PHN Best Shots of the Game: Cottonmouths drop to FireAntz 5-2

Columbus, GA – Apart from leading on two different occasions, the Columbus Cottonmouths couldn’t withstand a three-goal third period outbreak by the Fayetteville FireAntz, losing 5-2 and dropping the Snakes record to 1-5-3.

Coming into Friday night with the SPHL’s top winning percentage, the FireAntz found tough sledding in the game’s first two periods as Columbus led on two different occasions, including a second period blitzkrieg with 19 shots on goal by the Cottonmouths.

Ending the first period tied at one, Columbus took its second lead of the night when Louis Belisle connected on his fifth goal of the season. Entering the night, Belisle was tied for 4th in the SPHL in points (9) and is now tied for the team high in goals scored with Chris Rial.

“First 10 minutes of the opening period we executed everything to a T, that opening goal we got going, but then the next 10 minutes stopped doing what worked for us in the beginning,” said coach Jerome Berchard. “Second period we come out flying, played with a different edge, almost looking like a different team.”

Despite the second period onslaught, Fayetteville once again quickly equalized when Nick Lazorko scored his first of two goals on the night, knotting the score at the end of the second at two.

Beginning with Lazorko’s second goal, the FireAntz scored three unanswered goals in the third period to close out the Cottonmouths for the win.

“Things don’t go our way we begin crumbling falling apart trying to do things all by ourselves,” continued Bechard. “I know we’re young and its growing pains, but we are nine games in and we are still doing the same things, probably not right away, but definitely going to see some changes in the lineup.”

Fayetteville improved to 6-1-0 on the season thanks Parker Van Buskirk (2-0-0) stopping 35 shots on goal in his second straight start between the pipes.

In the loss, Columbus’ Shannon Szabados endured 40 shots on goal, dropping her overall record this season to 0-2-3.

“We give up five goals and everyone looks at our goal tending, but it’s not the goal tending,” said Berchard. “We have to play stronger in front of them and not pull apart.”