Sports - Mississippi Surge

Friday, Oct. 23, 2009

Surge. IceGators meet again

BILOXI — The Mississippi Surge opened their SPHL season Thursday with a 3-2 road victory over the Louisiana IceGators.

Tonight at 7:30, the Surge try to win their inaugural home game in team history and go to 2-0 on the season when the IceGators return the favor with a visit to the Coast Coliseum.

Matt Zultek, Tim Velemirovich and Chris Greene scored goals in the opening win — Greene’s was the game-winner — and Ryan Senft made 12 saves. The Surge were 1-for-7 on the power play. The Surge came from behind to net the victory.

“The boys are about as ready as I can ask them to be,’’ Walby said. “(This) should be a prepared game. The energy level will be high for us.’’

The Surge announced on Friday that they will wear special inaugural season jerseys for tonight’s home opener, which will be auctioned off to fans immediately following the game.

The jerseys are a modified version of the Surge’s blue game jerseys that have the words “2009-10 Inaugural Season” embroidered around the crest.

“We’re excited to wear special jerseys for the first-ever Surge home game,” head coach Steffon Walby said. “These jerseys will give our fans a chance to get a unique piece of Surge history on opening night.”

In a special ceremony before the game, the Surge will honor Patrick Rochon, who appeared in 500 regular season games with the ECHL’s Mississippi Sea Wolves of the ECHL.