Snakes sweep week of games, clinch home ice

Published on March 14, 2006 under SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths won all three of their games over the past week, scoring a season-high 11 goals in a rout in Pee Dee on Thursday, shutting out Huntsville at home on Friday, and breaking open a close game on Saturday to defeat visiting Jacksonville 7-1. With the wins and the other action around the SPHL this past weekend, Columbus has clinched no worse than third place and home ice for at least the first round of the playoffs. (Florida can still tie the Cottonmouths for third place if they win out and Columbus fails to gain another standing point, but Columbus holds the head-to-head tiebreaker record over the Seals.) Columbus can clinch second place (and home ice in the first two rounds) with a win (or overtime/ shootout loss) in any of its three remaining games: at Fayetteville on Thursday and home against Huntsville on Friday and Pee Dee on Saturday. Thursday's game will be aired live on WCJM 100.9 FM with a special 7:00 PM EST pregame show hosted by the "Voice of the Snakes" Dana Barker. The pregame show will be aired on WCJM as well as the Internet via Live365. The puck drops at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, N.C. at 7:35 PM EST with Mike Vee bringing the play-by-play action. After the game, Barker will host the "Fourth Period Show" from the WCJM studios in West Point, Ga. Fans can call 706.645.2991 after the game with questions or comments.

CURRENT RECORDS AND STATS
Last Week: 3-0-0
Record: 33-15-5, 71 points (2nd, SPHL)
232 GF, 171 GA
20.5% PP (4th, SPHL); 84.0% PK (1st, SPHL)

LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS
none

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS

Thursday, March 16 - Columbus at Fayetteville, 7:35 PM EST (Season Series vs. FAY: 4-2-0)

Columbus plays their final road game of the regular season at Fayetteville on Thursday night. Columbus fell to the FireAntz 3-1 in the last meeting between the two teams on February 10. This game is pivotal for Fayetteville as just one standing point separates third from fifth place heading into this week's games. This is the only home game for the FireAntz this week as they play at Florida on Tuesday, at Knoxville on Friday, and at Huntsville on Sunday in a game that could determine the Snakes' first-round playoff opponent.

Friday, March 17 - Huntsville at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST (Season Series vs. HSV: 6-4-1)

Columbus hosts the Huntsville Havoc on Friday night. After a red-hot 9-1-0 record in their last ten games before last Friday night, the Havoc dropped two straight games on Friday at the Snake Pit and on Saturday at home against Florida.

Saturday, March 18 - Pee Dee at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST (Season Series vs. PD: 5-1-1)

The Cottonmouths face the Cyclones in the final regular-season game of the season for both teams. Pee Dee is locked in sixth place and will face the regular season champion in the first round of the playoffs. While the Cottonmouths still have an outside chance of winning the regular season title, it looks like Knoxville will be the first seed in the playoffs as they need just one more standing point to clinch the top spot (the Ice Bears hold the tiebreaker over Columbus with the better head-to-head record). If the Ice Bears and Cyclones meet in the series, the first two games will be played in Florence, S.C. on March 24 and 25 as Knoxville's home Civic Coliseum will be unavailable due to a prior engagement. The remaining three games of the series, if needed, will be played in Knoxville.

COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW

Thursday, March 9 - Columbus 11 at Pee Dee 2 (Attendance: 1,276) Columbus set season highs for most goals in one period (seven in the third), most shots on goal in a period (29 in the third) and in a game (65), and most goals in a game in an 11-2 rout of the Pee Dee Cyclones on Thursday night. Tim Green notched a hat trick while Tom McMonagle and Ryan Rutz both scored a pair of goals. Orrin Hergott, Lorne Misita, Riley Riddell, and Craig Stahl scored a goal each. Ryan Senft earned his first win between the pipes for the Snakes since January 5, stopping 20 of 22 shots. Columbus was 4 for 12 on the power play while holding Pee Dee scoreless in their five chances.

Friday, March 10 - Huntsville 0 at Columbus 2 (Attendance: 3,200) The Snakes and Havoc played a playoff-style game that remained scoreless for nearly 55 minutes until Orrin Hergott beat Huntsville goaltender Matt Carmichael for what proved to be the game-winner in a 2-0 Cottonmouths victory. Tom McMonagle added an insurance goal for Columbus in the last 68 seconds of the game. Chad Rycroft picked up his league-leading third shutout of the season in net for the Snakes, turning away all 26 Huntsville shots on goal he faced. Carmichael stopped 21 of 23 in net for Huntsville. Both teams were scoreless on the power play with the Snakes having five chances and Huntsville six.

Saturday, March 4 - Jacksonville 1 at Columbus 7 (Attendance: 2,947) Jason Simon broke Chad Rycroft's personal shutout streak that lasted 112:25, but Rycroft would stop the other 38 shots he faced as the Cottonmouths pulled away in a 7-1 win over Jacksonville on Saturday night. Tim Green picked up his second hat trick in three nights to lead all scorers while Lorne Misita added a pair and Tylor Keller and Tom McMonagle scored a goal apiece. The win was the 20th for Rycroft in his last 22 decisions in net for the Cottonmouths and the fourth straight start in which he has allowed two or fewer goals. Columbus was 0 for 3 on the power play, but the Snakes' SPHL-best penalty kill pitched a shutout for the fourth straight game as they stymied all six of the Barracudas' power play opportunities.

THREE STARS OF THE WEEK
1. F Tim Green - Green scored six goals on the week with two hat tricks on Thursday and Saturday.
2. G Chad Rycroft - Rycroft stopped 64 of 65 shots on the week, earning his SPHL-best third shutout of the season on Friday night against Huntsville.
3. Snakes' PK - The penalty kill has not allowed a power play goal in four straight games, going a perfect 20 for 20 during that stretch.

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