
Cottonmouths Take 2 of 4; Play Surge/RiverKings This Week
February 24, 2014 - SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths won two of their four games over the past week, taking two out of three against the Fayetteville FireAntz with a loss on Tuesday and wins Friday and Saturday and dropping a Sunday afternoon game against the Mississippi RiverKings. This week, the Snakes face both Magnolia State SPHL entries as they play a home-and-home series with the Mississippi Surge Thursday night in Biloxi and Friday night in Columbus, then will host the RiverKings at the Snake Pit in a rematch of Sunday's loss. All games are broadcast on America One 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.
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CURRENT RECORDS AND STATS
Last Week: 2-2-0
Record: 19-22-3, 41 pts (T-7th, SPHL)
140 GF, 139 GA
17.5% PP (5th, SPHL); 84.0% PK (4th, SPHL)
LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS
2/23 - G Andrew Loewen loaned to Gwinnett (ECHL)
2/23 - G Barney Slayton signed as emergency backup
SPHL STANDINGS
TEAM ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ GP ÃÂ ÃÂ W ÃÂ ÃÂ L ÃÂ ÃÂ OTL ÃÂ PTS ÃÂ WPCT ÃÂ GF ÃÂ ÃÂ GA ÃÂ ÃÂ PIM ÃÂ ÃÂ HOME ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ROAD ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ L-TEN ÃÂ STREAK ÃÂ ÃÂ
xPensacola ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 47 ÃÂ ÃÂ 29 ÃÂ ÃÂ 13 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 5 ÃÂ ÃÂ 63 ÃÂ .670 ÃÂ 172 ÃÂ ÃÂ 128 ÃÂ ÃÂ 869 ÃÂ ÃÂ 15-7-4 ÃÂ ÃÂ 14-6-1 ÃÂ ÃÂ 7-0-3 ÃÂ 2-0-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ
Louisiana ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 46 ÃÂ ÃÂ 29 ÃÂ ÃÂ 14 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 3 ÃÂ ÃÂ 61 ÃÂ .663 ÃÂ 159 ÃÂ ÃÂ 143 ÃÂ ÃÂ 843 ÃÂ ÃÂ 17-8-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ 12-6-3 ÃÂ ÃÂ 8-2-0 ÃÂ 2-0-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ
Mississippi RiverKi 45 ÃÂ ÃÂ 25 ÃÂ ÃÂ 17 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 3 ÃÂ ÃÂ 53 ÃÂ .589 ÃÂ 141 ÃÂ ÃÂ 119 ÃÂ ÃÂ 836 ÃÂ ÃÂ 12-6-3 ÃÂ ÃÂ 13-11-0 ÃÂ 6-4-0 ÃÂ 1-0-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ
Huntsville ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 45 ÃÂ ÃÂ 25 ÃÂ ÃÂ 17 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 3 ÃÂ ÃÂ 53 ÃÂ .589 ÃÂ 152 ÃÂ ÃÂ 131 ÃÂ ÃÂ 828 ÃÂ ÃÂ 16-6-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ 9-11-3 ÃÂ ÃÂ 4-5-1 ÃÂ 2-0-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ
Peoria ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 44 ÃÂ ÃÂ 23 ÃÂ ÃÂ 16 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 5 ÃÂ ÃÂ 51 ÃÂ .580 ÃÂ 119 ÃÂ ÃÂ 120 ÃÂ ÃÂ 713 ÃÂ ÃÂ 14-6-2 ÃÂ ÃÂ 9-10-3 ÃÂ ÃÂ 5-3-2 ÃÂ 0-2-1 ÃÂ ÃÂ
Mississippi Surge ÃÂ 45 ÃÂ ÃÂ 21 ÃÂ ÃÂ 20 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 4 ÃÂ ÃÂ 46 ÃÂ .511 ÃÂ 118 ÃÂ ÃÂ 144 ÃÂ ÃÂ 726 ÃÂ ÃÂ 10-10-2 ÃÂ 11-10-2 ÃÂ 5-2-3 ÃÂ 0-0-1 ÃÂ ÃÂ
Columbus ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 44 ÃÂ ÃÂ 19 ÃÂ ÃÂ 22 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 3 ÃÂ ÃÂ 41 ÃÂ .466 ÃÂ 140 ÃÂ ÃÂ 139 ÃÂ ÃÂ 1075 ÃÂ 9-10-1 ÃÂ ÃÂ 10-12-2 ÃÂ 3-6-1 ÃÂ 0-1-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ
Knoxville ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 41 ÃÂ ÃÂ 18 ÃÂ ÃÂ 18 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 5 ÃÂ ÃÂ 41 ÃÂ .500 ÃÂ 109 ÃÂ ÃÂ 121 ÃÂ ÃÂ 858 ÃÂ ÃÂ 10-10-2 ÃÂ 8-8-3 ÃÂ ÃÂ 5-4-1 ÃÂ 3-0-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ
Fayetteville ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 44 ÃÂ ÃÂ 17 ÃÂ ÃÂ 23 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 4 ÃÂ ÃÂ 38 ÃÂ .432 ÃÂ 112 ÃÂ ÃÂ 134 ÃÂ ÃÂ 818 ÃÂ ÃÂ 10-12-0 ÃÂ 7-11-4 ÃÂ ÃÂ 3-6-1 ÃÂ 0-2-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ
Bloomington ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 43 ÃÂ ÃÂ 16 ÃÂ ÃÂ 25 ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ 2 ÃÂ ÃÂ 34 ÃÂ .395 ÃÂ 108 ÃÂ ÃÂ 151 ÃÂ ÃÂ 1141 ÃÂ 8-12-0 ÃÂ ÃÂ 8-13-2 ÃÂ ÃÂ 3-6-1 ÃÂ 0-1-0ÃÂ
x - clinched playoff berth ÃÂ ÃÂ
UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS
Thursday, February 27 - Columbus at Mississippi Surge, 8:05 PM EST (Season Series vs. MSS: 1-1-0)
The Snakes face the Mississippi Surge in Biloxi on Thursday night to kick off a home-and-home between the two teams. The only other meeting between the Surge and Snakes also consisted of a home and home back on December 20 and 21, with both teams winning on the other team's home ice. The Surge are in the peculiar position of sitting above .500 while having a -26 goal differential on the year (118 goals scored, 144 goals allowed), bolstered by a league-best 13-3-4 record in one-goal games. The Surge have been involved in close games lately with the last four consecutive games they have played not being decided in regulation (one an overtime win, one shootout win, and two shootout losses).ÃÂ
Friday, February 28 - Mississippi Surge at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST
The Cottonmouths and Surge will both make the drive back from the Mississippi Gulf Coast to play Friday night in the Snake Pit. Friday home games have been traditionally good to the Snakes: Columbus is 4-0-1 in Friday games at the Civic Center in 2014. The Cottonmouths and Surge have one more regular season game scheduled after this weekend with a March 21 contest in Biloxi.
Saturday, March 1 - Mississippi RiverKings at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST (Season Series vs. MRK: 0-2-2)
The Snakes hope to ring in the final month of the season with their first win of the year against the Mississippi RiverKings on Saturday night. The "ËKings have a spotless 4-0-0 record against the Cottonmouths, albeit two of the wins were not decided in regulation (one in overtime, one in a shootout). After Saturday night, Columbus and the RiverKings tangle one more time with a March 11 trip to the Memphis suburb of Southaven as the Snakes will face the "ËKings on their home ice.ÃÂ
COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW
Tuesday, February 18 - Columbus 2 at Fayetteville 3 (Attendance: 2,299)
The Snakes fell 3-2 to the FireAntz in Fayetteville on Tuesday night. Tory Allan and Mike Switzer scored the goals for the Cottonmouths. Both goals came on special teams as Allan's was scored on the power play and Switzer notched a shorthanded marker. Columbus was 1 for 6 on the power play while the FireAntz were 1 of 9 on the man advantage. Peter Skoggard took the win in net for Fayetteville in his 16th decision of the last 19 games for the FireAntz, stopping 27 of 29 shots on goal. The Snakes' Andrew Loewen stopped 39 of 42 shots on goal between the pipes for the Cottonmouths.
Friday, February 21 - Fayetteville 0 at Columbus 5 (Attendance: 3,572)
Powered by Matt Gingera's hat trick and Andrew Loewen's third shutout of the season, the Cottonmouths defeated Fayetteville 5-0 on Friday night. Preston Shupe and Andy Willigar also scored once each for Columbus. Loewen turned aside all 34 shots on goal while Peter Skoggard made 16 saves on 20 shots on goal in net for the FireAntz before being replaced by Dustin Carlson, who went on to stop 21 of 22 shots. The Cottonmouths were 2 for 3 on the power play while the FireAntz were 0 for 3 with the man advantage.
Saturday, February 22 - Columbus 5 at Fayetteville 2 (Attendance: 6,342)
The Fayetteville FireAntz scored the game's first two goals, including the opening marker just 24 seconds into the first period, but the Snakes struck for five unanswered goals in the game's last two periods for a 5-2 victory Saturday night at the Crown Coliseum. Five different Cottonmouths lit the lamp with Tory Allan, Sam Bowles, Jordan Draper, and Preston Shupe scoring a goal each and Andy Willigar adding an empty-netter to seal the victory for Columbus. Andrew Loewen stopped 35 of 37 shots on goal to pick up the win in net for the Snakes, while the FireAntz' Dustin Carlson turned away 31 of the 35 shots on goal he faced. Neither team scored on the power play as the Cottonmouths were 0 for 3 and the FireAntz were 0 for 5 with the man advantage.
Sunday, February 23 - Mississippi RiverKings 4 at Columbus 2 (Attendance: 1,341)
The Snakes spotted the Mississippi RiverKings an insurmountable 4-0 lead on Sunday before Tory Allan and Mike Switzer finally solved "ËKings goaltender Matthew Krahn in a 4-2 loss to Mississippi. Krahn made 37 saves on 39 shots on goal for the RiverKings while Curtis Martinu had 35 saves on 39 shots on goal in net for Columbus. The RiverKings were 1 for 3 on the power play while the Cottonmouths finished the game 1 for 6 with the man advantage.
THREE STARS OF THE WEEK
1. F Tory Allan - Allan picked up points in all four games last week with five points off three goals and two assists.
2. F Matt Gingera - Gingera's hat trick on Friday night helped the Snakes defeat Fayetteville on home ice.ÃÂ
3. D Andy Willigar - Willigar also had a point in all four games with two goals and three assists on the week.
SPHL Stories from February 24, 2014
- Second Period Onslaught Dooms Thunder - Bloomington Thunder
- Cottonmouths Take 2 of 4; Play Surge/RiverKings This Week - Columbus Cottonmouths
- Amburgey Dealt to Pensacola in Three-Player Trade - Peoria Rivermen
- Rivermen Offer Reduced Ticket Prices this Friday Only - Peoria Rivermen
- Harris Returns, Frieday Traded - Huntsville Havoc
- Ice Flyers Acquire Defensemen Amburgey, Frieday - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- Flash Added to Superhero Night this Friday - Peoria Rivermen
- Mississippi Surge Offer Student Discount - Mississippi Surge
- Peoria Chiefs Night this Saturday - Peoria Rivermen
- Levine Promoted to CHL Allen - Peoria Rivermen
- Havoc Win Two, Finish Week Strong - Huntsville Havoc
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