Rycroft Blanks Seals 4-0
Published on November 24, 2006 under SPHL (SPHL)
Florida Seals News Release
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Florida Seals hockey team was hoping to string together back to back wins for the first time this season. To do it, they would have to duplicate their effort from the day before Thanksgiving.
There was only one problem: Columbus Cottonmouths' goalie Chad Rycroft.
Rycroft made 30 saves in posting his fifth career shutout to lead the visiting Cottonmouths to a 4-0 win over the Seals at the Silver Spurs Arena Friday night.
"Our team played really well today. There weren't many second chances," Rycroft said. "It made my job pretty easy."
Both teams came out in the first period like they were suffering from turkey lag. After killing off an early penalty, Columbus got on the board first when Lorne Misita circled behind the Seals' net with the puck and fired a perfect centering pass to Tim Green who beat Florida goalie Matt Balser.
The Cottonouths defense, especially their penalty killing units, were huge. They successfully killed off four Florida power plays in the first, including a four minute double minor to Jeff Moor. Down the other end, Balser was keeping the Seals in the contest, including stoning Orrin Hergott on a clean break in.
"We really concentrated on playing defense tonight," Columbus Coach Jerome Bechard said. "The guys did just what they were supposed to do all night long. We concentrated on our own end all night long and that was the biggest thing."
Balser and Rycroft continued matching save for save as the second period opened. Once again it was Columbus who would catch the break as Mark Prentice's shot was stopped by Balser but the rebound went to Mat Ponto who unleashed a blast that the young net minder couldn't get to. The visitors extended their lead on a power play with just under three minutes left in the stanza as Andrew Dwyer cleaned up the rebound of a Green shot.
Things got worse for the Seals eight minutes into the final period when Ryan Rutz walked out in front from behind the net and scored. That would be all the scoring as Rycroft held the fort.
"The first period was the tale of the tape. They (Columbus) had eight minutes in penalties," Florida Coach Tommy Stewart said. "Right off the get go we could have gotten a couple and it would have been a different ballgame. Again we're struggling on the power play and we didn't get the job done."
The two teams don't have much time to rest as they board their busses and head to Columbus, Georgia for a rematch on Saturday night.
SPHL Stories from November 24, 2006
- Rycroft Blanks Seals 4-0 - Florida Seals
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