MILWAUKEE - For the seventh time in the first 13 games of the season the Peoria Rivermen found themselves in overtime. It escalated into their fifth shootout of the year and a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Admirals at the Bradley Center on Friday night.
The win was the first for the Rivermen in Milwaukee since March 16, 2007 stopping a stretch of nine straight losses at the Bradley Center.
Aaron Palushaj, Julian Talbot, Nicholas Drazenovic and Brendan Bell all scored in the shootout while Ben Bishop made two saves in four rounds to secure the victory. Peoria improved to 3-2 in shootouts and 4-3 in games that require more than 60 minutes.
Danny Richmond and Bryce Lampman each scored power-play goals to help the Rivermen build a 3-1 lead midway through the second period. They finished the game two-for-three on the man advantage and have now scored goals on four of their last seven power plays.
Milwaukee jumped out to an early lead as Cal O'Reilly fired the first shot of the game past Bishop for his second of the season at 1:13. Lampman's slap shot from the point at 13:49 tied the game on his first goal of the season. The one-timer was set up by a feed from Richmond who collected his first multi-point game of the season.
The Rivermen controlled play in the second frame as they scored twice in the first nine minutes to take their first lead of the game. Again on the power play, Richmond took a pass from Talbot and Palushaj and fired it off the crossbar and behind Mark Dekanich. It was also Richmond's first goal of the season and 4:50 which joined him with Lampman, Sonne and Talbot who all scored for the first time this weekend.
Adam Cracknell thought he had given the Rivermen a two-goal edge just moments later however referee Francis Charron waived off a puck that appeared to have hit the back of the net and came out. At the next whistle, he consulted the goal judge as well as both linesmen and concluded that the puck did not cross the line.
Cracknell would have his hand in a goal that would stand at 8:43 of the period. Jonas Junland hit him with a pass and Cracknell burned around the outside and powered his way to the front of the goal. As he switched to the backhand, Dekanich went for the poke-checked and pushed the puck to Cam Paddock who flipped it home. It was Paddock's second of the season and Junland's assist extended his point streak to six games.
The Admirals would close the gap before the end of the second on a goal from Peter Olvecky at 15:49. Set up by O'Reilly from the corner, Olvecky lifted it over the glove of Bishop for his third of the year. Hugh Jessiman tied the game at 11:39 of the third following a collision between Bishop and defenseman Steve Wagner.
After the first two periods were pretty evenly matched in shots, the Admirals outshot the Rivermen 11-5 in the third period and 27-21 overall in the game. Milwaukee was 0-for-2 on the man advantage. The two teams meet again next Sunday, Nov. 14 at Carver Arena.
The Rivermen return home on Wednesday to take on the Texas Stars on 7 p.m. at Carver Arena. Tickets are available at the Rivermen office by calling 309-676-1040 or online at www.rivermen.net/tickets.
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