Storm rolls on, handles Bandits

1/14/2001

JACKSON, Miss. - The forecast didn't call for any bad weather last night, but the Jackson Bandits got caught by a storm that originated in Toledo.

After rallying from a 4-1 deficit Friday during a 5-4 shootout victory over Arkansas, the Toledo Storm moved in and captured a convincing 4-1 victory before a crowd of 5,250 at the Mississippi Coliseum.

The Storm, which didn't get into town until 4:30 a.m. yesterday of the game, put the game away after two periods. Toledo led 3-1 going into the third. Although Toledo was out-shot 43-21, they kept the Bandits off balance most of the night.

“I don't know how to explain this,” Bandits coach Derek Clancey said. “I've never seen a team like this right now that plays well enough to win games, but we just can't find a way to score.

“They got some good bounces on a couple of their goals. Their goalie played really well for them.”

The Bandits (20-18-3) did a good job of not giving up many power play opportunities, because the Storm came into the game second in the league with the man advantage (23.2 percent). Toledo was 2-for-3 on the power play.

The Storm (21-15-2), which had to use ECHL official scorer and Jackson resident Brent Voorhees as an emergency goalie, began to pull away in the second period.

Storm center Jeff Johnstone beat Bandits goalie Mike Tamburro to the lower left side, then Jason Norrie, with an unintended assist from Cory Larose, made it a two-goal lead midway through the period. The puck went off Larose's skate and into the goal. James Patterson, who had one of his team's power-play goals, was credited with the assist.

Bandits center Brenden Walsh scored a rebound 14:17 into the game. It was his third goal of the season.

Late in the second period, Ryan Mougenel decked Todd Gillingham with a clean body check near the Bandits bench.

Gillingham, who shook off the hit while on his knees for several seconds, went back to his bench with a cold stare at the Bandits bench. That intensity carried over into the third.

“I think you're going to see about the same stuff,” Toledo coach Dennis Holland said, referring to today's 3 p.m. game at the Coliseum. “They're a very physical, hard-hitting and fast hockey team and so are we. It's going to be a war out there.”