Snakes defeat two Tarheel State rivals at home

December 21, 2004 - SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Columbus Cottonmouths returned home for the first time in five weeks, defeating Fayetteville and Asheville in action on Friday and Saturday night respectively. The red-hot Snakes, 9-1 in their last 10 games, play at home against the league-leading Knoxville Ice Bears on Tuesday night and then play a home-and-home series against the Huntsville Havoc, the lone team the Cottonmouths have yet to face this season, Thursday in Huntsville and on Christmas night (Saturday) in Columbus. Along with being broadcast on the Internet via Live365, Thursday's game will be aired LIVE on WCJM 100.9 FM with Dana Barker, the "Voice of the Snakes," bringing all the action from the Von Braun Center beginning at 8:25 PM EST. After the game, the "Fourth Period Show," also hosted by Barker, will air on WCJM. The show features a live call-in segment where fans can call in to 706.645.2991 with questions or comments.

CURRENT RECORDS AND STATS

Last Week: 2-0
Record: 10-5, 20 points (T-2nd, SPHL)
57 GF, 49 GA
21.9% PP (3rd, SPHL); 85.1% PK (1st, SPHL)

LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS

12/16 – Signed D Colby Will

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS

Tuesday, December 21 – Knoxville at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST (Season Series: COL leads 1-0)

The Cottonmouths play their first Tuesday night game of the season at the Columbus Civic Center against the Knoxville Ice Bears. The Ice Bears are the top team in the SPHL with a 14-6 record, but the Cottonmouths have five games in hand on Knoxville. A Columbus win would place the Snakes in first place in the league in terms of winning percentage. Kevin Swider and K.J. Voorhees, who rank 1-2 in the league with 46 and 35 points, respectively, lead the Ice Bears' high-octane offense. Voorhees's 18 goals are tops in the league, while Swider's 29 assists are also a league-high mark. Knoxville's 4.8 goals per game average ranks first in the league as well. Tuesday is the last night for the "Toys for Tots" top the tub promotion. Bring a new unwrapped toy and receive $3.00 off an upper level ticket.

Thursday, December 23 – Columbus at Huntsville, 8:30 PM EST (Season Series: First Meeting) THIS GAME WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE ON WCJM 100.9 FM!

The Cottonmouths travel to Huntsville, Ala. to take on the Huntsville Havoc at the Von Braun Center on Thursday night. The Havoc will be looking to redeem themselves from a 3-0 blanking at the hands of the Fayetteville FireAntz in their last game on Saturday night. Longtime Cottonmouths fans will remember goaltender Matt Carmichael, forwards Mike Degurse and James Patterson, and head coach John Gibson. The foursome all donned Huntsville Channel Cats sweaters in the days of the Central Hockey League, with Degurse, Gibson, and Patterson skating for Huntsville's 1998-99 CHL championship team.

Saturday, December 25 – Huntsville at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST

For the first time since 2000, the Cottonmouths will host a Christmas night game in the Snake Pit, and for the first time in history, the opponent isn't Macon. Huntsville travels to Columbus for the first time this season for the back end of the home-and-home series Saturday night.

COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW

Friday, December 17 – Fayetteville 1 at Columbus 4 (Attendance: 2,642)

Columbus soundly defeated the Fayetteville FireAntz in their first visit of the season to Columbus. Special teams were the key as the Snakes killed all seven of Fayetteville's power play chances while scoring two shorthanded goals (Tim Green and Orrin Hergott) in the game. Hergott also added an empty-netter to seal the victory, and Lorne Misita scored the first goal of the contest. A Steve Roberts goal by Fayetteville with 2:32 remaining in the game thwarted Chad Rycroft's bid for his first professional shutout. Nevertheless, Rycroft picked up the win in net for Columbus, stopping 35 of 36 shots. Chad Collins stopped 21 of 25 in the losing effort for the FireAntz. While the Cottonmouths killed all of Fayetteville's power plays, they were scoreless themselves with the man advantage in seven chances as well.

Saturday, December 18 – Asheville 3 at Columbus 4 (Attendance: 2,163)

The Snakes fought back from trailing 3-1 midway through the game to defeat the Asheville Aces 4-3 in the first meeting between the two teams this season. Lorne Misita scored the first goal of the game for the second time in as many nights, and Tim Green, Tom McMonagle, and Ryan Rutz scored the three unanswered goals for the Cottonmouths. The Snakes were 2 for 5 on the power play, while the penalty killing unit rose to tops in the SPHL by killing off all five Asheville chances. Chad Rycroft again was the winning goaltender between the pipes for Columbus, stopping 27 of 30, while Ryan Person took the loss in net for the Aces, making 28 saves on 32 shots faced.

THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

1. F Orrin Hergott – Hergott scored a pair of goals, including a shorthanded tally, in Friday's game against Fayetteville and added an assist Saturday night against Asheville.

2. F Lorne Misita – Misita got the game started each night by scoring the first goal in each contest over the weekend. He also added an assist on Green's shorthanded tally Friday night.

3. F Tim Green – Green stretched his team-high scoring streak to 12 games over the weekend with a goal in each game, including a shorthanded marker Friday night against Fayetteville.



SPHL Stories from December 21, 2004


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