COLUMBUS, GA – When the Pensacola Ice Flyers and Columbus Cottonmouths take the ice at the Columbus Civic Center Thursday night in game one of the SPHL President’s Cup finals, the teams may very well look at the other bench and see something familiar. Themselves.
The teams took similar paths to the finals by recording two straight series sweeps. Columbus took out Louisiana and Huntsville while Pensacola ousted the defending champion Mississippi Surge and Knoxville. The fact that both teams used defense and goaltending to accomplish their goal of advancing was just one point that Cottonmouths head coach Jerome Bechard noted.
“Both teams are very similar. I think we might have a little more depth. They pressure, they check, they work really hard,” Bechard said. “I think for the most part (that) we have to limit turnovers. Pensacola is one of the more disciplined teams in the league. We have to be disciplined and physical all in the same way.”
During the regular season, Pensacola and Columbus met eight times. They split the season series down the middle at four wins each. One of the games went to overtime before the Cottonmouths prevailed. Even though the Ice Flyers outscored the Cottonmouths 20-17 in the contests, most of that differential could be attributed to a 5-1 Pensacola home victory just before Christmas.
Three Ice Flyers shared top scoring honors against Columbus. Player / assistant Dan Buccella (four goals, three assists), Matthew Robertson (4-3) and
Dan Buccella (47%2C blue) will have to step up in the finals against Columbus (PHN photo by Vanessa Johnson)
Orrin Hergott was the leader of the Cottonmouths offense against the Ice Flyers, notching two goals and three assists for five points. Forwards Sam Bowles (2-2) and John Sullivan (2-2) along with defenseman Tom Maldonado (1-3) all logged four points. Between the pipes, Ian Vigier posted a 3-2 record with one shutout versus Pensacola. He allowed 12 goals to produce a 2.41 goals against average while stopping 137 of the 149 shots he faced for a .919 save percentage. Backup Andrew Loewen went 1-2 with a 2.67 goals against average and a .887 save percentage in the other three meetings.
Hergott, the last remaining member from the 2005 championship team said he’s been getting notes from some of his former teammates from the title-winning squad.
“I’m getting text messages from guys I played with on that team – Tim Green, Lorne Misita, Craig Stahl. It means a lot (to me),” Hergott said. “I’ve been here for a while now. The other guys know we’re not finished
Veteran forward Orrin Hergott (11%2C blue) led Columbus with five points against Pensacola (PHN photo by Stephanie Simpers)
Usually at this time of year, experience in championship series can be one of the intangibles that spurs a team to victory. Pensacola head coach Todd Gordon said that he doesn’t think that will be the case in this series.
“We don’t have that much championship experience but I think everybody on every team has played in a championship game once or twice,” Gordon said. “Be it in juniors or college, I don’t think experience from six years ago is any different.”
When asked to size up the opposition, Gordon complimented the Cottonmouths on their body of work through the regular season and thus far in the post-season.
“Columbus has been consistently the best team in the league all season,” he said. “They have three lines that can score. They move the puck well.”
One factor that both teams could face is the quality of the ice surface. With summer-like heat and humidity in the South, it could make for soft and slow ice. Both coaches used the issue as a way to jab at the other, providing a diversion from what should be an emotional series.
“Our rink has been unbelievable the last couple of games. The ice has been really good, really hard. It’s been cool in the building,” Bechard said. “I know Pensacola is not going to be that way. The ice will probably be somewhat suspect. The puck will be bouncing, the ice will be soft. It’s probably going to be warm in there.”
Gordon responded back, saying that the Cottonmouths shouldn’t have anything to worry about except for how they play.
“The ice here has been great. The rain that came through a week and a half ago took all the humidity with it. The last week has been the best it has been all year,” he said. “The Civic Center has been doing a great job keeping it cool which is good. With the weather here, the ice can be soft at times. If it is, it will be the same for both teams.”
Editor’s Pick: Clearly this series will come down to which team can solve the other’s goalie. Both Vigier and Christie have been playing lights out with Vigier posting a 1.20 goals against and a .957 save percentage while Christie has a 0.50 goals against and a .983 save percentage. Columbus has had a better offense in the playoffs, scoring 18 goals in four games to Pensacola’s 11. The Cottonmouths will have a potential game three in their building, which could be a huge advantage. When the dust settles, the President’s Cup should return to Columbus but it will take three games to do so.
Contact the author at lee.marion@prohockeynews.com
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