or stuffed animal to throw onto the ice after the Sea Wolves first goal of the game.
Individual tickets for Sunday�s home game can be purchased at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (228) 385-2600 and online at ticketmaster.com.
Watch the live web telecast for $6, courtesy of B2 Networks, online at msseawolves.com. Listen live on flagship radio station WGCM-AM 1240, or online at msseawolves.com, courtesy of Teamline. The pregame show starts 15 minutes before the start of action.
Flex packs, discounted groups tickets, birthday packages and fundraiser opportunities are available by calling (228) 275-WOLF or online at msseawolves.com.
--- Box Score ---
SCORE BY PERIODS
South Carolina 2 2 1 0--5
Mississippi 0 3 2 1--6
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, South Carolina-Reid 18 (Lewis; Clapton)
12:02. 2, South Carolina-Courtenay 12 (Parsons) 14:27. Penalties:
Gomez, SC (Roughing), 5:13. McCaffrey, SC (Slashing), 9:07. Martone,
MIS (Obstr hooking), 14:43. Peverley, SC (Hooking), 16:47. Lewis, SC
(Charging), 20:00.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Mississippi-Battaglia 15 (Miller; Greeley)
1:46. 4, South Carolina-Parsons 4 (Courtenay; Kiser) 3:56. 5,
Mississippi-O'Leary 10 (Drake; Martone) 10:51. 6, Mississippi-
Battaglia 16 (Greeley; Dumont) 11:13. 7, South Carolina-Reid 19
(power play) (Ardelan; Power) 16:39. Penalties: Lisabeth, MIS
(Holding), 1:03. Cava, MIS (Tripping), 7:00. Kiser, SC (High sticking),
11:39. Dumont, MIS (Tripping), 14:44.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 8, Mississippi-Dumont 12 (power play) (Cava;
Lisabeth) 1:33. 9, South Carolina-Tenute 20 (power play) (Power; Reid)
3:21. 10, Mississippi-Dumont 13 (power play) (Legault;
Ellis-Toddington) 12:02. Penalties: Peverley, SC (Tripping), 1:15.
Lisabeth, MIS (Cross checking), 2:30. Drake, MIS (Hooking), 8:11.
Kiser, SC (Hooking), 11:16. Olynick, SC (Board check), 11:51.
Martone, MIS (Hooking), 18:57.
OVERTIME -- Scoring: None. Penalties: None.
SHOTS ON GOAL
South Carolina 5 9 8 5--27
Mississippi 9 16 12 3--40
Power Play Conversions: South Carolina - 2 of 7, Mississippi - 2 of 8.
Goalies: South Carolina-Eddy (40 shots, 35 saves; record: 2-0-1).
Mississippi-Sauve (27 shots, 22 saves; record: 2-0-1).
A: 3316. Referee: Ciamaga. Linesmen: Ross; Jones.
