Loewen Returns in Net, Sullivan Returns at Forward for Snakes

Published on August 28, 2012 under SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League today announced the signing of goaltender Andrew Loewen and forward James Sullivan. Sullivan will begin his second pro season in Columbus, while Loewen returns between the pipes for the Snakes in his third season as a professional.

Loewen, 27, will begin his third season in net for the Cottonmouths. The 6'0", 195-pound native of Winnipeg, Man. has played 25 games in goal for the Snakes each of the past two seasons. In his rookie season of 2010-11, Loewen was 12-12-0 with a 3.02 goals-against percentage and a .909 save percentage. He also appeared in three games for the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays, going 1-1-0 with a 4.58 GAA and .874 save percentage. Last season, Loewen improved on his rookie campaign as he finished 14-9-2 with a 2.84 GAA and a .901 save percentage. He also picked up his first career shutout on March 16 at the Mississippi Surge. Prior to coming to Columbus, Loewen played in four seasons with Canisius College, where he played in 85 games and had a 30-36-14 record with six shutouts. He never had a season with a GAA higher than 3.22, with three seasons with a sub-3.00 GAA, and had a save percentage between .907 and .912 each year.

"I think with Andrew and Ian, we have the best goaltending tandem in the league," said Cottonmouths head coach and general manager Jerome Bechard. "You gotta be ready for anything, and I think Andrew is more than capable of being a #1 goaltender in our league."

Sullivan returns to the Snakes for his sophomore campaign. The 5'10", 185-pounder chipped in 12 goals and 12 assists in 44 games for Columbus last season. The 24-year-old native of Delmar, N.Y. picked it up in the playoffs, averaging a point a game with four goals and two assists in the Snakes' six-game run to the championship. Sullivan begins his second professional season after a four-year collegiate stint at Middlebury College, where he scored 40 goals and 39 assists in 106 total games.

"Sully came in and had a really good year," said Bechard. "He played with an edge and had some really big goals down the stretch for us. He got better as the year went on, and I expect him to have an even bigger impact for us this year."

The Snakes open the 2012-13 season at home on Friday, October 26 against the Pensacola Ice Flyers in a rematch of last season's President's Cup championship series. Season ticket plans are still available with great seats and affordable plans for those on a budget. For more information on how you can become a part of exciting Cottonmouths hockey, contact the Snakes office at 706.571.0086.

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