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Snakes Week in Review, Preseason Edition

October 22, 2012 - SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Cottonmouths begin defense of their 2012 SPHL championship on Friday night in a matchup against the team they defeated in the finals last season. The Pensacola Ice Flyers head to the Snake Pit on Friday night and will witness the championship banner being raised to the Columbus Civic Center rafters and also see players being presented with championship rings. The game is the lone contest of the opening weekend for the Cottonmouths as they will enjoy a rare Saturday off after Friday's matchup. The game 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

Coming next week

LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS

Coming next week

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS

Friday, October 26 - Pensacola at Columbus, 7:30 PM EDT (Last Season vs. PEN: 4-4-0)

The Snakes open up the 2012-13 season at home against Pensacola on Friday night at the Columbus Civic Center. The Ice Flyers have a new look from the team the Snakes defeated in the President's Cup Finals six months ago. After a decent regular season where they earned the fourth seed in the SPHL playoffs, the Ice Flyers dispatched the Mississippi Surge and Knoxville Ice Bears in series sweeps the first two rounds before being swept themselves by Columbus in the championship. The team surprisingly decided to part ways with head coach Todd Gordon after the playoffs, however, and hired Gary Graham, who was an assistant coach with the Fort Wayne Komets of the CHL and helped them to a championship last season (the Komets are now members of the ECHL). Graham brought with him forward Leo Thomas, who played in Fort Wayne the past three seasons and who Graham named captain of the Ice Flyers this season. A few players return to Pensacola from Gordon's squad last season as well with two of the most notable goaltender Steve Christie, whose goals-against average and save percentage in last season's playoffs were actually better than that of playoff MVP Ian Vigier but went 0-2 against the Snakes in the championship finals; and Jordan Chong, who was named the SPHL Co-Rookie of the Year last season.

PROMOTIONS: Championship Ceremony - Be sure to get there early to watch the 2012 SPHL championship banner hung in the Snake Pit rafters and players be presented championship rings; Magnetic Schedules - First 2,000 fans receive a magnetic schedule courtesy of TIC Federal Credit Union and WXTX Fox 54; Free Stuff Friday - first 1,000 fans receive a free Championship t-shirt as part of the first "Free Stuff Friday" of the season.

COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW

Friday, October 19 - Augusta 3 at Columbus 2 (SO)

Snakes fans were treated to extended hockey in the Columbus Ice Rink on Friday night as the Snakes and Augusta RiverHawks battled to a 2-2 tie in regulation and overtime before the 'Hawks won the shootout and the game. Kyle Johnson and Jonathan Redlick scored the goals for Columbus, with Brett Hammond and Evan Mackintosh picking up an assist each. Ian Vigier stopped 24 of 25 shots on goal in just under 30 minutes of work while Andrew Loewen had 17 saves on 18 shots in the remainder of regulation and overtime as Augusta outshot Columbus 44-35 in the game. Both teams finished 0 for 6 on the power play for the night.

Saturday, October 20 - Pensacola 4 at Columbus 1

Sam Bowles provided the only goal for the Snakes in a 4-1 loss to the Pensacola Ice Flyers Saturday night at the Ice Rink in the last exhibition game of the season. Chris Bailer and John Sullivan assisted on the Bowles goal. The Snakes were outshot 37-15 in the contest as Andrew Loewen stopped 17 of 20 shots and Ian Vigier turned away 16 of the 17 shots on goal he faced. The Cottonmouths finished the preseason shut out on the power play as they were held scoreless in their seven chances with the man advantage.

THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

Coming next week



SPHL Stories from October 22, 2012


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