COLUMBUS, GA – Having lost her last three starts, Columbus Cottonmouths goalie Shannon Szabados needed to get back on the winning track. On Sunday, February 15th, she had the chance and it paid off as she made 31 saves in a 4-1 win over the Knoxville Ice Bears at the Columbus Civic Center.
Szabados and Knoxville goalie Curtis Martinu were both perfect in the first period as neither allowed a puck past them. Martineu was the busier of the two, facing 17 Columbus shots while Szabados saw just eight by the Ice Bears.
The second period was a completely different story. The Cottonmouths struck for three goals, the first coming just 41 seconds in when Will Aaide and Levi Lind set up Craig Simchuk for the game’s opening tally. At the 9:32 mark of the frame, Patrick McCadden doubled Columbus’ lead when he beat Martinu off of assists from Andy Willigar and Simchuk. Shawn Bates capped the big period for the home team when he scored with 1:41 left before the intermission. Chris Bailer and Louis Belisle picked up the assists on the play.
When Matt Gingera set up Bryce Williamson for a score early in the third, the Cottonmouths had themselves a commanding four goal lead. Things got physical five minutes later when a twin bill of fights involving Columbus’ Aide and McCadden and Knoxville’s Dennis Sicard and Tristan Lysko broke out.
Szabados was strong throughout the game, losing her shutout with a little under three minutes left when Eric Satim put a shot into the back of the net. Francis Drolet and Peter Neal were credited with asists on Knoxville’s lone score of the afternoon.
Despite the loss, Martinu played well in the Ice Bears net, making 36 saves. Neither team had any success on the power play as Knoxville went 0-for-1 while Columbus was 0-for-2.
Follow us on Twitter @prohockeynews
You must be logged in to post a comment.