AHL Peoria Rivermen

Four-goal First Proves Too Much for Peoria

February 28, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


WINNIPEG, MB - The Manitoba Moose rallied for four goals in the last 12:06 of the first period and held their ground over the final 40 minutes to beat the Peoria Rivermen 5-2 in front of 15,003 fans at the MTS Centre on Saturday night. Manitoba completed the four-game sweep of the season series over Peoria and picked up their league-leading 41st win in the process.

Ben Bishop replaced Manny Legace after the first period as the Rivermen pushed to within two, with goals from Steve Wagner and Curtis Fraser, but Curtis Sanford emerged with 21 saves for the win. Peoria outshot the Moose in two of the three periods, including the first, and 23-20 overall in the game.

The Rivermen dominated play early in the first frame, collecting eight of the game's first 11 shots. It took a phenomenal save by Sanford to rob Jeff Cowan of a goal in the opening five minutes to stop the Rivermen from taking the early lead. Nicholas Drazenovic backhanded a pass across the slot to Cowan who one-timed it toward the center of an open net, only to have it swatted out of mid-air by the stick of Sanford and then swept away by his glove on his way to the ice.

Manitoba broke through at 7:54 after a pass deflected off the skate of Mario Bliznak and past Legace for his seventh of the season. Just over four minutes later, Jason Jaffray added to the Moose lead with his first of two goals on the night. Mike Keane hit him with a pass from along the boards at the side of the net for the easy tap-in at 11:57. Tommy Maxwell made it 3-0 at 13:38 following a defensive-zone turnover by the Rivermen. Pierre-Cedric Labrie pushed a deflected pass through the Peoria defense and to the side of the goal for Maxwell's first AHL goal of the year. Jaffray capped the first-period scoring by converting on a two-on-one pass from Alexandre Bolduc at 18:31.

Legace finished the game with four goals allowed on 10 shots in just 20 minutes of work. Bishop only faced 10 shots over the final 40 minutes of the game.

Both of Peoria's goals came during a 2:41 stretch of the second period. Wagner's power-play goal snapped an 0-for-18 drought on the man-advantage at 13:05 to give the Rivermen their first goal of the game and first against Sanford in 93:05 this season. His slapshot from just inside the blue line hit a defenseman in front of the net and caromed over the glove of a confused Sanford. Fraser's first of the year came at 15:46 after he pushed home a Cowan rebound generated on a give-and-go with Cam Paddock.

Trialing by just two heading into the third period, the Rivermen failed to generate much offense in the third, being outshot 7-4 over the game's final 20 minutes. Greg Rallo scored on his own rebound with just 2:23 remaining in regulation to give Manitoba the 5-2 edge.

The game featured two fights as Eric Neilson and Tommy Maxwell dropped the gloves at 6:27 of the second period and Julian Talbot fought Jason Jaffray inside the final minute of regulation. It was the 21st fight of the year for Neilson.

Peoria finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play while the Moose were held scoreless on their three chances.

Peoria returns to Carver Arena on Wednesday with a 7:00 p.m. start against the Quad City Flames. Beer will be available for just $1 and tickets in the Pilots' House are just $8 for all Wednesday games. Tickets are available at the Peoria Civic Center Box Office, by calling (309) 676-1040 or online at www.rivermen.net/tickets.

Check out the Peoria Rivermen Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from February 28, 2009


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