AHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Drop Preseason Opener to Rockford

September 29, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


The Peoria Rivermen and Rockford IceHogs took part in opening the preseason schedule for the American Hockey League on Tuesday night with Rockford coming away with a 5-4 win in a shootout. Peoria jumped out to a 3-1 lead after the first period but the IceHogs registered the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation and edged the Rivermen in the shootout.

Gerald Coleman started and played the entire game for Peoria and registered 26 saves through regulation and overtime. Joe Palmer allowed three goals on 18 shots in 31:44 of work before Danny Bottachio earned the win with 13 saves on 14 shots.

Peoria jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with goals 25 seconds apart in the opening period. After Kyle Hagel was whistled for kneeing at 5:36 it took Mark Isherwood just 26 seconds to come up with the game's first goal. Tyler Shattock and Phil McRae assisted on the power-play goal. Matt McIlvane banged home a rebound at 6:26 from Pierce Norton to give Peoria what was their biggest lead of the night.

The IceHogs didn't take long to respond after being given their first power-play just 20 seconds after McIlvane's goal and Zack Torquato beat Coleman at 7:17 from Dustin Cameron and Brandon Pirri.

Norton added his second point of the period with a goal at 11:01 to give Peoria back a two-goal lead. Ryan Palmer picked up an assist on the play.

Penalties picked up in the second period as the two teams combined for 34 penalty minutes in the frame. The game featured three fights and 25 infractions for 79 minutes in penalties. Rockford's lone goal of the period came shorthanded from Chris DiDomenico at 7:34 to bring the IceHogs within one at the start of the third.

A second shorthanded goal, this one by Pirri, came just 53 seconds into the third and tied the game at 3-3. Jerad Stewart put the Rivermen back on top at 3:20 with a power-play goal from Ethan Cox and Mark Cundari.

Peoria's lead held until the final minute of regulation with Battachio on the bench for an extra attacker. Torquato came up with his second of the night with 57.4 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

Penalties continued into overtime and left Peoria with a 4-on-3 advantage that produced six shots but no goals. The IceHogs outscored Peoria 3-2 in the shootout to claim the win.

The Rivermen continue their preseason schedule on Friday when the take on the Chicago Wolves at the Hoffman Estates Community Center and Ice Arena. The game will begin and 7 p.m. and fans can follow the game through Twitter at www.twitter.com/Peoria_Rivermen.

Carver Arena will host the Rivermen and IceHogs in the preseason finale on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are available through the Rivermen office in person, over the phone (309-676-1040) and online.

The Rivermen open the 2010-11 season at Carver Arena on Oct. 8 against the Manitoba Moose. Full-season, partial and mini ticket plans are all on sale. For more information visit www.rivermen.net, call 309-676-1040 or stop by the Rivermen office inside the Peoria Civic Center.

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American Hockey League Stories from September 29, 2010


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