Studer Community Institute

Ice Flyers defeated 6-3 in Columbus against the Cottonmouths

March 13, 2015
/ Staff Reports
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The Pensacola Ice Flyers had a tough time managing the Cottonmouths' power play and fall 6-3 on Thursday night at the Columbus Civic Center. On their first power play, Columbus' Matt Gingera capitalized on a rebound from a shot taken by Andy Willigar for his thirteenth power-play goal of the season to get the Cottonmouths on the board first at the 12:56 mark of the opening period. Pensacola responded with their own power-play goal from Nick Larson just three minutes and twenty-one second later to make it a 1-1 game. With less than a minute left to play, Brett Lutes made a rush for the net and was tripped up sending him into the goal, making contact with Shannon Szabados. Columbus' Levi Lind would retaliate and earned a roughing penalty and no call was made on Lutes. Displeased Cottonmouths' head coach, Jerome Bechard, expressed his disapproval by throwing a water bottle in the direction of referee Steve Thomson and proceeded on the ice to verbalize his frustration with the call. This would result in an "Abuse of Officials" call on Bechard and a game misconduct. With the 5-on-3, Pensacola's Steve Bergin managed to find the back of the net as time ran out to end the first with a 2-1 lead. After a frustrating period, the Cottonmouths picked up the tempo and the physical play in the second. They struck again on the power play with a goal by Shawn Bates from Mike Switzer and Nick Curry to even the game at two. Just over a few minutes later a shot taken by Ben OQuinn deflected off the body of Louis Belisle and into the net to retake the lead for Columbus 3-2 at the end of the period. 6:47 into the final period, Belisle's shot on goal caught a piece goalie Max Strang but trickled in across the line to make it a two-goal game for Columbus. Pensacola would get their own strange-bounce goal as Lutes lobbed the puck on net and found its way in to pull the Ice Flyers within one at the 11:22 mark. Another power play for Columbus and another power-play goal this time from Bryce Williamson to once again make it a two-goal game with 7:27 remaining. With time running down, Strang made his way to the bench for the extra attacker. In the final seconds Gingera took advantage of the empty net and scored his second of the game and the Ice Flyers would come up short with a final score of 6-3. With the loss, Pensacola now holds a record of 26-16-6 for 58 points. Columbus now holds sole possession of second place with 60 points. Both teams will continue the battle back in Pensacola on Friday and Saturday night at the Pensacola Bay Center. Friday night is College Night where a student ID gets you 50% off center-ice seats. There will also be raffles for scholarships as well. Saturday is St. Patrick's Day / Mascot Night. Show off your Irish spirit and enjoy the wild antics from some of the area's craziest mascots. Both games start at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Rodizio Grill Box Office and online at Ticketmaster.com.

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Ice Flyers defeated 6-3 in Columbus against the Cottonmouths

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