COLUMBUS, GA – On Thursday, March 12, the Columbus Cottonmouths were looking to take another step toward the top of the SPHL’s regular season standings. Thanks to Matt Gingera and Louie Belisle, they did just that with a 6-3 win over the Pensacola Ice Flyers.
Columbus started off well, getting the game-opening goal at the 12:36 mark of the first period. It came on a power play when Ben O’Quinn and Andy Willigar combined their efforts to set up Gingera for his first goal of the night.
Pensacola’s power play is just as potent and the Ice Flyers showed that twice before the period ended. The first one came off the stick of Nick Larson with the assists going to Adam Pawlick and Steve Bergin at 15:35. Then with just one second left in the frame, Bergin lit the lamp off an assist from Larson to make it 2-1 in favor of the visitors.
The Cottonmouths began to take control of the game in the second. Shawn Bates continued the special teams theme with a power play tally at the 6:43 mark with assists going to Mike Switzer and Nick Curry. Belisle picked up his first of the night 9:54 into the period off a feed from O’Quinn.
Belisle netted his second consecutive goal 6:47 into the final period with help from Willigar and Bates to make it 4-2. Pensacola’s Brett Lutes closed the gap to one with a goal at 11:22 off assists from Nick McParland and Shaun Arvai but it was as close as the Ice Flyers would get.
O’Quinn and Gingera combined to set up Bryce Williamson for a power play score at the 12:33 mark to restore the two-goal margin. Gingera finished things off with an unassisted empty net goal in the final minute.
Columbus goalie Shannon Szabados made 25 saves to pick up the victory while Pensacola’s Max Strang stopped 18 in suffering the loss.
You must be logged in to post a comment.