Snakes Play Three In Four Nights For Second Straight Week

Published on January 11, 2010 under SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


Lindsey Gierer Director of Public Relations Columbus Cottonmouths Hockey 706 571 0086 www.cottonmouths.com

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Lindsey GiererDirector of Public RelationsColumbus Cottonmouths Hockey706 571 0086www.cottonmouths.com

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COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths had a busy schedule the past week with two home games and one road game over four nights. The Snakes fell 5-3 at Mississippi on Wednesday night before returning home and facing Mississippi and Louisiana on Friday and Saturday night, respectively. After a 5-4 win in an overtime thriller over Mississippi, the IceGators slipped past Columbus 4-3 on Saturday night. This week again has three games in four nights on the schedule for the Cottonmouths. The Snakes travel to Huntsville on Thursday night to face the league-leading Havoc, then move further north on Friday night to face the Knoxville Ice Bears. Columbus returns home for the first Sunday home game of the season, an afternoon matinee against the Fayetteville FireAntz. All three 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 webcast of the games is also available. Details can be found at www.cottonmouths.com. In addition, road games are now broadcast locally in the Columbus area on 106.9 WRCG-FM.

CURRENT RECORDS AND STATS

Last Week: 1-2-0

Record: 11-11-4, 26 pts (6th Place, SPHL)

84 GF, 86 GA

19.9% PP (4th, SPHL); 82.3% PK (4th, SPHL)

LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS

1/5 - Acquired D Joe DeBello from Pensacola for cash

1/5 - Loaned F Jeff Martens to Johnstown (ECHL)

1/6 - Signed D Blake Miller to 3-game tryout

1/6 - Claimed F Tommy McMonagle off waivers

1/7 - Waived F Nicolas Boucher

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS

Thursday, January 14 - Columbus at Huntsville, 8:35 PM EST (Season Series vs. HSV: 0-3-1)

The Snakes and Huntsville Havoc face each other for the fifth time this season on Thursday night at the Von Braun Center. The league-leading Havoc is the only team in the league the Cottonmouths have yet to beat this season. At 18-4-5, Huntsville has a four point lead over second-place Mississippi with four games in hand on the Surge; they lead third-place Fayetteville by nine points, with both the FireAntz and Huntsville having played the same number of games. Huntsville has the most players with 20 or more points so far this season (eight) of any SPHL roster, and Havoc goaltender Mark Sibbald leads the league in wins (12), goals-against average (2.14), and save percentage (.934). In fact, Sibbald just suffered his first regulation loss of the season on Friday night in a 6-1 loss at Fayetteville.

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS (cont'd)

Friday, January 15 - Columbus at Knoxville, 7:35 PM EST (Season Series vs. KNX: 3-0-2)

The Snakes head to Tennessee on Friday night for their second game so far this season at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum against the hometown Ice Bears. Knoxville is the only team in the SPHL that has yet to defeat the Cottonmouths in regulation, as both of their wins over Columbus have been in overtime. The Ice Bears took a 3-2 overtime decision over the Snakes on December 27 in the only meeting between the two teams so far this season in Knoxville.

Sunday, January 17 - Fayetteville at Columbus, 4:00 PM EST (Season Series vs. FAY: 2-3-0)

After a rare Saturday off, the Cottonmouths host the Fayetteville FireAntz on Sunday afternoon in the Snake Pit. It is the first visit to Columbus for the FireAntz since a back-to-back series of games on the opening weekend of the season October 23 and 24. Since then, the FireAntz have taken two of the three games the two teams have played against each other in Fayetteville. The one-two punch of Rob Sich and Chris Leveille are first and second respectively in the league in points, with Sich leading the SPHL in goals (33) and Leveille tops in the league in assists (38). Sich's +18 rating also is good for first in the SPHL.

PROMOTIONS: Burger King Kids DayStop by area Burger Kings to pick up a vouchers for a FREE child's ticket to this game; Georgia Lottery Night

COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW

Wednesday, January 6 - Columbus 3 at Mississippi 5 (Attendance: 2,183)

Jesse Cole got the scoring started just 31 seconds into Wednesday night's game at Mississippi, but the Surge scored five of the next seven markers to win 5-3. Orrin Hergott and Dan Leslie scored the other goals for the Snakes. Hergott assisted on both of the other goals as well for a three-point night. Chad Rycroft stopped 32 of 36 shots on goal in net for Columbus as Mississippi's last goal was an empty-netter; Ryan Senft picked up his second win of the season against his former team in net for the Surge with 28 saves on 31 shots on goal. Columbus was 1 for 4 on the power play while the Surge were 2 for 5.

Friday, January 8 - Mississippi 4 at Columbus 5 (OT) (Attendance: 2,435)

After Columbus collected a 2-0 lead late in the first period, the Mississippi Surge stormed back with three unanswered goals into the second period in last night's game at the Snake Pit. The teams again traded goals in the third period's final minutes with Mississippi carrying a one-goal lead until Levi Lind's game-tying goal with 11 seconds remaining propelled the game into overtime. Orrin Hergott gave the Cottonmouths the extra standing point by notching the game-winning goal in the OT. Hergott also scored a goal in regulation for his second straight multiple-point game, and Sam Bowles and Tommy McMonagle also lit the lamp once each. Ian Vigier picked up the win in net for the Snakes with 37 saves on 41 Mississippi shots on goal. Former Cottonmouth Ryan Senft took the loss between the pipes for the Surge with 21 saves on 26 shots. Mississippi was 0 for 7 on the power play while Columbus was 1 for 4.

Saturday, January 9 - Louisiana 4 at Columbus 3 (Attendance: 3,191)

The Cottonmouths spotted Louisiana a 3-0 lead in the first period and could not recover despite scoring three of the game's final four goals, giving the Louisiana IceGators a 4-3 win in front of a season-high crowd of 3,191 at the Snake Pit. Levi Lind scored two goals for Columbus, both power play markers, with Sam Bowles adding an even-strength tally. Chad Rycroft had 31 saves on 35 shots in the loss in net for the Cottonmouths, while Louisiana goaltender A.J. Bucchino turned away 34 of the 37 shots he faced for the win in goal for the IceGators. Columbus was 2 for 9 on the power play while Louisiana was 1 for 4 with the man advantage.

THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

1. F Orrin Hergott - Hergott had a hand in all three Columbus goals on Wednesday night in Mississippi with a goal and two assists and scored two goals, including the overtime game-winner, on Friday night.

2. F Levi Lind - Lind was the only Cottonmouth to crack the scoresheet in each of the three games over the past week with a total of three goals and two assists, including the game-tying goal on Friday night.

3. F Sam Bowles - Bowles logged a goal and two helpers in Friday's win over Mississippi and had a goal and assist on Saturday night against Louisiana.

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