BILOXI, MS – During their nine year preeminence in the East Coach Hockey League, the Mississippi Sea Wolves showed their fans and league counterparts that Biloxi had more to offer than its beaches and casinos.
In their first season, they were playoff bound. By year three, the Sea Wolves were Kelly Cup champions. Of the remaining six seasons, the team reached the post-season five times. Many rivalries grew during that time but the Wolves always found a way to leave their adversaries in their wake.
There was, however, one opponent who appeared on the horizon as the Sea Wolves neared season ten – an opponent that the franchise could not beat. Its name was 
Katrina. In the aftermath of the catastrophic hurricane, the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, home to the Wolves, was severely damaged. Staff offices, team locker rooms, Zambonis and ice-making equipment took a major hit. The building was rendered unusable.
With the Gulf Coast in shambles and the Sea Wolves without a home rink, the team suspended operations for two seasons. The break allowed enough time for the MCC and most of Biloxi’s infrastructure to be rebuilt. The Sea Wolves officially returned for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons but in March of 2009, the franchise announced it would cease operations.
For most fans, it was difficult to see their Sea Wolves go. One fan, Alex Davis, remembers the difficult time.
“I had been a Sea Wolves fan since 2001. I grew to love the Sea Wolves based on stellar play and I loved the every now and then fights,” Davis said. “The last few years of the Sea Wolves’ existence in the ECHL there were far less fights and the fans got treated to a less than average team. When I heard the Sea Wolves were having trouble staying in the ECHL, I glued myself to the news to find out everything.”
One month after the Sea Wolves announced they would cease operations, the management unexpectedly announced that hockey would remain in Biloxi but huge changes were on the horizon. Instead of playing in the ECHL, the team would play in the smaller Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). Also, the team would change its name to the Mississippi Surge in order to play in the league.
Despite being ecstatic that hockey would ultimately remain in Biloxi, fans were uncomfortable about such drastic changes.
“I didn’t even know the SPHL existed,” Davis said. “After finding out our team would have to join the SPHL under a new name, I was angry. Why not copyright our name? I thought to myself why were the Columbus Cottonmouths and Louisiana IceGators able to keep their names? I found out later that the ECHL keeps the rights to the team name for two years after a team leaves the ECHL.”
Another fan, Eric Litke, had similar thoughts. His main problem, however, was having to buy new merchandise for the team.
“I was a fan of the Sea Wolves. When the team switched over to the SPHL, it was hard. Change is hard,” he said. “Switching over the hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise from the Sea Wolves was especially hard but I am glad we do have a hockey team. Of all the things to do on the Gulf Coast, hockey is the most exciting (thing) that I (have) experienced.”
Fans would eventually overcome their initial feelings as the first season got underway and the team was amazingly successful. They finished the regular season atop the standings with 34 wins as well as collecting numerous individual accolades. Goalie Bill Zaniboni won the SPHL Goaltender of the Year award thanks to his 2.48 goals against average and 92 percent save percentage. Defenseman Steve Weidlich was named Defenseman of the Year after posting 42 points in 56 games and quarterbacking the most feared power play in the league. Forward Matt Zultek also set a league record for most power play goals by a player in a single season (31).
The performance of the team in the regular season astonished many, including head coach Steffon Walby.
“I thought that Steve Weidlich would be great defensively but I had no idea that he would quarterback the power play (that well),” Walby said. “As for Bill Zaniboni, I was relieved that he worked out so
Surge Head Coach/G.M. Steffon Walby (photo courtesy of Mississippi Surge).
In spite of the Surge leading the league in the regular season with those 34 wins and 76 points, the playoffs can be grueling – and sometimes cruel – for any team. The Surge continued their run into the post-season, ousting Columbus in four games before losing in a devastating three-game sweep in the championship series to the Huntsville Havoc.
“It was very difficult to swallow the finals loss,” Walby said. “We had such great success against them all year that we thought we would have been dealt a better fate.”
In addition to their tremendous performance on the ice, the team has also built its reputation by being actively involved in the community a year ago, making numerous appearances at Biloxi schools and with youth organizations.
“We want to be involved in all facets of the community,” Walby said. “We have a reputation that kids look up to. We are the only professional team on the coast and we as an organization believe that involving the community helps us become household names.”
Today, the Mississippi Surge and its fan base are looking forward to a second successful season as a member of the SPHL. Coach Walby however is concerned with his team being complacent following last year’s performance.
“I truly think our biggest hurdle will be complacency. We need to forget where we as a team have been, realize that this is a new year and to try to win every battle each and every day we come to the rink,” he said. “I expect us to be in the top six teams this year then we will evaluate where to go from there. I and many of the returning players have used the last season as motivation to be better and to not take for granted what we have had. We are more determined as well as better focused on the future. We really can’t wait until the season starts.”
With training camps opening this week, the wait won’t be much longer. And if Walby’s team heeds the lessons of focus and finishing the job from last season, the rest of the SPHL could be in for an even bigger jolt from the Gulf Coast this time around.
Contact the author at chris.poirrier@prohockeynews.com
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