Cottonmouths Week In Review

Published on November 30, 2009 under SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths played three games in three nights last week with two home wins bookended around a road loss. The Snakes scored a season-high eight goals in a Thanksgiving night drubbing of Pensacola before embarking on a road trip to Fayetteville, losing 6-4 to the FireAntz on Friday night. On Saturday, the Cottonmouths jumped out to a 4-0 lead over Mississippi before four Surge goals in the span of a little over five minutes tied things up in regulation, with the Snakes emerging victorious in a shootout. This week is a light one on the schedule with only one game, a rematch in Fayetteville on Friday night against the FireAntz. Friday's game 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 game is also available. Details can be found at www.cottonmouths.com.

CURRENT RECORDS AND STATS

Last Week: 2-1-0

Record: 7-6-0, 14 pts (T-3rd Place, SPHL)

46 GF, 37 GA

22.7% PP (2nd, SPHL); 87.3% PK (1st, SPHL)

LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS

11/23 - D Tim Hockley and F Levi Lind returned from South Carolina (ECHL)

11/23 - Released F Joey Martini

11/23 - Signed F Sam Bowles

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS

Friday, December 4 - Columbus at Fayetteville, 7:35 PM EST (Season Series vs. FAY: 1-2-0)

The Cottonmouths return to Fayetteville's Crown Coliseum on Friday night to face the FireAntz, the second straight Friday night that they will spend in North Carolina. Last Friday, the Snakes fell 6-4 to the 'Antz. The two teams previously split a back-to-back set of games in the Snake Pit on October 23 and 24. Fayetteville is currently tied with Huntsville and Pensacola for the SPHL lead with 16 standing points; however, Huntsville has three games in hand on the FireAntz while the Ice Flyers have also played one fewer game. The Snakes and Knoxville also sit only two points behind Fayetteville with a game in hand each on the FireAntz.

COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW

Thursday, November 26 - Pensacola 1 at Columbus 8 (Attendance: 2,256)

The Snakes scored the first six goals of the game on Thursday night in a Turkey Day offensive explosion as they went on to defeat the Pensacola Ice Flyers 8-1. Jesse Cole picked up his first professional hat trick in the game, Ryan McCarthy added a pair of goals, Sam Bowles scored his first goal this season as a Cottonmouth, and Tim Green and Kyle Lundale found the back of the net once each as well. Jeff Martens tied with Cole as the high point man in the game with three assists. Ian Vigier allowed just one goal in his third consecutive start, stopping 25 of the 26 Ice Flyer shots on goal he faced. Ryan Scott took the loss in net for Pensacola with 22 saves on 29 shots, while Chad Collins spelled Scott in the third period, making four saves on five shots. Columbus was 1 for 6 on the power play while holding the Ice Flyers scoreless in their three chances.

Friday, November 27 - Columbus 4 at Fayetteville 6 (Attendance: 2,917)

The Cottonmouths snapped Fayetteville goaltender Guy St. Vincent's shutout streak that had lasted over 140 minutes, but they could not shut down the offensive explosion by Rob Sich, whose hat trick paced the FireAntz to a 6-4 win over Columbus Friday night at the Crown Coliseum. Chris Leveille had four assists for the FireAntz as well, the highest individual point effort against the Snakes so far this season. Jesse Cole and Tim Green scored goals in their second straight games, while Levi Lind had two assists to stretch his point-scoring streak to four games. Andrew Dwyer scored his first goal of the season with a power play tally while Jeff Martens lit the lamp once as well. Chad Rycroft had 32 saves on 38 shots in goal for Columbus, while St. Vincent stopped 30 of 34 in net for the FireAntz. Both the Cottonmouths and Fayetteville scored two power play goals with Columbus having six chances with the man advantage and the 'Antz four.

Saturday, November 28 - Mississippi 4 at Columbus 5 (SO) (Attendance: 2,804)

The Snakes look primed for their second straight easy home win, leading 4-0 with less than seven minutes left in Saturday's game against the Mississippi Surge, but four unanswered Surge goals in a span of 5:13 knotted the game at four and sent it into overtime. After a scoreless overtime, Sam Bowles and Orrin Hergott notched shootout markers, giving Columbus the extra point in the 5-4 shootout win. Tim Green scored his third goal in as many games, while Nicolas Boucher, Tim Hockley, and Tyler Johnson also scored once apiece. The Snakes allowed a season-high 52 shots on goal by Mississippi, with goaltender Ian Vigier turning away 48 of them and also stopping four of five in the shootout. Former Cottonmouth Ryan Senft manned the Mississippi net, stopping 32 of 36 in regulation and overtime for the Surge and turning away two of four in the shootout. Columbus was 2 for 6 on the power play while holding Mississippi scoreless in their eight chances with the man advantage.

THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

1. F Jesse Cole - Cole picked up the second hat trick by a Cottonmouth in less than a week, following Levi Lind's three-goal performance on November 20 with three goals of his own Thursday night in the Snakes' 8-1 victory over Pensacola. He also scored once on Friday in Fayetteville and added an assist on Saturday.

2. F Tim Green - Green was the only Snake to score a goal in all three games over the past week, finding the back of the net once in each contest and logging four assists on the week as well.

3. F Jeff Martens - Martens had a five-point week, tallying at least a point in each contest with three assists Thursday, a goal Friday, and a helper on Saturday.

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