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ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen break even in three-game week

March 22, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


THE RECAP:

Tuesday, March 16, 2004 @ Reading Game #65 ECHL Game #973

Rivermen 3 Reading 4 Shootout

The Peoria Rivermen let two third-period leads slip away and fell to the Reading Royals 4-3 in a shootout on Tuesday night before a crowd of 4,112 at the Sovereign Center.

The Royals tied the game 2-2 at 6:16 of the third. Reagan Rome took a pass in the high slot from Kent Davyduke and rifled his fourth goal of the season just under the crossbar.

Peoria took its second lead of the game less than a minute later with a power play tally, making it 3-2. Colin Hemingway, at the right goal post, took a Marty Johnston pass and chipped it behind Reading goaltender Cody Rudkowsky at 7:14. It was Hemingway's second of the night and 14th marker with the Rivermen.

The Royals evened the game again with their second power play goal at 10:10 of the third. David Masse launched his 11th goal just under the crossbar from the right face-off circle on a pass from Lars Pettersen.

Reading finished 2-for-6 with the man advantage, while Peoria was 1-for-2.

In the shootout, Reading's Graig Mischler registered the shootout-winning tally in the second round, while Davyduke added the insurance in the third round. Rudkowsky turned away all four Peoria chances from Johnston, Adam Edinger, Hemingway and Scott Crawford.

Peoria (39-17-9, 87 points) earned a point for the shootout loss, falling to 6-5 in shootouts on the season. The Rivermen fell to 20-6-6 on the road and finished the season series with the Royals at 3-1-2. Reading (32-22-9, 73 points) snapped a four-game losing streak and a season-worst, eight-game winless streak (0-7-1) with the shootout win – its fifth of the season (5-6). The Royals completed a seven-game homestand with just one victory (1-5-1), while their record at the Sovereign Center is 22-6-4.

Wednesday, March 17, 2004 @ Trenton Game #66 ECHL Game #982

Rivermen 2 Trenton 4

The Peoria Rivermen failed to take advantage of a chance to clinch a spot in the 2004 Kelly Cup Playoffs on Wednesday night, losing 4-2 to the Trenton Titans before 4,553 at the Sovereign Bank Arena.

Peoria's magic number heading into the game was three points, which was based on points earned by the Rivermen or lost by the Titans. A win would have represented a four-point swing and a playoff berth for the Rivermen.

The Titans sealed the victory on an empty-net goal by Vince Williams with 23 seconds remaining. Williams slapped a clearing attempt off the glass in the Trenton zone that perfectly deflected down the ice into the middle of the Peoria goal. It was his second tally of the season.

Peoria (39-18-9, 87 points) is winless in its last three road games (0-2-1) for the first time this season. The Rivermen dropped just their seventh game in regulation on the road in 33 opportunities (20-7-6). Peoria finished its short, three-game season series with the Titans at 2-1-0. Trenton (32-24-7, 71 points) has won three of its last four games and improved to 19-6-3 on home ice.

Friday, March 19, 2004 @ Atlantic City Game #67 ECHL Game #983

Rivermen 1 Atlantic City 3

Colin Hemingway tallied two goals, one in the first period and one in the third, to lead the Peoria Rivermen to a 3-1 victory over the second place and defending Kelly Cup Champion Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies on Friday night in front of 3,186 at Boardwalk Hall.

Hemingway scored his second of the night and sixth in the last four games at 11:11 of the third. Joe Vandermeer chipped the puck toward the Atlantic City goal from the left face-off circle that Hemingway tipped down to the ice before All-Star Atlantic City goaltender Scott Stirling could catch it. Hemingway then easily slapped his 17th goal in a Rivermen uniform this season into the open net.

With 5:55 left to go in regulation, Atlantic City Head Coach Mike Haviland was ejected for disputing a roughing call on defenseman Dave Reid. Assistant Coach Matt Thomas assumed the coaching duties for the remainder of regulation.

Peoria (40-18-9, 89 points) snapped a season-worst, three-game road winless streak (0-2-1) with the victory. The Rivermen finished 2-0-2 against the Boardwalk Bullies in the four-game season series. Peoria, which improved to an ECHL-best 21-7-6 on the road, clinched a spot in the 2004 Kelly Cup Playoffs by virtue of winning the third tiebreaker with the Reading Royals, who cannot earn more than 89 points. If Reading won the rest of its games and Peoria lost the rest, the teams would be tied in points and wins, and the Rivermen would earn the berth with more points earned in the season series. Atlantic City (41-16-6, 88 points) is winless at Boardwalk Hall in its last four games (0-2-2), dropping to 21-7-4. The Boardwalk Bullies still need two points to clinch a spot in the 2004 Kelly Cup playoffs with nine games remaining in the season.

The Captain's Log

Playoffs For Peoria

The Rivermen (40-18-9, 89 points), currently in second place in the nine-team Northern Division – one point ahead of the defending Kelly Cup Champion Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (41-17-6, 88 points) with three more games played, clinched a playoff spot with Friday's 3-1 victory in Atlantic City. The victory earned Peoria a berth based on the Reading Royals. The Rivermen clinched with a Reading loss in Trenton on Friday. If, after Friday's win, Peoria had lost its remaining five games and the Royals had won their remaining seven, the teams would be tied in overall points and wins. The third tiebreaker – owned by Peoria – is head-to-head play, in which the Rivermen collected eight points (3-1-2) and Reading picked up seven points (3-2-1). Peoria has clinched a berth in each of its eight straight ECHL seasons and 17 straight times over its International Hockey League (IHL)/ECHL tenure. By finishing third or better in the nine-team Northern Division, Peoria will avoid a Wild Card game between the fourth and fifth place finishers in the Division. The Wild Card winner will take on the Division Champion in a five-game Northern Division semifinal series. The Rivermen are three points in front of the rival Johnstown Chiefs (40-20-6, 86 points) with one more game played. Peoria has just five games remaining in the 2003-2004 regular season, all against Northern Division teams with a losing record. The Rivermen battle the archrival Dayton Bombers (25-37-5, 55 points) three times, and the archrival Toledo Storm (23-33-10, 56 points) and the Cincinnati Cyclones (25-40-3, 53 points) each once.

Road Highlight Reel

The Rivermen snapped a season-worst, three-game road winless streak (0-2-1) with Friday's 3-1 win in Atlantic City, ending a grueling late-season road trip with six games over eight days. The Rivermen have only lost two straight in regulation on the road once this year. Peoria continues to own the ECHL's best road record at 21-7-6 (71 percent point percentage). The Rivermen lost just their seventh road game in regulation in 34 road opportunities last Wednesday against the Trenton Titans (4-2). Peoria will make a day trip to Cincinnati on Wednesday, March 24 to complete seven straight on the road.

Don't Doubt Our Defense

The Rivermen rank third in the ECHL in goals against average (GAA), surrendering just 2.46 goals per game. Over the last 25 games, Peoria has given up two goals or less in 14 of those games, including five one-goal games and three shutouts. Last season, Peoria ranked first in the League, allowing 2.51 goals per game. Defending Kelly Cup Champion Atlantic City currently leads the League with a 2.30 GAA. Peoria goaltenders Mike Valley and Levente Szuper have posted 2.28 and 2.29 GAAs, respectively. Valley and Szuper are ranked eighth and ninth, respectively, in the ECHL in GAA.

Power Still Present

Since Tyler Rennette took a new position at the right point on the Rivermen power play on February 25, it has paid dividends. The Rivermen are 12-for-48 (25 percent) on the power play over the 13-game stretch. On the season, Peoria is ranked 18th out of 31 ECHL teams with a 16.0 percent conversion rate.

Four For 40

With a 3-1 victory in Atlantic City on Friday, Rivermen Head Coach Jason Christie has 40 wins in each of his four seasons behind the Rivermen bench. He is one of just two head coaches in ECHL history to win 40 or more games in each of his first four seasons in the League; Louisiana's Dave Farrish is the other coach. Christie is one of three coaches in League history to win 40 or more games in each of any four consecutive seasons; although he didn't win 40 in his first season (1993-1994) as head coach, Rick Vaive went on to win 40 in each of the four subsequent campaigns (1994-1998) with the South Carolina Stingrays. Christie currently ranks fifth all-time in the ECHL with a .675 winning percentage behind former Florida Everblades Head Coach Bob Ferguson (136-61-15, .677 point percentage).

Injury, Call-up & Transaction Report

· Rivermen goaltender Mike Valley has been called up to the Manitoba Moose (AHL), 03/20/04.

· Rivermen right wing Joe Pereira has been activated from the 7-day injured reserve, 03/16/04.

· Defenseman Kayle Short acquired from the Las Vegas Wranglers in exchange for rookie defenseman Craig Olynick, 03/16/04.

· Rivermen left wing Randy Rowe remains on call-up to the St. John's Maple Leafs (AHL), 03/11/04.

· Rivermen right wing Ken Goetz remains on the 30-day injured reserve, 03/07/04.

· Rivermen center Brendan Brooks remains on reassignment to the Worcester IceCats (AHL), 01/14/04.

Steering Our Way Through The Schedule

PRACTICE:

· The Rivermen will practice Tuesday, March 23 at Owens Center at 10:00 a.m. The team will also practice Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27 at Carver Arena at 10:00 a.m. Practice times are subject to change.

GAMES:

· On Wednesday, March 24, the Rivermen travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to battle the Cyclones in the 13th and final meeting between the teams this season. The teams have met just once in the past two months with Peoria taking a 3-2 decision on February 10 at U.S. Bank Arena. The Rivermen own an 8-4-0 record against Cincinnati this season and a 33-13-2 lifetime record in the ECHL against the Cyclones. Cincinnati (25-40-3, 53 points) are in ninth place in the Northern Division. The Cyclones are led by right wing Mike Henderson, who has 35 points (17g, 18a) in 65 games with -34 plus/minus. The game broadcast can be heard LIVE on WWFS FOX Sports Radio 1290 AM, Insight Communications (Peoria-44; Bloomington-Normal-22; Pekin, Morton & Galesburg-70) and online at www.rivermen.net, beginning at 6:20 p.m. from U.S. Bank Arena. Game time is 6:30 p.m. CT.

· On Friday, March 26, Peoria returns home for the first time in eight games, hosting the archrival Dayton Bombers in the first of two in a row between the clubs and the ninth of 11 meetings on the season. It is just the second meeting between the clubs in the last two months. The Rivermen have lost the last two games against the archrival Bombers, falling 2-1 at home on February 20. Peoria owns a 4-3-1 season mark against Dayton and a 43-25-9 lifetime record in the ECHL against the Bombers. Dayton (25-37-5, 55 points) is in eight place in the Northern Division. The Bombers are led by center Olivier Proulx, who has 53 points (20g, 33a) in 67 games. It is another Coca-Cola Finally Friday. Fans receive a 2-for-1 Upper Bowl admission with they present a Cherry Coke or Vanilla Coke can at the Carver Arena Box Office. The team will also wear 1950's-style jerseys, sponsored by the Maid-Rite 50's Diner in the Metro Centre, to be auctioned off following the game. The game broadcast can be heard TAPE DELAY on WWFS FOX Sports Radio 1290 AM, and LIVE Insight Communications (Peoria-44; Bloomington-Normal-22; Pekin, Morton & Galesburg-70) and online at www.rivermen.net, beginning at 6:20 p.m. from U.S. Bank Arena. Game time is 6:30 p.m. CT.

· On Saturday, March 27, the Rivermen and the archrival Bombers do battle for the second straight night in the 10th of 11 matchups this season. It is Ashley Furniture/UFS/Ralph Rashid Fan Appreciation Night. More than $75,000 in prizes will be given away. The game broadcast can be heard LIVE on WWFS FOX Sports Radio 1290 AM, Insight Communications (Peoria-44; Bloomington-Normal-22; Pekin, Morton & Galesburg-70) and online at www.rivermen.net, beginning at 6:50 p.m. from Carver Arena. Game time is 7:00 p.m. CT.

· On Sunday, March 28, Peoria hosts the archrival Toledo Storm in the 12th and final meeting of the season. After starting the season winless in their first two meetings (0-0-2) with the Storm, the Rivermen have won nine in a row and remain unbeaten in regulation against the Storm through 11 matchups (9-0-2). Most recently, Peoria posted two 2-0 shutouts over the archrival Storm in Toledo on March 12-13. The Rivermen own a 55-22-5 lifetime record in the ECHL against the Storm. Toledo (23-33-10, 56 points) is in seventh place in the Northern Division. The Storm are led by rookie forward Jim Abbott, who has 54 points (26g, 28a) in 63 games. It is another Journal Star/Insight Media Family Day. Kids 12 and Under receive a $2 Upper Bowl admission. The first 1,000 Kids Meals – $2.50 each – contain a Trevor Baker player card. The team's Sunday Gold Jerseys will be auctioned off following the game. The game broadcast can be heard LIVE on WWFS FOX Sports Radio 1290 AM, Insight Communications (Peoria-44; Bloomington-Normal-22; Pekin, Morton & Galesburg-70) and online at www.rivermen.net, beginning at 2:50 p.m. from U.S. Bank Arena. Game time is 3:00 p.m. CT.

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