AHL Peoria Rivermen

Career Night For Drazenovic Comes In SO Loss

Published on October 30, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


CLEVELAND (October 30, 2009) - Nicholas Drazenovic's assist with only 2:17 remaining in regulation was his fourth point of the night and pushed the game into overtime before the Lake Erie Monsters prevailed over the Peoria Rivermen 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena. It was the first four-point game in the career of Drazenovic who finished with a goal and three assists.

While Drazenovic was Peoria's star his impressive night had company as Brendan Bell registered three assists for Peoria, doubling his point total for the season. Lars Eller and Derek Armstrong each had a goal and an assist.

Power plays played an important role as the Rivermen went two-for-four and the Monsters were three-for-five in their fifth win of the season. Now, five of the first nine games of the season for the Rivermen have been decided in overtime or a shootout. The Rivermen are 1-2 in shootouts.

Drazenovic opened the scoring on the power play just 1:43 into the game, helping the Rivermen build a 2-0 lead. His third of the year came following a goal-mouth scramble in which Armstrong paid the price for his assist. At 6:17, Eller notched an even-strength tally following a feed from Drazenovic behind the net. Eller's goal was also the third of the year for the rookie.

Lake Erie notched, what proved to be, an important goal at 16:43 of the first. Matt Ford, called up earlier in the day, wristed a deflected shot through Ben Bishop for the only Monsters' even-strength goal of the game.

The game shifted dramatically in the second period. Despite the Rivermen outshooting the Monsters 13-9 in the period, the Monsters scored the first three goals of the frame. Darren Haydar's power-play goal tied the game at 5:14 before rookies Cedrick McNicoll (11:49) and Brock Bradford (12:09) gave the Monsters a two-goal lead just 20 seconds apart.

Jonas Junland scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season on a Rivermen power play at 18:03 to cut the deficit to just one goal heading into the second intermission. For Junland it was his fourth power-play goal and he now has a point in eight of the team's first nine games of the year.

The Monsters had a chance to put the Rivermen away in the third period with a five-minute power play. Danny Richmond was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for cross-checking in retaliation to a Patrick Bordeleau slash on Bishop. The Rivermen killed off the entire advantage, including the first 4:58 of it without a whistle.

Peoria stayed in the game long enough for Armstrong to tie the score a 4-4 with 2:17 left. Following a flurry of shots and Eller crashing hard to the goal, Armstong's shot ramped up in the air before Wes O'Neill swiped it with his glove and into the net. The goal sent the game to overtime where the Rivermen registered the only three shots.

In the shootout the Monsters scored on their first three shots while Julian Talbot was the only Rivermen shooter to score. After a save by Bishop on Marty Sertich, Trevor Cann stopped Drazenovic to end the game.

Drazenovic now has eight points (2g, 6a) in his last four games and has tied Junland for the team lead in points with 11. Bishop unbeaten in regulation in his first five starts of the year made 20 saves in the loss. Cann earned his second professional win with a 38 saver performance.

The two teams will play again on Saturday afternoon at 12p.m. CST in their second of six meetings this season. Peoria will finish the trip on Sunday at 3p.m. in Hamilton, Ontario. All games can be heard live on Hippie Radio 101.1 FM as well as online through www.rivermen.net.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 30, 2009


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