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ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Drop Third in a Row Overall, Lose to Wheeling 3-2

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


Peoria, Ill. (February 22, 2004) – The Peoria Rivermen have lost three in a row and have dropped 10 home games in regulation in one season for the first time in eight ECHL campaigns, losing 3-2 the Wheeling Nailers before a Sunday afternoon crowd of 4,566 at Carver Arena.

The Rivermen, who are 13-10-3 at Carver Arena, had never lost more than nine games in regulation at home in any of their previous seven ECHL seasons. Over 13 home losses, which include three overtime defeats, Peoria is averaging 1.15 goals per game. Over 13 home victories, the Rivermen are averaging 4.08 tallies per game.

Peoria (30-15-8, 68 points) fell to 3-2-1 against the Nailers this season. The Rivermen dropped to 25-13-8 against the Northern Division. Wheeling (38-13-2, 78 points) has won three in a row and improved to 15-9-0 on the road. They own the ECHL's best overall record.

Goaltender Levente Szuper stopped 16 of 19 Wheeling shots in his seventh regulation loss of the season (11-7-1). Wheeling's Joe Exter, less than a year removed from a fractured skull and a coma at Merrimack College after colliding with Boston College's Patrick Eaves, collected his second professional victory (2-1-0) with 34 stops on 36 Peoria shots.

The Nailers tied the game 1-1 at 3:39 of the third period. Wheeling defenseman Mario Larocque hammered a slap shot toward the Peoria goal from the high slot that Szuper stopped. The puck, though, slipped through Szuper's arm and torso and was trickling toward the goal line. Mark Kosick raced in behind Szuper and chopped his 14th tally of the season into an open net.

Wheeling took a 2-1 lead just 54 seconds later. Rookie Brendan Hodge, brother of former Rivermen Dan Hodge, took a pass at the inner part of the top of the right face-off circle from Tom Rouleau and rifled his 20th goal of the season over the blocker of Szuper.

Then at 5:52 on the power play, just 2:13 after they tied the game, the Nailers pushed their lead to 3-1. All-Star Jason Jaffray hammered in a third rebound just off the right goal post after Szuper had made a sprawling save on Eddie Pershin. It was Jaffray's 26th marker of the season.

The Rivermen got within one with just 1:34 left in regulation. Bret DeCecco's shot from the bottom of the left face-off circle was stopped by Exter, but Rivermen Captain Trevor Baker, just off the right goal post, flipped in a backhand shot. It was Baker's 14th tally of the season.

There was no scoring in the first period.

The Rivermen broke the scoreless tie 1:14 into the second period on the power play. Rivermen rookie defenseman George Halkidis pushed the puck into the Wheeling zone through the middle of the ice and dished a backhand pass off to Tyler Rennette, who was on the left side of the high slot and rifled his 21st tally of the season over the glove of Exter and just under the crossbar.

Peoria was 1-for-4 on the power play after two periods, scoring on its only shot over those four man advantage opportunities.

Randy Rowe also had an assist on the goal; it was his first point in his second game back from a seven-game call-up with the St. John's Maple Leafs of the American Hockey League (AHL).

On Tuesday, February 24, the Rivermen and the Nailers do battle for the second game in a row. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena. It is a Two For Tuesday. Bud Lights and Medium Soft Drinks are available for $2.00 each.

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