AHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen dropped in Chicago 6-1

Published on March 25, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Chicago. (March 25, 2007 ) - The Peoria Rivermen were unable to slow down the AHL-leaders in goals scored, the Chicago Wolves, falling 6-1 in front of 8,414 at the Allstate Arena.

Peoria (34-28-2-5, 75 pts) struggled all season with the Wolves, finishing the regular season series with a 2-7-0-1 record while being outscored 48-23.

Chicago (41-23-2-6, 90 pts) got on the board just 1:22 into the first frame on left wing Jordan LaVallee's 14th goal of the 2006-07 campaign. Right wing Niko Dimitrakos intercepted a pass along the left-wing boards and slipped the puck to center Cory Larose located at the hash marks. Larose dropped the puck back to LaVallee, who was streaking through the slot, where he lifted a shot over Rivermen netminder Chris Beckford-Tseu.

The Rivermen evened the score at 10:52 of the opening session on their eighth shorthanded tally of the season. Peoria won the face-off in the neutral zone and right wing Jon DiSalvatore raced down the left-wing boards with the puck. When DiSalvatore reached the left face-off circle, he snapped what appeared to be a centering pass in the slot that ricocheted off of Wolves defenseman Nathan Oystrick's skate and through the legs of Chicago goalie Michael Garnett. It was DiSalvatore's 19th goal of the year.

The Wolves regained the lead for good at 6:33 of the second stanza. While on a delayed penalty call, center Andre Deveaux controlled the puck in the corner then slid a centering pass to the goalmouth for center Kevin Doell, who stick-handled it around Beckford-Tseu for his 14th marker of the season. The goal began a string of five unanswered tallies.

At 2:49 of the third period, Chicago notched its 19th shorthanded goal of the year. Left wing Colin Stuart began a two-on-one with center Kevin Doell. Stuart whipped a shot that was blocked by Rivermen defenseman Jamie Rivers; however, the puck trickled toward the net and with Beckford-Tseu out of position after committing to the shot by Stuart, Doell buried it into the vacated net.

Less than two minutes later, at 4:46 of the final frame, defenseman Brian Sipotz gave the Wolves a 4-1 advantage. Doell led a rush into the Rivermen zone and fired a shot that was redirected into the net by Sipotz, who had slipped behind the Peoria defense for his second marker of the year.

Chicago added a power play goal at 8:31 of the last session. From the slot, left wing Brett Sterling slid a pass between the hash marks, where defenseman Mark Popovic blasted a one-timer past Beckford-Tseu for his 14th tally of the season.

The Wolves capped off the scoring with another man advantage marker at 19:34 of the third session as Brian Fahey was the third different Chicago defenseman to record a goal in the game.

The Rivermen, who fell to 14-15-1-3 on the road, will continue their six-game road trip on Tuesday, March 27 in Iowa, where Peoria will attempt to regain fourth place and the final playoff spot in the West Division. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2007


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