Pensacola Ice Flyers

The Ice Flyers took the regular season series from the Cottonmouths 2-0-0. That likely doesn't mean much, though. As cliché as it is, the playoffs are a whole other monster so regular season success is nice but not necessarily a harbinger of post season success. Also, that fact that these two teams have played only twice during the regular season means they aren't too familiar with each other. 

Coach Aldoff will have to rely more on game film than his own experience against the Snakes. Same can be said for Columbus coach Jerome Bechard.

Columbus will be backstopped, in all likelihood, by Andrew Loewen. Loewen is in his fourth year with the Cottonmouths and his second as the #1. During the regular season, Loewen went 21-15-1 in 38 games played with a 2.70 goals against average and a 0.914 save percentage. He's played in all five games in the playoffs with a 4-1 record, 1.21 GAA, and 0.963 SV%. 

In the playoffs the Snakes have scored 15 goals and only allowed 6; so, naturally, their blue liners have nice numbers. They only have a single player with a negative plus/minus (Chris Bailer, -1) and four with at least a +4 (Mike Switzer, Kyle Johnson, Tom Maldonado, and Jason Gray).

On offense, the Cottonmouths will be relying on Matt Gingera. They've spread the scoring around fairly well, but Gingera is their dynamo. He's got 7 points (4 g, 3 a), a +5, and 6 penalty minutes in 5 games.

Prediction

The Peoria Rivermen haven't played a regular season game in Pensacola since Valentine's Day 1997.

These two met earlier in the season up in Peoria and the Ice Flyers swept Peoria with a 6-2 win, a 3-2 shootout win, and a 3-2 overtime win. 

To say that Pensacola has hit their stride would be an understatement. Last Saturday's 5-2 win over the Louisiana IceGators set a new SPHL record for consecutive games without a regulation loss. The current streak stands at 17 games with a record of 14-0-3. 

Peoria is riding a three-game win streak after last weekend's sweep over the Mississippi Surge. The Surge only managed one goal in their three-game series with the Rivermen.

Forwards

Peoria's led on offense by Garrett Vermeersch and Parker Stanfield. Vermeersch has 53 points (26 g, 27 a) and a +15 in 46 games. Stanfield is averaging a point per game with 13 goals and 26 assists in 39 games.

Defensemen

Peoria's got a solid defensive leader in Cole Ruwe. Through 48 games, Ruwe has 19 points (1 g, 18 a) and a +13 with 136 penalty minutes.

Goalies