Defense leaves Gades snake-bit

Richmond Renegades coach Brian Goudie described his team's defensive effort as, well, offensive.

Goudie said yesterday's 4-2 home-ice loss to the Columbus Cottonmouths, Richmond's second defeat in 24 hours, was a function not of tired legs but rather of tepid defense. Goudie noted, accurately, that his club outplayed the Cottonmouths.

"But we gave them four, maybe five chances, and they put the puck in the net four times."

Goudie acknowledged that his defensive corps, reduced to five by the absence of Dan Vandermeer (injury) and Arthur Kiyaga (a team issue), accumulated minutes in abundance during the four-games-in-five-days gantlet that ended last night. But he added, emphatically, that "there needs to be some soul-searching going on" among the Renegades' defensemen. "They've got to step up. It's that simple. The chances they're giving up are really hurting us."

He could have offered Columbus' third and fourth goals as Exhibits 'A' and 'B'. The Cottonmouths carried a tenuous 2-1 advantage into the third period. The lead didn't remain tenuous for long. Cottonmouths forward Trevor Green intercepted a pass deep in the Richmond zone and beat Renegades goalkeeper Ryan Scott with an uncontested slap shot from the right faceoff circle at 2:59.

The Renegades answered less than two minutes later. Forward Trevor Karasiewicz pounced on a turnover in the Columbus end and pulled the trigger on a wrist shot from the high slot. Karasiewicz's shot caromed off the metal goalmouth and burrowed into the net.

Richmond's momentum was short-lived. The Renegades, who squandered power play opportunities at 9:29 and 12:30, lost defensive containment while foraging for a goal in an even-strength situation with four minutes remaining. Columbus counterattacked with lethal quickness. Forward Sam Bowles, riding the crest of a 2-on-1 break, beat Scott with a slap shot from the left faceoff circle at 16:18.

Scott, making his third appearance for Richmond, stopped 20 shots. He stopped 45 of 47 in Saturday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Twin City Cyclones.

"He's a very good goalie," Goudie said. "But you've got to give him a chance, you know? If he sees it, he'll stop it."

Goudie said he is most concerned by the erratic nature of team's defensive play.

"One night we'll be good and then the next night . . . " He did not feel it necessary to complete the thought. "We have to start playing consistently back there. We have to. Otherwise, I'm going to have to find someone who can."

The Renegades (11-10-1) play at Columbus on Friday and Saturday before returning to the Coliseum for a Christmas Night date with Huntsville.