AUGUSTA, Ga. � Goaltender Chad Collins made 40 saves in regulation and overtime, plus four more in the shootout to backstop the Augusta Lynx to a 4-3 shootout win over the Mississippi Sea Wolves at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.
�We had opportunities to win, but we�ll settle for the one point,� Mississippi coach Bob Woods said. �Next week is the final week of the regular season and we�ll keep plugging away preparing for the Kelly Cup Playoffs. It�s nice to be coming home for a game on Tuesday. Texas has been playing well lately and it�s going to be a fierce battle.�
Augusta (28-34-7, 63 points) got rolling at 5:44 of the first period. Eric Johansson beat goaltender Phil Sauve for his 15th goal of the season. Jamie Johnson and Colt King picked up helpers.
The number one ranked Lynx power-play made it 2-0. King, who was parked in front of the net, tipped a Johnson point shot for his 10th tally of the campaign at 14:23. John Cronin also garnered an assist.
In the second, Mississippi (38-23-7, 83 points) sliced the lead in half at the 4:01 mark. Kerry Ellis-Toddington snapped a shot past Collins to connect on his ninth goal of the year set up by Stephen Greeley and Jay Legault, who extended his point streak to six games.
Augusta regained its two-goal lead at 18:24 of the middle stanza. Sean Connolly deposited a rebound in close to notch his 14th of the season tying the Lynx record for goals by a defenseman in one season along with Martin Lapointe in 2001-02. Assists went to Ken Magowan and Louis Goulet.
In the third, Mississippi pulled within one at 4:49. Anthony Battaglia netted a backhand shot for his team-leading 26th goal of the season set up by Chris Cava and Louis Dumont.
Just 48 seconds later, Milt Mastad took a pass at the left circle from Travis Lisabeth and registered his fifth goal of the campaign to knot the score at 3-3. Legault also added his second assist of the game.
In the shootout, Johansson and Goulet scored for the Lynx, while Collins stopped all four Mississippi shooters.
Mississippi went 0-for-3 on the power play, while Augusta converted on 1-of-4 chances with the man advantage.Sea Wolves outshot the Lynx 43-29.
The Sea Wolves get back into action at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday against the Texas Wildcatters at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Watch the live web telecast for $6, courtesy of B2 Networks, online at msseawolves.com. With the pregame show beginning at 6:50 p.m., listen live on flagship radio station WGCM-AM 1240, or online at msseawolves.com, courtesy of Teamline.
Individual tickets for regular season home games plus the Kelly Cup Playoffs 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.
Season ticket packages for 2005-06, the 10th Anniversary Season of the Sea Wolves, are on sale now by calling (228) 275-WOLF. Ask about the �Early Bird Special.�
--- Box Score ---
SCORE BY PERIODS
Mississippi 0 1 2 0--3
Augusta 2 1 0 1--4
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Augusta-Johansson 15 (Johnson; King)
5:44. 2, Augusta-King 10 (power play) (Cronin; Johnson) 14:23.
Penalties: Martone, MIS (Holding), 13:12.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Mississippi-Ellis-Toddington 9 (Greeley;
Legault) 4:01. 4, Augusta-Connolly 14 (Magowan; Goulet) 18:24.
Penalties: Sullivan, AUG (High sticking), 0:04. Miller, MIS
(High sticking), 4:26. King, AUG (Hooking), 11:07.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 5, Mississippi-Battaglia 26 (Cava, Dumont) 4:49. 6, Mississippi-Mastad 5 (Lisabeth; Legault) 5:37. Penalties: Miller, MIS (Interference), 11:05. Johansson, AUG (Roughing), 11:05.
Jarmuth, MIS (Hooking), 11:16. Legault, MIS (High sticking), 14:02.
King, AUG (Holding stick), 15:18. Evangelista, MIS (Roughing),
18:19. Magowan, AUG (Roughing), 18:19.
OVERTIME -- Scoring: None. Penalties: Johansson, AUG (Ten minute misc.),
3:51.
SHOTS ON GOAL
Mississippi 8 22 10 3--43
Augusta 10 9 7 3--29
Power Play Conversions: Mississippi - 0 of 3, Augusta - 1 of 4.
Goalies: Mississippi-Sauve (29 shots, 26 saves; record: 12-3-3).
Augusta-Collins (43 shots, 40 saves; record: 2-0-0).
A: 2675. Referee: Banfield. Linesmen: Wicklum; Owen.
