Snakes chasing playoff berth
Winners of six of their last eight, the Columbus Cottonmouths host the Pensacola Ice Flyers in a pivotal home game today (4 p.m.) at the Columbus Civic Center, hoping this current winning streak is enough to propel into a playoff berth.
Columbus is two points behind Macon for eighth place and five behind Louisiana for seventh in the SPHL. The top eight advance to the playoffs.
“From two months ago, the locker room has totally changed,” Columbus coach Jerome Bechard. “They figured out that in order to win in this league we have to play a certain way.”
Having racked up seven out of eight possible points, Columbus is arguably playing the best hockey in the SPHL right now. All of this while some of their playmakers, forwards Shawn Bates and Louis Belisle, are currently suiting up in the ECHL.
Picking up the slack, the Cottonmouths have been getting contributions from some of the most unlikely of sources. In back-to-back road wins, three Columbus defenseman have found the back of the net.
Friday’s win over the streaking Ice Bears is a true testament to the change in philosophy. Knoxville was 9-1-1 in its last 11 games, averaging close to four goals per game. The Snakes were ahead 1-0 for over two periods before letting one almost slip through their fingertips. Knoxville took a 2-1 lead late in the third, but Andy Willigar’s game-tying, power-play goal sent the game into overtime where the Snakes eventually won in a shootout.
“With a short bench we can’t simply rely on the goal scorers to only score goals and the defenseman to just play defense,” Bechard said. “(I am) just proud of the effort and the no-quit attitude.”
While the hot streak has helped inch them back into the playoff race, Columbus is going to have to begin taking care of business at home. Columbus is 7-12-3 at home, the worst in the league. Six of their next eight games take place on home ice.
Since losing four straight, the Ice Flyers have picked up wins in four out of their last six, placing them just ahead of Knoxville for the third spot in the playoffs. Pensacola boast two of the top five scorers in the league with Corey Banefield and Adam Pawlick ranked second and fifth, respectively, in points.
Back on Jan. 30, the last time the Ice Flyers were in town, the Snakes were blown out 7-0, their largest loss of the season.
“It’s an anomaly that usually doesn’t happen,” Bechard said. “I’ve maintained that it doesn’t necessarily have to be Macon that we chase in the standings. We are still within reach of other teams like Louisiana, Fayetteville and Huntsville, who all have struggling lately.”
Columbus is 3-2 this season against Pensacola.
This story was originally published March 12, 2016 at 9:56 PM with the headline "Snakes chasing playoff berth."