ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Edge Wheeling in a Shootout 2-1

March 26, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Peoria, Ill. – Fighting to move into a playoff spot for the first time this season, the Peoria Rivermen did just that by beating the Wheeling Nailers 2-1 in a shootout in front of 4,813 on Friday night at Carver Arena.

With the win and two points, the Rivermen moved into a three-way tie for the fourth and final playoff spot in the eight-team North Division with eight games left to play, six of which come on the road. Peoria is tied with Wheeling, who they face off against at home again tomorrow night, and Toledo.

Brian McCullough scored the shootout winner in the second round. He brought the puck in down the right side of the Wheeling zone, cutting across the low slot to the left post and pulling Wheeling goaltender Andy Chiodo out of position for a flip shot just inside the right post. Newcomer Phil Lewandowski, who was acquired from Long Beach on Tuesday at the ECHL trade deadline, sealed the win with a shootout tally in the third round, beating Chiodo through the legs from the low slot.

The Nailers tied the game 1-1 on the power play. Ed McGrane slapped a low shot on net from the top of the right face-off circle that Rivermen goaltender Alfie Michaud stopped with his right pad. The rebound popped to the left side of the goal crease, where Pascal Morency was stopped, but Brendan Hodge converted a second chance from just off the left goal post. It was his 14th tally of the season.

Peoria (35-22-7, 77 points) has won a season-best nine in a row at home and improved to 22-7-5 at Carver Arena this season. The Rivermen are now 3-4-1 against the Nailers on the year. It was the 20th game in the last 36 that the Rivermen held the opposition to two goals or less. Wheeling (36-23-5, 77 points) is 1-3-1 in its last five games and dropped to 15-14-3 on the road.

Michaud (25-10-4) stopped 37 of 38 shots in regulation and overtime and turned away all four Nailers' chances in the shootout victory. Chiodo turned away 53 of 54 Peoria shots in regulation and overtime and stopped one of three in the shootout loss.

After a scoreless first period, the Rivermen grabbed a 1-0 lead just less than five minutes into the second session. Randy Rowe stole the puck in the right-wing corner, powering his way to the front of the Wheeling goal with two defensemen draped all over him. Rowe was stopped on an initial shot just off the right post and so was rookie Kris Kasper, whose wrist shot from the right side of the low slot was gloved down by Chiodo. Peoria would convert on a third-chance effort, as Captain Trevor Baker flipped a shot into the upper part of the net for his 14th tally of the season.

Tomorrow night – Saturday, March 26, the Rivermen host the Wheeling Nailers in the second of two in a row at Carver Arena. Game time is 7:00 p.m. The first 2,500 fans will receive a Rivermen Duffle Bag, courtesy of OSF – St. Francis Medical Center and Children's Hospital of Illinois.

Check out the Peoria Rivermen Statistics



ECHL Stories from March 26, 2005


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