Double gold medallist Shannon Szabados released by pro men’s team

Shannon Szabados in net for the Columbus Cottonmouths (BLD Graphics)

PEORIA, Ill. — Goaltender Shannon Szabados has been released by the Peoria Rivermen after two games with the Southern Professional Hockey League team.

The team announced that Szabados, who helped Canada win gold in Olympic women’s hockey in 2010 and 2014, was cut along with fellow goaltender Storm Phaneuf following the Rivermen’s opening weekend losses to the Huntsville Havoc.

Peoria was outscored 11-2 over those games, and Szabados, who played in parts of both games, had a goals-against average of 6.10 and a save percentage of .792.

“After our first two games, I thought our goaltending wasn’t good enough to compete, and changes had to be made,” Rivermen head coach Jean-Guy Trudel said in a statement.

Szabados, a 30-year-old from Edmonton, spent the last two seasons in goal for the SPHL’s Columbus Cottonmouths.

Her overall record was 20-20-6 and she carried a save percentage over .900 each year.

The team also placed defenceman Carl Nielsen on indefinite team suspension after he chose to leave the team for personal reasons.

Goaltenders Matt Grogan and Tyler Green, both of whom spent time in training camp with Peoria earlier this month, were added to the team.

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