Peoria Skates Past Pensacola 4-2
December 28, 2024 - SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
PENSACOLA, FL - On a stormy night in Florida, the Peoria Rivermen completed their first major three-game weekend with a 4-2 victory over the Pensacola Ice Flyers at the Pensacola Bay Center.
Peoria struck first on just their first shot on the net as Carlos Fornaris skated up the ice on a one-on-one rush. Fornaris cut into the high slot and fired the puck across his body to the right. Fornaris' shot sailed over the glove of the Pensacola netminder to put the Rivermen up 1-0. Alec Baer followed up Fornaris's goal with a quick shot from the right-wing circle that found the back of the net, low and on the ice to extend Peoria's lead to 2-0. Then, midway through the first on a delayed penalty call, Zach Wilkie fired a shot home from the near left-wing side to extend Peoria's lead to an early 3-0 advantage. Pensacola answered with a tally on the power play off a rebound shot in close to trim the Rivermen lead to 3-1.
The Ice Flyers stuck again while skating four-on-four midway through the second period on a quick shot from the high slot to pull within one. Pensacola kept pressing throughout the second period, searching for the tying goal, but goaltender Colby Muise and the Rivermen defense held them off. Late in the frame, Zach Wilke sent a shot on the net that produced a rebound. As Pensacola netminder Cody Karpinski was making a move to smother the puck with his glove, Jordan Ernst charged in and swatted the puck away and into the back of the net to put the Rivermen back up by two going into the third period.
Pensacola pressed hard in the third period, but the Rivermen's perfect combination of aggressiveness and defensive prowess held them off and secured a 4-2 victory and five out of a possible six points on the three-game weekend. The Rivermen will have little time to rest as they host the Quad City Storm on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Carver Arena.
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