PHN’s Best Shots of the Game; Cottonmouths take down Ice Bears 6-4

The Columbus Cottonmouths came close to giving away a three-goal lead to the Knoxville Ice Bears, but did just enough to escape with a 6-4 victory.

Columbus led by three goals at one point and ended with the victory. The largest advantage in the game came when the Cottonmouths’ Shawn Bates scored on the power play at 15:38 in the second period to put Columbus up 5-2.

Tyler Henry was all over the ice for the Cottonmouths, as he grabbed two goals in the win. Henry scored at 9:28 into the first period to make the score 2-0 Columbus and again while 9:59 into the third to make the score 6-4 Columbus.

Columbus surpassed its usual scoring output this season. The Cottonmouths average 2.7 goals per game. Columbus put 33 shots on net during the contest, more than the 28.9 it averages per game.

Columbus also got points from Louis Belisle, who also registered one goal and two assists to lead the team in points, John Jackson, who also finished with one goal and one assist, and Bates, who also tallied one goal and one assist. Columbus also got a goal from Andy Willigar as well. In addition, Columbus received assists from Kyle Johnson, Craig Simchuk, Andy Bathgate, and Kyle Brodie, who each chipped in one.

Knoxville forced the Cottonmouths goalie Brandon Jaeger to work between the pipes, taking 52 shots.

The Ice Bears were helped by Dennis Sicard, who had one goal and one assist. Sicard scored 5:34 into the second period to make the score 4-2 Columbus. Bret Peppler picked up the assist. Knoxville additionally got points from Trever Hertz, who also grabbed one goal and one assist. Knoxville also had goals scored by Luc Kilgore and Ben Power, who scored one goal each. Other players who recorded assists for Knoxville were Corey Hale, Doug Reid, and Josh Cousineau, who contributed one each.

Jaeger rejected 48 shots on goal for Columbus. The Cottonmouths incurred six minutes in penalty time with three minors. Knoxville’s starting goalie, Bryan Hince, made 17 saves and finished with the loss before he was taken out in favor of Braely Torris, who stopped 10 shots. The Ice Bears totaled 31 minutes in penalty time with three minors and one major and went 0-for-2 on the power play. Knoxville ran into serious disciplinary problems during the contest, and Corey Fulton was ejected from the game.