Snakes lose to Macon in overtime

Columbus was 98 seconds away from a shutout victory over rival Macon on Sunday afternoon. Instead, the Cottonmouths ended up with a 2-1 loss in overtime.

Cody Freeman scored for Columbus 18:05 into the first period for a 1-0 lead. Kyle Brodie and Shawn Bates earned the assists.

Goalie Shannon Szabados made that lone goal stand up until Daniel Gentzler scored at 18:22 of the final period.

Gentzler scored again at 4:57 of overtime to give the Mayhem the win.

Szabados stopped 38 of the 40 shots she faced.

Sunday's game was the final game for Columbus coach Jerome Bechard's 6-game suspension. The SPHL suspended Bechard after forward Craig Simchuk knocked Peoria goalie Kyle Rank into the goal post during a game on Dec. 19.

Columbus went 4-2 during Bechard's suspension. The Sankes are in sixth place in the nine-team SPHL with 25 points. Macon has 23. Pensacola, Mississippi and Huntsville are tied for third with 29.

Simchuk has 22 more games to serve on his 28-game suspension.

Columbus plays at Louisiana on Friday and at home vs. Huntsville on Saturday.

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PENSACOLA, Fla. -- After losing to Pensacola on Friday, the Columbus Cottonmouths bounced back with a 3-2 victory on Saturday night.

Louis Belisle scored in the first period at 3:42 for the Snakes. Andy Bathgate and Rusty Hafner earned the assists.

After Pensacola tied it in the second period, Chris Rial gave the Snakes a 2-1 lead at 18:58 of the second. Andy Willigar and Kyle Brodie got the assists.

Cody Freeman scored on a power play 1:54 into the final period to give the Snakes a 3-1 lead. Shawn Bates got the assist.

Brandon Jaeger stopped 38 of 40 shots in goal for Columbus.

-- From staff reports

This story was originally published January 3, 2016 at 10:55 PM with the headline "Snakes lose to Macon in overtime ."