SPHL Peoria Rivermen

Festive Rivermen Hold off Storm Friday, Win Fourth Straight

December 15, 2018 - SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Peoria, IL - The Peoria Rivermen scored three goals in the first 22:44 of regulation and held on to beat the Quad City Storm 3-2 at Carver Arena Friday night. The win, Peoria's fourth in a row, improves the Rivermen to 13-1-3 on the season before tomorrow night's game in Evansville against the Thunderbolts.

The Rivermen jumped out to a lead when they opened the scoring just over three minutes into the contest. Rivermen center Ben Blasko rushed down the right wing of the Storm zone, accepted a pass from teammate Joseph Widmar, and sent a pass back to the slot for Dean Yakura, who snapped it past Storm goaltender Eric Levine for a 1-0 lead at 3:10 of the first.

Peoria doubled their lead with a marker late in the first period. Peoria defenseman Ben Oskroba's show was partially blocked from the left point of the Quad City zone, and bounced to the right-wing post, where Vincent Beaudry popped it past a sprawling Levine for a 2-0 score at 14:02 of the frame.

The Rivermen lead grew to 3-0 with a power-play goal early in the second period. With Quad City shorthanded courtesy of a Too Many Men bench minor, Rivermen winger Will Smith sent a drive to the net from the left point, and Rivermen winger Austin Vieth stuffed the ensuing rebound past Levine for a 3-0 lead at 2:44 of the frame.

The Storm got on the board with a power-play tally late in the second period. With Rivermen defenseman Ben Oskroba in the box for holding, Storm center Mitchell Mueller's one-timer from the right point was redirected by Quad City veteran winger Vladimir Nikiforov and into the net past Rivermen goaltender Stephen Klein for a 3-1 score at 14:01 of the second period.

The Storm got to within a goal with another power-play tally late in the third period. With RWidmar serving a roughing minor, Storm winger Dalton Mills took a pass from Mueller at the right circle and darted a shot over Klein's shoulder for a 3-2 score at 14:59 of the third period.

The Rivermen held off an extra-attacker sequence in the final minute of regulation for the second straight game, hanging on to win by a 3-2 final score. Klein stopped 22 of 24 shots in net to earn his second straight win and improve to 7-1-0 on the season.

Notes: Widmar recorded an assist to extend his point streak to five games...Widmar has recorded nine points in his last five games...Beaudry netted a goal for the third straight game...Klein has his scoreless streak snapped at 103:36...The Rivermen return to action tomorrow night when they travel to Evansville, IN to face the Thunderbolts...Saturday's game will start at 7:15 PM, and the broadcast of the game can be heard, starting with the pregame show, at 6:55, at http://mixlr.com/peoria-rivermen/

Group, single game, and season tickets for Peoria's 37th season of professional hockey presented by Midwest Orthopaedic Center are on sale at the Toyota Box Office in the Peoria Civic Center, or by phone at the Rivermen office, located at 201 S.W. Jefferson Street, or over the phone at (309) 676-1040.

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