Rivermen End First Half with Bishop's Sixth Shutout
January 13, 2012 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
The Peoria Rivermen won the 38th game of the season with a 38-save performance from goaltender Ben Bishop in a 4-0 victory over the Lake Erie Monsters at Carver Arena on Thursday night. The shutout for Bishop was his league-leading sixth of the season, twice as many as any other goaltender, and 16th win which is also tied for the AHL's best.
T.J. Hensick had a goal and two assists and now has five points over the last two games. Brett Sterling and Derek Nesbitt each added a goal and assists. The Rivermen finish the first half of the season with a 19-16-2-1 record and 41 points, tied for third in the Midwest Division and seventh in the Western Conference.
The Rivermen took an early lead with a power-play goal at the 5:37 mark of the first period. With the puck just outside the faceoff circle Derek Nesbitt's pass deflected to Hensick who, from a bad angle, one-timed the puck into an open net for his 13th goal of the year.
The Rivermen took a two-goal lead at the 3:53 mark of the second on yet another power-play goal, this time off the stick of Sterling. Danny Syvret's shot from the point was initially stopped by Trevor Cann, but the rebound kicked to Sterling to the right of the crease and he wristed the puck into the goal for his team-leading 16th of the season.
Peoria took a three goal lead when Nesbitt deflected a cross-ice pass from Anthony Nigro over the glove of Cann and into the top of the net 13:15 into the second. Hensick also picked up an assist, on Nesbitt's 13th of the year, for his 16th three-point game of his career.
Mark Cundari iced the game at 18:33 putting the puck into the empty net for his second of the year.
The Rivermen fired a season-high 44 shots on goal, while the power play converted twice on six opportunities.
The Rivermen play the first of back-to-back games with the Houston Aeros Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the Peoria Civic Center box office, by calling 309-676-1040 or online at www.rivermen.net.
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