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AHL Peoria Rivermen

Manny Legace Shuts Out Rampage 5-0

February 18, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


PEORIA, Ill. (February 18, 2009) - In his fourth start with the Peoria Rivermen, Manny Legace made 26 saves to shut out the San Antonio Rampage 5-0 on Wednesday night at Carver Arena. It was the first time this season that the Rampage have been held scoreless and the win stopped a six-game losing streak on home ice for Peoria.

Three different Rivermen scored their first goal of the season as Andy Wozniewski, Yan Stastny and Tomas Kana all beat Josh Tordjman. Stastny finished with two goals, both shorthanded, and Wozniewski added two assists for his first three-point night of the year.

Legace, assigned to the Rivermen from St. Louis on Feb. 8, made eight saves in the first and third period with 10 stops in between. It was the third shutout by a Rivermen goalie this season, following Chris Holt on Dec. 12, 2008 (2-0 vs. Rochester) and Ben Bishop on Dec. 20 (4-0 vs. Iowa). Legace picked up his first shutout since stopping all 25 shots for the Blues against Columbus on April 5, 2008.

Special teams played a big role in the win as Peoria killed off all eight power plays for the Rampage, scored twice on their five chances with the man-advantage, and added a pair of shorthanded markers. It was the first time this season the Rivermen have had a game decided by five goals or more and the first time since Dec. 3 (33 games) since Peoria has scored at least five goals in a game.

The win was the first on home ice since Jan. 2 when Trent Whitfield scored all three goals in a 3-1 win against the same San Antonio team.

Wozniewski snuck a slap shot from the left point past Tordjman, thanks in large part to a screen from Jeff Cowan. It came on the power play at 6:59 of the first, making it the 28th time this year that Peoria has scored the first goal of the game.

It wasn't until 15:29 of the second period that the Rivermen added to their lead. With Alexander Hellstrom off for hooking, Chris Porter stole the puck inside the Rampage zone. He chipped it to Stastny who tucked a snap shot just under the bar. It was the first point for Stastny in five games so far on his current rehab assignment from the Blues.

The Rivermen expanded a 2-0 lead to a 5-0 win over the game's final 20 minutes including two goals in the period's first 2:42. With a power play to begin the third, Nicholas Drazenovic banged home a rebound for his ninth of the year at 1:14 after Jonathan Filewich's initial shot. Just 1:28 later, Stastny blocked a shot at the blue line and raced in alone on Tordjman. As he cut across the goal, Kyle Turris rode him to the ice but couldn't stop him from sliding the puck into the net for his second shorthanded goal of the night.

Peoria now leads the league with 13 shorthanded goals this season, two better than the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Kana capped the scoring with a slap shot from one knee with 1:06 remaining in the frame. As he let the shot go from the top of the circle, it deflected off a defender's body and through Tordjman.

The win pulled Peoria back over the .500 mark at 27-26-1-1 and kept them five points back of the Chicago Wolves for a potential playoff spot.

The Rivermen homestand continues on Saturday when they play host to the Wolves. The first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a Rivermen hat courtesy of OSF-St. Francis Medical Center and the Children's Hospital of Illinois. Tickets are available at the Peoria Civic Center Box Office, by calling (309) 676-1040 or online at www.rivermen.net/tickets.

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