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Cottonmouths Re-Sign Leading Goal-Scorer Gingera

July 17, 2014 - SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) announce that the team has signed forward Matt Gingera to a contract for the 2014-15 season. Gingera will begin his third season as a Snake this October when the Cottonmouths hit the ice for their 11 th SPHL season and 19 th overall in professional hockey.

Gingera has been an offensive force for the Snakes over the past two seasons. He burst onto the scene in Columbus in December 2012, joining the Snakes for his rookie campaign after starting his pro career with Tulsa in the Central Hockey League. Gingera led the Cottonmouths in goals (28), points (50), and plus-minus (+12) in 2012-13 en route to being named the SPHL Rookie of the Year; his 28-goal output was the second-most in the league despite playing in only 46 of the Cottonmouths' 56 games. He was named SPHL Player of the Month in January 2013 after a month that saw him score 13 goals and 17 points in just 12 games. During that month, he became just the third player (Matt Whitehead, Matt Zultek) in SPHL history to tally a hat trick in back-to-back games, scoring his first pro hat trick on January 18 in a win over Pensacola and netting three goals two days later in a victory over the Augusta RiverHawks.

The 5'10", 175-pound Gingera returned to the Snakes for his sophomore campaign in 2013-14, again leading the team in goals (32) and points (55). His 32 goals were again good for second-best in the SPHL, his ten power play goals on the season were good for third-best, and his 55-point total was tied for fifth highest in the league. He was the first Cottonmouth to finish the season with 30 or more goals since Jesse Cole's 31-goal season in 2010-11. Gingera also etched his name in the SPHL record books as one of only four players (Steve Roberts, Rob Sich, Chris Wilson) in league history to score five goals in a single game, a 6-5 overtime victory over the Mississippi Surge on February 28, 2014.

"Gingera is a prolific goal scorer," head coach Jerome Bechard said. "I look to Matt to have another great season offensively, but I've challenged him to be my best player at both ends of the ice. He will be looked upon to be on the ice in all situations not just when we need the big goal."

Gingera, 26, is a native of Winnipeg, MB and had a stellar career in juniors with his hometown Winnipeg Saints. His 149 goals with the Saints stand as the highest career total in team history. He moved on to play collegiately at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, scoring double-digit goals in each of his four years there. His 21-goal total in his junior year of 2010-11 was the third-best single season total in the program's history.

"I'm excited to be back in Columbus for another season, it's like a second home here and it's hard not to come back with how us players are treated by everyone in the organization and in the community," Gingera said. "This year the goal is to be more consistent. Considering the up and down season we had last year, although we finished two wins short of where we wanted to be, I'm still proud of the team and the direction we went."

The Cottonmouths will begin their 11th season as an original member of the SPHL on October 24th at 7:30pm. Season tickets, group sales, and sponsorship opportunities are available now for the upcoming season. To find out how you can become a part of what will be an exciting 2014-15 season, contact the team at 706.571.0086 or visit their website at www.cottonmouths.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cottonmouths, or by following @Cottonmouths on Twitter.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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