Snakes Return Home This Weekend

Published on February 7, 2011 under SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths ended their season long five-game road swing this past weekend with games at Knoxville, Augusta, and Fayetteville. The Snakes fell in Knoxville 4-3 in a shootout Thursday night and by a 5-1 decision at Augusta Friday night before rebounding for a 4-1 victory in Fayetteville on Saturday night. The Cottonmouths hope to carry that momentum home this weekend with games Friday and Saturday nights against Knoxville and Pensacola, respectively. 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. In addition, road games are now broadcast locally in the Columbus area on 106.9 WRCG-FM.

CURRENT RECORDS AND STATS

Last Week: 1-2(1)

Record: 19-20(5), 38 pts (T-5th, SPHL)

118 GF, 118 GA

16.8% PP (6th, SPHL); 86.6% PK (1st, SPHL)

LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS

1/30 - Loaned D Jeff MacPhee to Bloomington (CHL)

2/3 - Loaned G Andrew Loewen to South Carolina (ECHL)

2/3 - Signed G Barney Slayton as emergency backup goaltender

2/4 - Signed F Joe McCann

LEAGUE STANDINGS

TEAM GP W L PTS WPCT GF GA PIM HOME ROAD L10

Mississippi 37 24 13 48 .649 140 106 839 13-5 11-8 6-4

Pensacola 37 23 14 46 .622 137 128 750 10-8 13-6 5-5

Huntsville 37 22 15 44 .595 115 98 674 11-6 11-9 6-4

Augusta 39 22 17 44 .564 143 127 881 11-9 11-8 6-4

Columbus 39 19 20 38 .487 118 118 815 10-8 9-12 6-4

Knoxville 39 19 20 38 .487 126 132 891 12-9 7-11 5-5

Fayetteville 39 17 22 34 .436 126 130 833 9-12 8-10 4-6

Louisiana 43 9 34 18 .209 122 188 818 4-18 5-16 2-8

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS

Friday, February 11 - Knoxville at Columbus. 7:30 PM EST (Season Series vs. KNX: 3-1(1))

Columbus returns home to play their first game in the Snake Pit in two and a half weeks when they take on the Knoxville Ice Bears on Friday night. Friday's game will only be the second visit to Columbus by the Ice Bears this season and the first since October 29, with one more slated for Sunday, February 20. The Cottonmouths have taken three of the four games played between the two teams so far this season, but the Ice Bears emerged victorious in the last meeting, a 4-3 shootout win in Knoxville last Thursday night. PROMOTIONS: Georgia Lottery Night - one lucky fan, 18+, will win $500 in instant win tickets, while hundreds of fans will take home prizes from The Georgia Lottery. AFLAC night-Aflac employees can show their Aflac ID badge at the box office and receive upper level tickets for just $5.

Saturday, February 12 - Pensacola at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST (Season Series vs. PEN: 2-4(1))

The Pensacola Ice Flyers will face the Snakes for the final time in the regular season on Saturday night in the Snake Pit. The Ice Flyers have spent some time atop the SPHL standings this season but currently find themselves two points behind the league-leading Mississippi Surge and two points clear of Augusta and Huntsville. After Pensacola dominated the Snakes by a combined 16-4 score in the first two games between the two teams in Columbus, the Snakes answered with a 3-0 shutout victory over the Ice Flyers in the last meeting between the two teams on January 8 at the Civic Center. PROMOTIONS: Ian Vigier bobblehead giveaway to the first 1,000 fans. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and fans are encouraged to arrive early.

COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW

Thursday, February 3 - Columbus 3 at Knoxville 4 (SO) (Attendance: 2,007)

The Cottonmouths were involved in a shootout for the first time all season last Thursday night, but they ended up on the losing end of it as the Knoxville Ice Bears took their first win of the season against Columbus in four tries by a 4-3 margin. Jordan Braid, Brett Hammond, and Tom Maldonado were the goal-scorers for the Snakes. Ian Vigier took the loss in net for Columbus with 38 saves on 41 shots while Andrew Gallant picked up the win in net for the Ice Bears with 43 saves on 46 shots. Knoxville had the decided edge on special teams in the game as they were 3 for 6 on the power play and Columbus was 0 for 7 with the man advantage.

Friday, February 4 - Columbus 1 at Augusta 5 (Attendance: 2,897)

The Snakes remained winless in Augusta this season after a 5-1 loss to the RiverHawks at James Brown Arena on Friday night. Orrin Hergott notched the lone goal for Columbus. Ian Vigier had 20 saves on 25 shots on goal in the loss for the Cottonmouths while Augusta's Jon Olthuis turned away 15 of the 16 Columbus shots on goal he faced for the win in net. Both teams were scoreless on the power play with Columbus going 0 for 6 with the man advantage and Augusta 0 for 4.

Saturday, February 5 - Columbus 4 at Fayetteville 1 (Attendance: 5,851)

After allowing a Chris Leveille goal to start the scoring for the FireAntz, the Snakes scored four unanswered goals en route to a 4-1 victory Saturday night to remain undefeated on the season in Fayetteville. Jesse Cole scored twice, including an empty-netter, while Jordan Braid and Matt Kinnunen scored the other tallies. Ian Vigier had 34 saves on 35 shots for the win in net for Columbus, while Travis Yonkman had 34 saves on 37 shots on goal in net for the FireAntz. Both teams finished the night an identical 0 for 3 on the power play.

THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

1. F Jordan Braid - Braid cracked the scoresheet all three nights last week with a goal Thursday, an assist Friday, and a goal on Saturday.

2. F Jesse Cole - Cole's two-goal effort led the Snakes in their win Saturday night in Fayetteville.

3. F Matt Kinnunen - Kinnunen, along with Braid, were the only two Snakes with at least a point every night last week. Kinnunen tallied an assist each Thursday and Friday nights and scored a goal on Saturday night.

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