2004 ECHL All-Star Game - Crazy Comeback - On MLN SportsZone.com

Crazy Comeback
A third period fury sees the Eastern Conference score four straight goals en route to a 7-6 victory over the Western Conference in the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game.

01.21.04 - Peoria, Ill. - The Eastern Conference collected four unanswered scores in the third period to come back from a three-goal deficit and beat the Western Conference 7-6 in the 2004 ECHL All-Star Game before 7,242 at Carver Arena.

Peoria left wing and Eastern Conference Captain, Randy Rowe, got his third point of the night at just the right time, netting the game-winning goal at 11:02 of the third period.

In recognition for his late-game heroics, Rowe, the game's only two-goal scorer, was named MVP in front of his hometown fans.

Rowe opened the scoring 43 seconds into the contest, tallying the fastest goal in ECHL All-Star Game history, shoveling in a rebound past Western Conference starting goalie Frederic Cloutier of the Louisiana IceGators. Florida's Brian McCullough and Wheeling's Jason Jaffray registered assists on the goal.

The captain of the Western Conference, Mississippi's Steffon Walby, responded at the 3:31 mark as he re-directed a shot from Idaho's David Cornacchia, a former Sea Wolves teammate, past Scott Stirling of Atlantic City, who set an ECHL All-Star Game record by starting his third straight. Mississippi's Brent Gauvreau also added a helper.

At 13:59, Gwinnett's Troy Milam sent a wrist shot from the right circle into the back of the net to give the Western Conference its first lead of the game at 2-1. Bakersfield's Andrew Ianiero and Dave Cousineau of Las Vegas both got assists on the play.

Texas' John Snowden scored from an unbelievable angle for a 3-1 advantage at 15:59 of the first.

After taking a pass from Long Beach's Nick Ganga, Snowden, who was behind the end redline to the right side of the Eastern Conference net, flipped the puck off the back of Stirling's leg and into the goal.

The Western Conference would strike first in the second period, pushing its lead to 4-1 at 1:30.

Alaska's Joe Talbot waited patiently in the slot for goaltender Cory Campbell of Johnstown to make the first move, before burying the puck. Columbus' J-F Plourde and Pensacola's Greg Chambers, who was initially stopped by Campbell, collected assists on the tally.

The Eastern Conference finally answered at 5:14 of the second, making it 4-2 when Reading's David Masse broke into the zone on right wing and beat Gwinnett's Michael Garnett with a snap shot from the right face-off circle. Charlotte's Dusty Jamieson and Florence's Mark McRae also assisted on the goal.

At 7:59, Las Vegas' Dave Cousineau rocketed shot past Campbell from the right face-off circle after taking a pass from Snowden, making it 5-2 for the Western Conference. Milam also registered an assist on the goal.

The Eastern Conference made it 5-3 at 16:00 when Atlantic City's Sam Paolini wristed home a shot from the right face-off circle after Roanoke's Shawn Limpright broke up a clearing attempt.

Just 19 seconds later, the Western Conference gave itself a three-goal advantage for the third time in the second session. Talbot broke into the Eastern Conference end on right wing, feeding Pensacola's Corey Neilson for a one-time slap shot goal from the slot to make it 6-3.

The Eastern Conference started the third period with some nifty passing, which got them within two goals at 2:46. Rowe hit McCullough, who fed Jaffray on the opposite post for a score, beating Idaho's Dan Ellis at 2:46.

Less than two minutes later, Toledo's Morten Ask sent a cross-ice pass to Jamieson, who fired in a one-timer to bring the Eastern Conference within one at 6-5. Masse collected an assist for his second point of the game.

The Eastern Conference kept pouring on the offense and pulled even at 8:02 when Johnstown's Jason Notermann one-touched the puck into the net from the right post on a tic-tac-toe passing play with Columbia's Alex Burrows and Greensboro's Tom Reimann.

Rowe made the Eastern Conference comeback complete by hitting the fourth unanswered goal of the period, and eventual game-winner, with just less than nine minutes left to play.

The play unfolded as McCullough, who was stationed behind the goal, found Rowe streaking through the slot. Rowe quickly lifted the puck over Ellis for his second tally of the game. McCullough grabbed his third assist and Paolini picked up his second point of the contest.

The Western Conference pulled its goalie in the final minute, but failed to convert and the game ended at 7-6.

Trenton's Chris Houle stopped 10 of 10 shots in the third period for the Eastern Conference victory. Johnstown's Cory Campbell turned away eight of 11 chances in the second period, and Atlantic City's Scott Stirling stopped 10 of 13 shots in the first.

Ellis turned away 13 of 17 shots in the loss. Gwinnett's Michael Garnett stopped 24 of 26 chances in the middle session, and Louisiana's Fred Cloutier turned aside 10 of 11 shots in the first period.