PHN’s Best Shots of the Game; Evansville falls short in Columbus

COLUMBUS, GA – Evansville traveled to Columbus Friday night with both teams desperately needing a win to climb back into playoff contention. Unfortunately for the Thunderbolts, the Cottonmouths took the game, 4-3. David Williams continued his goal-scoring streak for a third straight game. Williams scored his team-leading 12th of the season assisted by Brad Cuzner and Stephen Gallo. It was Cuzner’s 11th assist of the season and Gallo’s first point as a Thunderbolt.

Evansville’s lead lasted only 80 seconds before Columbus tied the game at one. Andy Bathgate scored on the powerplay for his seventh goal of the season; his 27th point for the Cottonmouths. The score remained 1-1 through the first period and almost all of the second period. Columbus scored with 10 seconds remaining. Alex Kromm scored his fourth goal of the season to give the Cottonmouths the lead. After two periods of play, Thunderbolts netminder Tanner Milliron had stopped 22 of 24 shots.

Columbus carried the momentum from the late second-period goal into the third. Derek Gingera and Keegan Bruce had goals in the fifth and sixth minute respectively. The Cottonmouths built a 4-1 lead. However, Evansville’s powerplay heated up and the Thunderbolts nearly tied the game. Frank Schumacher scored his second goal in as many games to make the score 4-2. Newly acquired Mark Petaccio assisted on the powerplay tally. Petaccio scored a powerplay marker of his own to pull Evansville within one with 1:24 remaining. A late Thunderbolt penalty negated the extra-man advantage.