Also won by one goal Friday night
By KATHY GIERER
kgierer@ledger-enquirer.com
The Columbus Cottonmouths kept Knoxville goaltender Andrew Gallant guessing as the two SPHL squads clashed in a Halloween matinee Saturday in the Columbus Civic Center.
Fortunately for the Snakes, Gallant guessed wrong on a crucial goal, which led to a 2-1 Columbus victory.
Rookie forwards Jesse Cole and Levi Lind and wily goaltender Chad Rycroft were the heroes for the Snakes.
After a scoreless first period, the Ice Bears took the lead on a two-on-one attack on Rycroft. Mike Bulawka gave Knoxville a 1-0 lead at the 13:45 mark of the second period.
The Snakes missed a pair of two-on-one opportunities earlier. Tim Green and Jeff Martens raced toward Gallant, and Green tried to pass the puck to Martens, but it deflected away harmlessly. Will Barlow and Orrin Hergott also were unsuccessful in pulling the trigger.
Just over a minute after Knoxville took the lead, Lind and Cole raced down the ice. At the last second, Lind passed it to Cole, who scored his first professional goal.
“Obviously, it’s a relief to get the first one since I’ve struggled the first couple of games,” Cole said. “We call for the pass to get the goalie thinking. Levi made a good pass.”
The game was as even as it could get at this point, with the score tied 1-1, shots on goal 20-20 and each team with a man in the penalty box. Lind grabbed the puck from Rycroft and raced toward the net. Orrin Hergott’s speed allowed him to catch up to the play.
Gallant had to guess whether Lind would pass it to Hergott or shoot it himself. Lind fired a one-timer past Gallant to give the Snakes a 2-1 lead. The game’s three goals were scored in a 5:13 span.
“We were lucky with the two-on-ones,” Lind said. “It feels good to help out the team against a top team. We didn’t want to split a home series with them. Playing .500 at home is not what you want.”
Rycroft played his first game of the season. He was left off the opening night roster to allow coach Jerome Bechard one more game to evaluate rookie Steve Bounds. In his fifth SPHL season, Rycroft showed flashes of the form that earned him the award for the league’s top goalie in 2006-2007.
Rycroft gave his defensemen credit for a big assist.
“We played well defensively and didn’t give them much,” Rycroft said. “I saw everything. On a two-on-one, you play the shooter all the time, then react to the pass. The guy got lucky with a bad pass, and it went in under my arm.”
Rycroft praised Andrew Dwyer for making the play of the day. With the Snakes clinging to a one-goal lead and 7:30 remaining, the Ice Bears had a three-on-one against Rycroft. Dwyer launched his 6-foot-4 body across the ice and blocked the shot.
The Snakes anxiously await the fate of defenseman Tyler Johnson, who left the rink for X-rays. Johnson was on the receiving end of a slash on Knoxville’s scoring play.
Former Snakes forward Tommy McMonagle was shut out on the eight shots he fired at Rycroft. He had a breakaway at the 6:46 mark of the first period, which Rycroft stuffed. In the frantic last two minutes of the game, McMonagle missed high on another good scoring chance.
The Cottonmouths shut down the Kevin Swider scoring machine. The five-time SPHL scoring champ and Tim Vitek had no points this weekend.
The Snakes will be on the road for the next two weekends. Their next home game is Nov. 20 against Mississippi.
Knoxville 0 1 0—1
Columbus 0 2 0—2
First period—None. Penalties—Harris, Knoxville (tripping) 2:23; Stahl, Columbus (elbowing) 6:46; Lundale, Columbus (tripping) 9:17; Cole, Columbus (high-sticking) 18:59.
Second period—1, Knoxville, Bulawka (Melnyk, Martell) 13:45; 2, Columbus, Cole (Lind, Slusher) 15:00; 3, Columbus, Lind (Rycroft) 18:58. Penalties—Dwyer, Columbus (fighting) 3:36; Hanson, Knoxville (fighting) 3:36; McMonagle, Knoxville (hooking) 8:19; Furdero, Knoxville (interference) 11:48; McCarthy, Columbus (roughing) 11:48; Hergott, Columbus (slashing) 15:19; Slusher, Columbus (cross-checking) 17:55; Bulawka, Knoxville (roughing) 17:55.
Third period—None. Penalties—Hockley, Columbus (interference) 2:15; Vitek, Knoxville (holding) 2:28.
Shots on goal: Knoxville 10-15-8—33; Columbus 14-9-9—32
Power plays: Columbus 0 of 3; Knoxville 0 of 5.
Goaltenders: Rycroft (win) 60:00 33-32-1; Gallant (loss) 58:53 32-30-2.
Referees: Allman, Marouelli. Linesmen: Sheehan, Stone.
Time: 2:13.
Attendance: 1,613.
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