Snakes Pick Up Three Of Four Points On Week

November 14, 2012 - SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths played a pair of games last week, collecting three of a possible four standing points. On Tuesday night, the Snakes got a point for a regulation tie against Knoxville but fell to them in a shootout 2-1. On Friday, Columbus got both possible points in a 3-2 win over the Mississippi Surge in Biloxi, their first road victory of the season. The Cottonmouths have a pair of games this Friday and Saturday night, both inside the friendly confines of the Snake Pit. The Snakes host the Knoxville Ice Bears again on Friday night and welcome the Louisiana IceGators to the Civic Center on Saturday night. Both games will be broadcast on America One Networks with both a video and audio feed, with a nominal fee for each game. A free audio-only webcast of the games is also available. Details can be found at www.cottonmouths.com.

CURRENT RECORDS AND STATS

Last Week: 1-0-1

Record: 2-1-1, 5 pts (6th, SPHL)

9 GF, 6 GA

13.3% PP (5th, SPHL); 100.0% PK (1st, SPHL)

LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS

11/6 - F Jason Yuel signed to three-game tryout

SPHL STANDINGS

TEAM GP W L OTL PTS WPCT GF GA PIM HOME ROAD L-TEN STREAK

Fayetteville 6 5 1 0 10 .833 20 10 97 2-0-0 3-1-0 5-1-0 1-0-0

Louisiana 6 5 1 0 10 .833 20 16 117 4-0-0 1-1-0 5-1-0 3-0-0

Knoxville 5 4 1 0 8 .800 15 12 61 2-0-0 2-1-0 4-1-0 4-0-0

Mississippi R'Kings 6 3 2 1 7 .583 17 18 143 3-0-0 0-2-1 3-2-1 0-2-1

Pensacola 6 3 2 1 7 .583 16 18 132 1-1-1 2-1-0 3-2-1 1-0-0

Columbus 4 2 1 1 5 .625 9 6 67 1-0-1 1-1-0 2-1-1 1-0-0

Mississippi Surge 5 1 3 1 3 .300 14 14 150 1-3-0 0-0-1 1-3-1 0-2-0

Huntsville 5 1 3 1 3 .300 11 19 81 1-1-0 0-2-1 1-3-1 0-1-0

Augusta 5 0 4 1 1 .100 9 18 113 0-1-1 0-3-0 0-4-1 0-4-1

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS

Friday, November 16 - Knoxville at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST (Season Series vs. KNX: 0-0-1)

The Cottonmouths host the Knoxville Ice Bears on Friday night at the Snake Pit. The Snakes will be looking to exact revenge on the Ice Bears as they escaped Columbus with two points last Tuesday night in a 2-1 victory in a shootout. Knoxville currently sits in third place in the SPHL standings on the young season but are just two points behind league-leading Fayetteville and Louisiana with a game in hand on both clubs. After dropping their season opener in Fayetteville, the Ice Bears are on a league-best four-game winning streak.

PROMOTIONS: Willie Bowman Night - The Snakes will posthumously honor longtime program seller and "Goody Goody Peanut Man" Willie Bowman on Friday night as a pregame ceremony will feature the Bowman family, and the first 1000 fans will receive a Willie t-shirt and a bag of peanuts as part of "Free Stuff Fridays," sponsored by Hardee's, Motor Max, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, A-Com Security, and Chester's BBQ; Canned Food Drive - The Snakes will also take part in a canned food drive both Friday and Saturday night with proceeds to benefit the Valley Rescue Mission.

Saturday, November 17 - Louisiana at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST (Last Season vs. LOU: 3-2-0)

The Cottonmouths take on the Louisiana IceGators for the first time this season on Saturday night in the first of just four scheduled meetings between the two teams this season. Louisiana returns to face the Snakes on December 15 in the last game the `Gators will play in Columbus in the regular season, but the Cottonmouths won't visit the home of the `Gators, the Cajundome in Lafayette, until a back-to-back set on February 28 and March 1. Louisiana is currently tied with Fayetteville atop the SPHL standings, and forwards Denny Kearney and Matt Miller are tied for the SPHL lead with eight points each on the young season.

PROMOTIONS: Happy Hour - Enjoy $2 draft beers from 6:30 to 8:30 PM on the concourse; Canned Food Drive - The Snakes will also take part in a canned food drive both Friday and Saturday night with proceeds to benefit the Valley Rescue Mission.

Also, join the Snakes on Wednesday, November 14 from 6 to 8 PM at Mr. Wing in the St. Francis Shopping Center on Woodruff Road in Columbus for Snakes trivia and Cottonmouth players waiting tables for tips that will be donated to help "Pucks for the Pantry" to benefit the Valley Rescue Mission.

COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW

Tuesday, November 6 - Knoxville 2 at Columbus 1 (SO) (Attendance: 1,474)

Derek Pallardy scored the lone goal for Columbus on Tuesday night as Knoxville rookie goaltender Connor Toomey matched SPHL Goaltender of the Year Ian Vigier save for save in regulation and overtime. Toomey stymied all Columbus skaters in the shootout while Vigier allowed just one off the stick of Brett Valiquette, giving the Ice Bears the extra standing point and a 2-1 win. Vigier stopped 44 of 45 shots on goal in regulation and overtime with Toomey turning away 35 of the 36 shots on goal he faced. Both teams were scoreless on the power play with the Snakes finishing 0 for 5 and Knoxville 0 for 3 with the man advantage.

Friday, November 9 - Columbus 3 at Mississippi Surge 2 (Attendance: 1,422)

John Sullivan's power play marker late in the third period proved to be the game-winner in a 3-2 victory for the Snakes over the Mississippi Surge, the first road victory on the young season for Columbus. The win was also just the third for the Cottonmouths in three-plus years in Biloxi but the third in the last four games there. Jordan Braid and Bret Tyler also lit the lamp for Columbus with goaltender Andrew Loewen turning away 33 of 35 shots on goal in the winning effort. Kiefer Smiley, last season's SPHL Co-Rookie of the Year, made 26 saves on 29 shots in net for Mississippi. Columbus was 1 for 4 on the power play and continued their spotless penalty kill so far this season as the Surge were 0 for 3 with the man advantage.

THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

1. G Andrew Loewen - Loewen turned away 33 of 35 shots and was a big contributor to the Snakes' first road win of the season Friday night against the Mississippi Surge.

2. G Ian Vigier - Vigier stopped 44 of 45 shots on goal Tuesday night against Knoxville, helping Columbus secure a standing point with the regulation tie.

3. F John Sullivan - Sullivan's power play goal was the game-winner on Friday night in Biloxi.



SPHL Stories from November 14, 2012


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