Rivermen Double Up Atlantic City 6-3 in Game Two of the Northern Division Semifinals
April 9, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Atlantic City, NJ (April 9, 2004) â Rookie Garett Cameron helped set up the game winner and added one of two insurance goals, all in the third period, as the Peoria Rivermen doubled up the defending Kelly Cup Champion Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies 6-3 in Game Two of the Northern Division Semifinals before a crowd of 1,837 on Friday night at Boardwalk Hall.
The victory evened the five-game, first round series at a game apiece with Games Three and Four in Peoria on Monday, April 12 and Tuesday, April 13 at Carver Arena at 7:00 p.m.
The Rivermen wrestled the second lead of the night back 47 seconds into the third period for a 4-3 lead â one they would not relinquish. Adam Edinger skated down the slot and barreled his way into the Boardwalk Bullies defense, sending a weak backhand shot on net that Amidovski easily stopped. The rebound, though, was given right back to Edinger, who snapped a forehand shot inside the left goal post for his first marker of the playoffs; it proved to be the game winner.
Joe Vandermeer and Cameron assisted on the tally.
Peoria made it 5-3 with 8:16 left in regulation. Adam Edinger fired a shot from the right side of the slot that Atlantic City goaltender Bujar Amidovski stopped with his chest. The rebound was then batted out of midair from the bottom of the left face-off circle and inside the near goal post by Cameron.
It was Cameron's second goal of the game and the playoffs and the fourth of his professional career. The 21-year-old native of Grandora, Saskatchewan, who earned First Star honors, signed with the Rivermen on March 5, posting five points (2g, 3a) in 11 games to close out the regular season. Cameron led the Rivermen with three points.
Rivermen Captain Trevor Baker, with a defenseman draped all over him as he moved into the zone, tallied an empty-net goal with one hand on his stick to complete the scoring at 18:49. It was his second tally of the night.
Peoria (1-1) improved to 24-8-6 on the road, including regular season action. The Rivermen are 3-1-2 against the Boardwalk Bullies this year through seven meetings, regular season and playoffs. Peoria got back to the goal-scoring ways they finished the regular season with whey they averaged 6.17 goals per game over six consecutive victories to close out the year. Atlantic City (1-1) had its four-game home winning streak snapped in the loss. The Boardwalk Bullies equaled a season-worst six goals against in one game; they surrendered six goals in a 6-5 overtime loss in Greensboro on February 12 and a 6-2 loss in Reading on February 24. It was the first time Atlantic City gave up six goals at home this season.
Rivermen goaltender Levente Szuper stopped 22 of 25 shots for his first professional playoff win (1-1). Amidovski turned away 28 of 33 Peoria chances in the loss (1-1).
The Boardwalk Bullies opened the scoring at 3:53 of the first period with the first of two power play tallies. Stefan Rivard fed Sam Paolini, who split the Peoria defense and sent home his first tally of the postseason from the low slot.
The Rivermen netted the equalizer at 8:27 of the opening session. Tyler Rennette rifled a shot on the Atlantic City goal from the right side of the slot and then over-skated his own rebound. Crawford, trailing the play, picked up the loose puck at the bottom of the left face-off circle and finished for his second professional playoff goal.
In a much more physical contest than Game One, Rivermen winger Igor Valeev and Atlantic City defenseman Kam White were both handed five-minute majors for spearing and game misconducts at 10:24 of the first. The teams combined for 140 penalty minutes in the game.
Atlantic City grabbed its second lead of the night on the power play with 4:43 remaining the first. Nick Parillo, controlling the puck behind the Rivermen goal, found a wide-open Pierre-Luc Sleigher just off the right goal post for an easy tap-in.
The Boardwalk Bullies finished the opening period 2-for-3 on the power play.
The Rivermen tied it 2-2 at 6:15 of the second period. Joe Vandermeer rifled a low shot on net from the center point that Amidovski stopped, but the rebound popped loose in front of the goal, where Cameron hammered in his first professional playoff tally.
Peoria took its first lead of the series on Baker's first marker of the postseason. Baker, ala Tyler Rennette, won the face-off in the left circle over Josh Prudden and poked it past him. With a clear path to the goal and the puck bouncing on end, Baker batted at it, fluttering the puck past Amidovski.
The Boardwalk Bullies tied the game 3-3 with 5:16 left in the second. After several Rivermen players failed to pick up a loose puck in the right face-off circle and clear the zone, Parillo rifled it through the legs of Szuper for his second tally of the postseason.
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from April 9, 2004
- Sea Wolves Strike Past Gladiators 4-3 In Game 2 - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Gladiators Fall to Sea Wolves 4-3 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Rivermen Double Up Atlantic City 6-3 in Game Two of the Northern Division Semifinals - Peoria Rivermen
- Blades Maintain 2-1 Series Lead Despite 5-3 Loss on Friday - Florida Everblades
- Rivermen Double Up Bullies 6-3, Even Series 1-1 - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- 2004-05 Falcons Season Tickets on Sale Now - Fresno Falcons
- Former Charlotte Goaltender Named AHL MVP - ECHL
- ECHL Transactions - ECHL
- Generals Youth Clinic set for April 10th - Greensboro Generals
- Anticipating advancement, Nailers set second round dates - Wheeling Nailers
- Nailers Jason Jaffray finished fourth in ECHL Most Valuable Player voting - Wheeling Nailers
- Simply the Best - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Atlantic City's Stirling Named Sher-Wood ECHL Most Valuable Player - ECHL
- Gulls - Aces Game 3 Preview - San Diego Gulls
- Today In The ECHL - ECHL
- Mac-N-Cheese Weekend a Success - Atlanta Gladiators
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
