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ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Come Back to Win 4-3 over Dayton at Home

December 11, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Peoria, Ill. (December 11, 2004) – The Peoria Rivermen scored two goals in the final 3:26 of regulation to come back and beat the Dayton Bombers 4-3 in front of 4,502 on Saturday night at Carver Arena. Peoria has won four in a row and remains unbeaten in regulation in its last five games (4-0-1).

The Rivermen tied the game 3-3 at 16:34 of the third. Rookie Kris Kasper, hovering near the bottom of the right face-off circle, tipped a Brian McCullough shot from the right point down and past Dayton rookie goaltender Mike Ayers for his second professional tally.

Peoria tallied the game winner with 55 seconds left in the game. Trevor Johnson took a shot from the right point that Ayers stopped, but Rivermen Captain Trevor Baker was at the top of the goal crease to chip in his sixth marker of the season.

The Bomber had tied the game 2-2 early in the third period on Bryan Nathe's first professional goal. A Peoria clearing attempt bounced off a body and popped free at the top of the right face-off circle, where rookie Bryan Nathe sent a handcuffing wrist shot past Rivermen rookie netminder Chris Beckford-Tseu.

Dayton grabbed its first lead of the night on the power play. Ben Knopp, stationed along the endboards, fed a breaking Matt Herneisen, who chipped his second goal of the game and fourth of the season into the upper right corner just off the left post at 10:07. Dayton finished 1-for-5 with the man advantage.

The Rivermen (7-9-3, 17 points) improved to .500 on home ice through 10 games (4-4-2) and are now 3-1-1 against the Bombers this year. Dayton (9-12-0, 18 points) dropped to 3-8-0 on the road and fell 2-3-0 against Peoria this season.

Beckford-Tseu (5-6-1) stopped 21 of 24 Dayton chances for his fourth straight victory. Ayers (3-5-0) turned away 40 of 44 Peoria shots, earning Third Star honors in defeat.

The Rivermen opened the scoring just 42 seconds into the contest. Randy Rowe, after taking a pass from Tyler Rennette, maneuvered into the Dayton zone on right wing and rifled his fourth tally of the season into the far upper left corner while using a defender as a screen.

Dayton tied the game at 7:22 of the first on a scramble in front of the net. Herneisen, with his back to the goal just off the left post, sent a backhand shot between his legs through a maze a players that wiggled its way through Beckford-Tseu's pads. It was Herneisen's third tally of the year.

Peoria grabbed the lead back just 56 seconds later on the power play. Rookie James Sanford, stationed in the high slot, fed Rennette at the top of the left face-off circle for one-time rocket shot into the upper right corner. It was Rennette's fourth goal of the season and the second in as many nights.

There was no scoring in the second period.

Next Friday, December 17, the Rivermen host the archrival Toledo Storm in the fifth meeting of the season. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Carver Arena. WWE "Raw" Superstar and St. Louis native Randy Orton will appear and sign autographs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for $5 each (which includes an 8x10). It is also a Sprite/Barq's Root Beer/Pibb Xtra Finally Friday. Fans may redeem one of those three cans at the Carver Arena Box Office for a Buy One, Get One Free Upper Bowl Ticket offer. The U.S. Marines Corps will also be hosting their "Toys for Tots" Holiday Drive. Fans are encouraged to bring a toy for charity. The team will wear special Christmas-themed jerseys to be auctioned off after the game.

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