Seals Remain Snake-Bitten On Friday Night
November 10, 2006 - SPHL (SPHL)
Florida Seals News Release
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Florida Seals needed a change of luck on Friday nights. For a few brief moments, they thought they had it.
Then they were bitten by a Cottonmouth.
Ryan Rutz scored the game winning goal on a power play with 2:50 left to propel the Columbus Cottonmouths to a 4-3 victory Friday night at the Silver Spurs Arena.
"We did a lot of good things last night (in Pee Dee) but we had about a ten minute collapse in the second period. Tonight we really didn't have that. We played pretty well," Columbus Head Coach Jerome Bechard said. "Our power play was clicking. We scored some goals. We did a lot of good things tonight."
The Seals were looking to change their Friday night luck and early on it appeared they had. Just 1:08 into the contest, rookie Chad Haacke found Justin Keller wide open in the high slot. Keller was allowed to move in and fired a wicked wrist shot past Ryan Senft to put Florida in front.
Columbus pulled even three minutes later when on a power play, Steve Howard was in the right place at the right time to tip a shot by Tylor Keller. Howard's deflection beat Seals goalie Matt Balsar to tie the score.
The Cottonmouths took more advantage of their special teams in the second period. An early penalty put Florida on the power play but it was Columbus who capitalized. Lorne Misita and Mark Prentice worked a two-on-one break with Prentice sweeping the puck under Balsar for the short-handed goal. Later in the stanza, Mat Ponto teed one up from the point on another man advantage and hit the back of the net to give the visitors a 3-1 cushion.
"They (Columbus) played a pretty good road game. They played great special teams," Florida Head Coach Tommy Stewart said. "Five on five we were better but they played good on the special teams."
Florida killed over three minutes of penalties to start the third, giving the home crowd some hope. A subsequent Seals power play produced some quality chances, the best one clanging off the post. It finally took a 5-on-3 for the Seals to cash in. Art Mnatsakanov made a cross ice pass to Keller who lined up another hot shot to make it 3-2. As the one man advantage continued, Steve Zoryk walked the puck out from behind the goal line and fed Kahlil Thomas who scored to tie the score at 3-3 and brought the crowd alive.
The euphoria in the building was short lived as Chris Bain was called for interference. Columbus made the Seals pay when Ryan Rutz took a pass from Tim Green in the slot and fired through traffic past Balsar to restore Columbus to the lead.
Florida had one last chance with the man advantage but Senft and the Cottonmouths held the fort for the victory.
The Seals get back into action at the Silver Spurs Arena Saturday night at 7:35 when they host the Jacksonville Barracudas. It is "Military Appreciation Night" as a Veteran's Day salute. All active and retired military personnel can bring a valid ID to the box office and get a ticket for just $5.
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SPHL Stories from November 10, 2006
- Havoc defends home ice - Huntsville Havoc
- Senft Earns first win in Cottonmouths 4-3 victory over Florida - Columbus Cottonmouths
- Seals Remain Snake-Bitten On Friday Night - Florida Seals
- Parity In Play for SPHL Six Clubs Sit at .500 or Better - SPHL
- FireAntz add defenseman Reszka - Fayetteville Marksmen
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