IceGators Survive Cottonmouths in OT
March 26, 2015 - SPHL (SPHL)
Louisiana IceGators News Release
LAFAYETTE, La.--It was almost déja vu for the Louisiana IceGators.
After holding on to a 2-1 lead for most of the second period and the vast majority of the third period, Louisiana allowed a late Columbus Cottonmouths goal to force overtime.
This time, the IceGators prevailed.
Jake Hauswirth launched a howitzer from the far point with 2:47 remaining in the extra frame to give Louisiana a 3-2 overtime win over the Cottonmouths. Goalie Scott Diebold earned the win in his first home game as an IceGators, stopping 27 shots.
The IceGators are back in action Friday night, taking on the Knoxville IceBears in the Cajundome. Game time is set at 7:05 p.m. Prior to the game, IceGator general manager Louis Dumont's number-16 jersey will be retired.
"I thought we were pretty flat tonight," said IceGators head coach Drew Omicioli. "Overall, we were pretty lethargic. In the first five minutes, we had four Grade-A opportunities that we didn't cash in on. We did a good job in the third period--except for the last two minutes--of maintaining high energy and not allowing them to gain access to the zone.
"Scott Diebold played excellent tonight and gave us the opportunity to win. Ben Rubin was the player of the game with what he brought physically. He got the guys to buy into the mentality of finishing every hit. The officials let everything go and let us play, and that benefited us because we didn't have to kill penalties. That helps when you are playing three games in three nights."
Columbus drew first blood eight minutes into the game when Shawn Bates took a Mike Switzer centering pass from behind the net and blasted a shot past Diebold.
Seven minutes later, the IceGators knotted the score when Chris Wilson rebounded a Matt Viola attempt and shot the puck into a gap on goalie Andrew Loewen's blind side.
Ben Rubin gave Louisiana the lead at the 6:28 mark of the second period after shooting off a rebound in the slot. Rubin's attempt was the third in a rapid succession of shots. The first came from Shawn McNeil; the second, from Hauswirth.
Bates earned his second goal of the night with 100 seconds left in regulation when he tipped in a Matt Gingera shot from the right point. Mike Switzer also assisted on the play.
Hauswirth clinched the game for Louisiana with a slapshot from the right point. Loewen partially deflected the shot with his glove, but the puck fell behind him and rolled into the net to give Louisiana the victory. Dan Cornell and Jeremy Boyer assisted on the play.
"The last goal was the result of incredible patience from Danny Cornell, Boyer, and Hauswirth," Omicioli said. "It was a beautiful pass from Boyer and a beautiful one-timer from Hauswirth."
Despite the win, Omicioli says he knows his team needs to be more energetic during the two-game series against Knoxville, especially because the fifth-seed in the playoffs is on the line.
"We have to ramp up the intensity drastically," Omicioli said. "We also have to ramp up the physicality to give us an opportunity to move closer to that fifth spot."
SPHL Stories from March 26, 2015
- IceGators Survive Cottonmouths in OT - Louisiana IceGators
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