Snakes Unbeaten In Past Six Games; Host First-Place Havoc

Published on December 22, 2009 under SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths had one game over the past week, a game that proved to be an exciting one on both sides. The Snakes fell to the Pensacola Ice Flyers in a shootout on Saturday night, a game that saw them fall behind by three goals before tying the contest with less than eight seconds remaining in regulation. Despite the loss in the shootout, Columbus preserved its unbeaten streak in regulation at six games, going 3-0-3 in those contests. The Cottonmouths currently find themselves in sixth place in the SPHL standings, but that statistic is deceptive; Columbus has played the fewest games in the league along with Huntsville and has the fourth-best winning percentage in the SPHL. This week has two games on the schedule sandwiched around the Christmas holiday, with a home contest on Tuesday night against league-leading Huntsville and the Snakes' first trip to Knoxville in a Sunday afternoon game. Both games will be broadcast on B2 Networks with both a video and audio feed, with a nominal fee for each game. A free audio-only broadcast of the games are also available. Details can be found at www.cottonmouths.com.

CURRENT RECORDS AND STATS

Last Week: 0-0-1

Record: 9-6-3, 21 pts (6th Place, SPHL)

61 GF, 53 GA

21.2% PP (3rd, SPHL); 84.9% PK (2nd, SPHL)

LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS

none

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS

Tuesday, December 22 - Huntsville at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST (Season Series vs. HSV: 0-2-1)

The Snakes host the league-leading Huntsville Havoc in the first Tuesday night contest of the season at the Snake Pit. The Havoc will be without the services of goaltender Mark Sibbald, who was loaned to the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League last week. In his place, Huntsville signed goaltender Chad Collins, who was released by Pensacola last week after they received goaltender Jamie Gilbert in a deal with Louisiana. Despite Collins's extensive SPHL resume, Dan McWhinney has played the last three consecutive starts in Sibbald's absence, going 1-0-2 in those games. The Havoc's last five games in a row have either been decided in overtime or a shootout. Included in that streak is the last time they faced Columbus, a 2-1 shootout win for the Havoc on December 10 in Huntsville.

Sunday, December 27 - Columbus at Knoxville, 5:00 PM EST (Season Series vs. KNX: 3-0-1)

The Cottonmouths make their first trip of the season to the Knoxville Civic Coliseum on Sunday to face the hometown Ice Bears. Each of the four games between the two teams so far this season has been a one-goal contest, with Knoxville winning the most recent game in a December 12 overtime affair in Columbus. Knoxville is in a similar situation to the Cottonmouths, sitting in fourth place in the SPHL but with the league's second-best winning percentage behind Huntsville. The Ice Bears have three games in hand on both second-place Fayetteville, who is currently three points ahead of Knoxville, and third-place Mississippi, who is one point ahead of the Ice Bears in the standings.

COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW

Saturday, December 19 - Columbus 4 at Pensacola 5 (SO) (Attendance: 2,925)

The Snakes and Pensacola Ice Flyers traded a goal apiece in the game's first two periods on Saturday night before both teams had offensive explosions at different times in the third period. Pensacola scored three goals in the final frame's first five minutes, including three off the stick of former Cottonmouth Lorne Misita, before Columbus answered with three goals of their own in the final minutes of regulation. The final Columbus goal to tie the game scored by Jesse Cole came with less than eight seconds to go in regulation. After a scoreless overtime, Pensacola's last three players in the shootout would find the back of the net past goaltender Ian Vigier, giving the Ice Flyers the extra standing point. Besides Cole, Nicolas Boucher, Sam Bowles, and Tim Green also tallied regulation goals. Vigier stopped 45 of 49 shots on goal in the regulation tie for Columbus, while Jamie Gilbert picked up his second win against the Snakes this season in his first game in a Pensacola sweater. Gilbert made 27 saves on 31 shots for the win between the pipes for the Ice Flyers; he previously defeated the Snakes in net for Louisiana in a game on November 14. Columbus was 0 for 5 on the power play while Pensacola was 2 of 6 with the man advantage.

THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

1. F Nicolas Boucher - Boucher was the only Snake to have a multiple-point night on Saturday, scoring a goal and adding an assist.

2. F Jesse Cole - Cole's game-tying goal with 7.8 seconds left in regulation forced overtime on Saturday night in Pensacola.

3. G Ian Vigier - Despite the shootout loss, Vigier kept the Snakes in the game throughout, stopping 45 of 49 shots, including all 20 Pensacola shots he faced in the first period.

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