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Reigning Goaltender of the Year, Playoff MVP Vigier Re-Ups with Snakes

August 21, 2012 - SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League today announced the signing of goaltender Ian Vigier. Vigier is set to begin his sixth season pro, all of them spent in at least some part with the Snakes. He returns to the team after being named the 2011-12 SPHL Goaltender of the Year and also the MVP of last season's playoffs as he saw every minute of action in the Cottonmouths' postseason run and championship.

Vigier, 29, joined the Cottonmouths in the 2007-08 season, his first season as a professional. Paired with fellow rookie netminder Nathan Heinen, Vigier emerged as the primary netminder that season. He provided an immediate impact for the Snakes, picking up a 42-save shutout on the road in Jacksonville in just his second pro game. He would go on to a 13-12-4 record with a 3.19 goals against average and a .917 save percentage and was also named to the league's All-Rookie team.

The 2008-09 season saw Vigier improve on his rookie numbers and make a splash in a higher league. He finished 19-9-5 for Columbus, finishing with a 2.91 GAA and .911 SPCT. The bigger story for Vigier in 2008-09, however, was his work in net for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. Vigier would appear in 11 games for South Carolina as injuries and callups had left the team shorthanded in goal. He won his first five consecutive decisions and went 6-4-1 with a 2.83 GAA and .903 SPCT. The ECHL named him the league's Goaltender of the Week over the Christmas holiday as he won three games in three nights for South Carolina. Vigier was named to the All-SPHL second team at the end of the season.

In 2009-10, Vigier saw career highs in games and minutes played as he went 15-15-5 in 36 games for the Snakes. He again received a call from an ECHL team, this time the Florida Everblades, but didn't see any action as he was an emergency backup for the team. He finished with a 3.02 GAA and a career-high .920 SPCT and was again named to the All-SPHL second team in goal. In 2010-11, Vigier saw his shutout drought that lasted over three years snapped in a big way with two shutouts in the span of eight days. He finished with a 17-15-2 record, a 2.79 GAA, and a .909 SPCT and helped the Snakes get past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2004-05 inaugural season.

Vigier's best season of hockey, arguably, was his most recent. He started 31 games for the Cottonmouths, allowing two or fewer goals in over half of those (16). He again picked up two shutouts on the season and finished with a 21-7-3 record with a career-low 2.56 GAA and .914 SPCT. He was named the SPHL Goaltender of the Year following the regular season. The 6'0", 195-pound netminder found an even higher gear in the playoffs. He saw all of the action in net for Columbus in the postseason and ran up a perfect 6-0 record with an eye-popping 1.30 GAA and an equally gaudy .956 SPCT. He was named playoff MVP as he backstopped the Snakes to their second President's Cup in league history.

Vigier is tied with former Cottonmouth netminder Chad Rycroft for third on the list of games played all-time in the regular season by a goaltender in the SPHL (164) and is one behind Rycroft in fourth for career wins (85). Vigier's career 2.89 GAA in the SPHL is the lowest among goaltenders with 100 or more career games in the league.

"Vig is one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle to keep the Cup," said Snakes head coach and general manager Jerome Bechard. "He has been one of the top goalies in the league and will be again this season."

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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