Craig Simchuk returns, but Columbus Cottonmouths lose to Knoxville

The Columbus Cottonmouths surrendered two third period goals and lost 4-2 to the Knoxville Ice Bears on Saturday night at the Columbus Civic Center.

The Cottonmouths had hoped to gain ground on the idle Macon Mayhem for the eighth and final playoff spot in the SPHL, but the Snakes still find themselves three points behind.

Back in the lineup following a 28-game suspension, the Snakes welcomed back forward Craig Simchuk. Simchuk was suspended for his actions in the Dec. 19 game versus Peoria.

“A lot of different emotions ran through me tonight,” Simchuck said. “I was anxious, excited, nervous and couldn’t sleep the night before, but it was great to be back out there on the ice with my teammates.”

The teams traded goals in the opening period with Columbus scoring the first goal at 7:22 with Tyler Henry and Ben O’Quinn setting up Kyle Shapiro. It was his fifth goal of the season.

Down a man, the Ice Bears countered by scoring their seventh short-handed goal of the season, this one by Corey Fulton at 16:51.

Knoxville took the lead at 10:32 in the second period when Tyler Beasley gave the Ice Bears their first lead of the night, scoring off a rebound shot in the front of the net.

“Have to give Knoxville credit, they don’t change and they keep coming at you,” Columbus coach Jerome Bechard said. “No matter what they take the puck hard to the net and usually when you do that good things happen.”

The Cottonmouths evened the score at 5:57 of the final period via a back-handed wrist shot from Simchuk.

“For his first game in three months, I thought Simmer played really well,” Bechard said. “Emotionally, it was a big goal for him and something I think the rest of the team fed off of.”

Beasley’s second goal came at 11:40. Dennis Sicard scored at 17:51.

Forward Garrett Vermeersch had assists on the first three of the Ice Bears’ goals.

Brandon Jaeger took the loss, just his second regulation loss in his last nine starts, stopping 18 of 22 shots. His counterpart, Brian Billett, pushed aside 34 of 36 shots, winning his third consecutive start.

Despite outshooting Knoxville 36-22, Columbus went 0 for 4 on the power play and have no gone 0 for their last 10.

“We’re an emotional roller coaster out there,” Bechard said. “Doesn’t matter what happens, good or bad, we have to pick ourselves up and be mentally strong. If anything that’s what we learned tonight.”

Snakes will be back in action Tuesday when they host the Fayetteville FireAntz for the final time this season. Columbus has taken three of five games from the FireAntz this season.

This story was originally published March 19, 2016 at 11:51 PM with the headline "Craig Simchuk returns, but Columbus Cottonmouths lose to Knoxville."