ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Double Up in Trenton 4-2

Published on March 17, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Trenton, NJ (March 17, 2004) – 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 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.

Peoria goaltender Levente Szuper stopped 28 of 31 shots in the loss, while Titans netminder Andrew Allen turned away 28 of 30 Rivermen chances for his 21st win (21-16-4) in a Trenton uniform.

The Titans opened the scoring at 6:37 of the first period one second after their first power play of the period expired. P.J. Martin fired a slap shot from the center point that Szuper stopped, but Nick Deschenes was on the doorstep for the rebound, sliding his second goal in seven games past Szuper. The tally snapped Szuper's team season-high shutout streak at 139:12.

The Rivermen tied the game and took the lead in a matter of 55 seconds. The tying goal came at 14:07. Jason Norrie brought the puck into the Trenton zone on right wing, firing a low shot that Allen stopped with his right pad. The rebound popped into the high slot, where Marty Johnston – barreling down the slot – slid the puck into an open net. It was Johnston's 16th tally of the season against his former team.

Peoria took a 2-1 lead at 15:02 of the first. Colin Hemingway took a cross-ice feed at the top of the right face-off circle from George Halkidis, spun around a defender and whistled the puck over the blocker of Allen. It was his 15th goal of the season and the fourth in the last three games.

It took the Titans just 1:16 to tie the game 2-2. Stationed at the left point, Ryan Crane fed Scott Bertoli, who was breaking down the left side of the Peoria zone. Bertoli chipped the puck to the right goal post, where a Peoria defenseman knocked it into his own net. It was 15th tally of the season.

The Titans grabbed their second lead of the night at 5:55 of the middle stanza. Tyler Kindle snapped a pass to Devin Rask, who broke into the Peoria zone on right wing and whistled his 13th tally of the season into the upper left corner. It proved to be the game winner.

On Friday, March 19, the Rivermen battle the second place and defending Kelly Cup Champion Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies. Game time is 6:00 p.m. CT at Boardwalk Hall.

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ECHL Stories from March 17, 2004


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