BILOXI, Miss. � Mississippi�s Anthony Battaglia scored a power-play goal in overtime to vault the Sea Wolves to a 5-4 overtime victory over the South Carolina Stingrays in front of 3,224 fans at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
�That was a battle right to the end,� Mississippi coach Bob Woods said. �I thought we were going to give it away. But we worked hard and paid the price. It was nice to spread around the scoring and we�re happy to get the two points.�
Mississippi (24-16-4, 52 points) opened the score at 8:25. Mike Jarmuth, who was celebrating his 23rd birthday, went back of the Stingrays net a fed the puck in front for Stephen Greeley, who flipped a backhand over the glove of Maxime Daigneault for his first goal in a Sea Wolves uniform in his third game with the team. Battaglia also drew an assist.
South Carolina (25-16-5, 55 points) knotted the score at 1-1 at the 3:53 mark of the second. Mark Ardelan let go with a point shot through a maze of legs to beat Phil Sauve. Ardelan�s 10th goal of the campaign was set up by Mike Jickling.
Nicolas Corbeil, who missed the last two games after being suspended by the ECHL suspension, darted in on a breakaway and cashed in his 11th tally of the year at 11:12. Assists went to Jarmuth and the goaltender Sauve.
The Stingrays evened the score at 2-2, as Brad Parsons centered a pass, which went off the skate of Jay Legault and into the cage at 11:59. Assists went to Ed Courtenay and Marty Clapton.
The Sea Wolves took a one-goal for the third time in the game on a backhand shot from John Evangelista in close. Lucas Drake and Pat O�Leary garnered helpers giving Mississippi a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.
In the third, Parsons took a pass from Courtenay and notched his second of the contest to tie it up 3-3 at the 2:39 mark. Aaron Power also had an assist.
Clapton gave South Carolina its first lead of the game at 8:20, stickhandling alone in front of the Mississippi net before lifting a shot high into the twine. Clapton�s seventh goal of the campaign was set up by Kevin Spiewak and Jickling.
Things turned physical at 11:02. Stingrays� Craig Olynick went after Sea Wolves� Lucas Drake in a fight. Mississippi�s Mike Martone took exception and took care of Olynick in a lopsided tussle.
With 2:13 remaining in regulation, the Sea Wolves tied the game at 4-4. Corbeil got the puck to Travis Lisabeth, who was behind the Stingrays defense, and he deposited his 13th of the season. Austin Miller also picked up an assist.
At the end of regulation, South Carolina left wing Stevenson suckered Mississippi�s Chris Cava and then turned around and flattened Sea Wolves� Milt Mastad. Stevenson was ushered off the ice and assessed a five-minute match penalty.
On the ensuing power play in overtime, the Sea Wolves made it count. Battaglia fired a right circle shot into the back of the net for his 17th goal of the year with 47 seconds left to go in the extra session. Helpers went to Corbeil and Jarmuth, both of which finished with three points each.
Mississippi converted on 1-of-6 power play opportunities, while South Carolina went 0-for-4. Sea Wolves outshot the Stingrays 45-38.
Additional notes: WWE Wrestling Superstar �Heartbreak Kid� Shawn Michaels made an appearance to meet and greet fans and sign autographs � After the first Sea Wolves goal fans tossed stuffed animals onto the ice for Teddy Bear Toss Night. The stuffed animals go to local police and fire departments to be handed to children at accident scenes � Former Sea Wolves forward Cody Bowtell was on hand vacationing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Mississippi heads out on a three-game road trip starting at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday at Florence, South Carolina to take on the Pee Dee Pride. Listen live on flagship radio station WGCM-AM 1240, or online at msseawolves.com, courtesy of Teamline. The pregame show gets underway 15 minutes before the puck drops.
The Sea Wolves next home game is at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22 against the Columbia Inferno at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
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 ---
SCORE BY PERIODS
South Carolina 0 2 2 0--4
Mississippi 1 2 1 1--5
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Mississippi-Greeley 1 (Battaglia; Jarmuth)
8:25. Penalties: Peverley, SC (Butt ending, Double minor), 0:35.
Evangelista, MIS (Tripping), 9:08. Olynick, SC (Roughing), 13:00.
Legault, MIS (Slashing), 16:52.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, South Carolina-Ardelan 10 (Jickling)
3:53. 3, Mississippi-Corbeil 11 (Sauve; Jarmuth) 11:12. 4,
South Carolina-Parsons 5 (Stevenson; Clapton) 11:59. 5, Mississippi-
Evangelista 3 (Drake; O'Leary) 18:13. Penalties: Drake, MIS (Hooking),
1:35. Lewis, SC (Fighting, Major), 10:00. Cava, MIS (Fighting, Major),
10:00. Drake, MIS (Roughing), 14:11. Kiser, SC (Roughing), 14:11.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 6, South Carolina-Parsons 6 (Courtenay; Power)
2:39. 7, South Carolina-Clapton 7 (Spiewak; Jickling) 8:20. 8,
Mississippi-Lisabeth 13 (Corbeil; Miller) 17:47. Penalties: Drake,
MIS (Slashing), 6:17. Lewis, SC (Slashing), 6:17. Drake, MIS
(Slashing), 11:02. Olynick, SC (Roughing), 11:02. Martone, MIS
(Fighting, Major), 11:02. Olynick, SC (Fighting, Major), 11:02.
Martone, MIS (Game misc.), 11:02. Olynick, SC (Fighting, Major,
Game misc.-2), 11:02. Stevenson, SC (Roughing), 13:25. Battaglia,
MIS (Roughing), 13:25. Jarmuth, MIS (Hooking), 13:47. Lisabeth, MIS
(Slashing), 18:20. Stevenson, SC (Match Penalty), 20:00.
OVERTIME -- Scoring: 9, Mississippi-Battaglia 17 (game winner)
(power play) (Corbeil; Jarmuth) 4:13. Penalties: None.
SHOTS ON GOAL
South Carolina 6 20 11 1--38
Mississippi 15 8 17 5--45
Power Play Conversions: South Carolina - 0 of 4, Mississippi - 1 of 6.
Goalies: South Carolina-Daigneault (45 shots, 40 saves; record:
11-6-1). Mississippi-Sauve (38 shots, 34 saves; record: 3-0-1).
A: 3224. Referee: Ciamaga. Linesmen: Jones; Deliman.
