Rivermen Edged in Wheeling 3-2
December 19, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Wheeling, W. Va. (December 19, 2004) â Goals were in short supply on Sunday evening in Wheeling, W.Va. and their only lead lasted all of 15 seconds early in the third period, as the Peoria Rivermen fell to the Wheeling Nailers 3-2 in regulation before a crowd of 2,194 at WesBanco Arena.
The Rivermen broke a 163:49 scoreless streak at WesBanco Arena early in that final session. Tyler Rennette maneuvered into the Wheeling zone and into the high slot, where he rifled his fifth goal of the season into the upper right corner at 3:49.
Peoria took the lead at 6:25 of the final period. Brian McCullough collected a rebound just off the right goal post and chipped a backhand shot into the upper left corner for his eighth tally of the season.
The Nailers tied the game right back up just 15 seconds later on Evgeny Lazarev's sixth goal of the year and second in as many nights. Armands Berzins fed Lazarev in the low slot for a shot that slipped past Rivermen goaltender Alfie Michaud with a maze of traffic in front of the net at 6:40.
Wheeling would win it on Brendan Hodge's second game-winning goal against the Rivermen this season. Ray DiLauro fed Hodge at the left point for an unassuming one-time slap shot that found its way past Michaud into the upper left corner. It was Hodge's sixth goal of the year.
The Rivermen (7-12-3, 17 points), who have lost three in a row, dropped to 3-7-1 on the road and 1-3-1 against the Nailers this season. Wheeling (17-9-0, 34 points) has won five straight games, improving to 10-3-0 at WesBanco Arena this year and 4-1-0 against the Rivermen.
Michaud (2-4-2) turned away 22 of 25 shots in the loss, his first start since December 4 because of injury. Wheeling goaltender Dany Sabourin (15-3-0) registered his ECHL-leading 15th win of the season, stopping 28 of 30 Peoria shots.
There was no scoring in the first period, but the Rivermen dominated the Nailers, outshooting them 11-4. Wheeling was held without a shot until 12:54 of the opening session.
Peoria had just 14 shots the entire game last night in a 2-0 loss to Wheeling.
In the first, Peoria had a shorthanded breakaway chance turned away in each of their first-period, penalty-killing efforts. Randy Rowe was stopped on a chance in the low shot while being hooked early in the session, and then Reggie Stringer lost his footing trying to catch up to a puck in the low shot late in the period.
The Rivermen also had a golden scoring opportunity from Rennette and Travis Rycroft, who tried to snap home Rennette's rebound, midway through the period from just off the left post. And late in the period, Rowe intercepted a clearing attempt just inside the blue line in the middle of the ice and walked into to the slot for a rifle shot that pinged squarely off the right goal post.
The Nailers broke the scoreless tie on the power play at 14:00 of the second. Hodge found DiLauro in the high slot just inside the blue line, and DiLauro sent a low shot about a foot off the ice that made its way inside the right goal post past a screened Michaud.
Wheeling outshot Peoria 12 to eight in the second session.
On Sunday, December 26, the Rivermen travel to Dayton, Ohio for the third time this season to face off against the Bombers. Game time is 1:00 p.m. CT at the Nutter Center.
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