Bobcats Come out Hot Can't Hold off Late Surge 5-2
February 1, 2022 - SPHL (SPHL)
Vermilion County Bobcats News Release
After coming home with eyes on ending a losing skid the Bobcats had been shutout on back to back nights against the Ice Bears and the Rivermen. On the final day of a three in three that started at 4pm the Cats were looking for a way to come out quickly and beat goaltender Eric Levine and the Peoria Rivermen.
The Rivermen knew Vermilion County had to come at them early and counterattacked by throwing everything at the net. A strategy that worked for Marcel Godbout off a draw just 1:06 into the game beating Joe Sheppard IV through a crowd of people to give Peoria the 1-0 lead. Unlike the previous two games the deficit did not deter the Bobcats as it had the previous nights. A power play opportunity on a Delay of Game minor saw Chase DiBari send a pass from behind the net to Mitch Atkins in the slot who beat Eric Levine at 9:23 of the first period to tie the game. On the ensuing play Christian Faggas would echo the effort on a pass from Egor Borshchev to give Vermilion County their first lead of the weekend. Peoria has the best power play in the SPHL and proved it late in the first tying the game on a JM Piotrowski goal at 15:04 of the first.
A sound strategy works because it is carried through from puck drop to final buzzer and the Rivermen and Marcel Godbout as off another faceoff Godbout threw a puck through the crowd and beat Sheppard IV again to give Peoria a 3-2 edge. Despite numerous chances back and forth no one else could find the back of the net in the second.
Rivalries are often built from relative proximity and bad blood. The Cats and Peoria are a short two-hour trip apart and the bad blood increased inumberably after Sunday afternoon's third period. After an early goal by Alex Baer made it 4-2 and an empty net goal from Justin Brausen empty net goal to end the game with 1:02 remaining in the third to make it 5-2 the period continued to tick down but as Danny Cangelosi sent the puck deep into the Rivermen zone Zach Wilkie came across the zone and threw a high hit knocking Cangelosi to the ice. Setting off a reaction from both sides that resulted in misconducts for several players. Once things settled the puck was dropped and the game concluded without incident.
Sheppard IV stopped 38 of 42 in the loss.
The Bobcats and Peoria get together again Friday night February 4th at 7pm with tickets available at VCBobcats.com! Don't miss out on the next chapter of this rivalry.
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