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Cottonmouths Need a Shootout to Edge the RiverHawks

February 17, 2012 - SPHL (SPHL)
Augusta RiverHawks News Release


The Battle of Georgia was alive and well Friday night at the James Brown Arena as the Augusta RiverHawks and Columbus Cottonmouths needed overtime and a shootout to decide a winner. On this night it was the Cottonmouths who would take home the extra point, as Jordan Braid beat RiverHawks' net-minder Peter Skoggard on his shootout attempt after the five previous shooters from each team could not put the game away. The final score was 5-4.

Onlookers should not have expected anything less than overtime in this game, as three of the four games these two teams have played against each other this season have gone to the extra frame, and each has been decided by just one goal.

Braid and defenseman Tom Maldonado were the stars offensively for the Cottonmouths, as each recorded three points. Brendan Taylor, Egor Mironov, Jim Gehring, and Neil Graham each had a goal and an assist to lead the RiverHawks, while defenseman Ed Snetsinger logged an assist and a plus-minus rating of +3.

A quiet first period that saw just one Cottonmouths goal off the stick of Greg Beller gave way to a wild second frame that was goal and penalty-filled. Seven minutes into the period Taylor evened the game for the RiverHawks as he took a hard pass from Snetsinger and rifled it past Cottonmouths' goaltender Andrew Loewen.

The RiverHawks then got into penalty trouble, as a number of consecutive minor penalties led to two straight Cottonmouths goals, one off Braid's stick just as a Snakes' power play expired, and another from Orrin Hergott on a separate power play. However, the RiverHawks would kill off the remaining 5-on-3 advantages they offered the Cottonmouths, and roared back into the game.

Graham scored with less than two minutes to go in the period on a power play of the RiverHawks' own, narrowing the Snakes' lead to just one goal. Then with time running out in the period, Gehring fired a hard snap shot past Loewen to even the score and give the RiverHawks the momentum headed into the third period. The period would end in fisticuffs as a number of skirmishes broke out after an altercation between RiverHawks' Captain Matt Auffrey and Loewen, leading to the ejection of Cottonmouths' tough-guy David Amesbury and RiverHawks forward Kyle Watson.

Things calmed down considerably in the third period as the two teams re-assumed their conservative postures until there remained less than five minutes in the period. RiverHawks' forward Egor Mironov brought the home crowd to life when he batted in a rebound that was sitting loose in Loewen's crease. However, the RiverHawks' lead would last less than a minute, as Herggott fired in his second of the night to send the game to overtime.

The RiverHawks are back in action on Phoenix Refrigeration Ice at the James Brown Arena Saturday, February 18th, as they play the Fayetteville FireAntz. The puck drops at 7:35pm. Tickets for the game are available through the RiverHawks' office and the James Brown Arena box office. Additional information on the Team, tickets, and schedule are available on the RiverHawks' home on the web, www.augustariverhawks.com or by calling 706-993-2645.

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