Rivermen Fall 2-1 in Overtime to Reading in Game One of the Northern Division Finals
April 17, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Peoria, Ill. (April 17, 2004) â The third time was a charm for the opposition in overtime at Carver Arena on Saturday night in Game One of the Northern Division Finals.
After winning two 2-1 overtime decisions over the defending Kelly Cup Champion Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies to win the Northern Division Semifinals, the Peoria Rivermen surrendered an overtime tally to lose 2-1 to the Reading Royals before 2,333.
Just 24 seconds into extra time on a failed clearing attempt just inside the Peoria blue line, the Royals' Judd Medak pushed the puck to the high slot between the tops of the face-off circles. Using a defenseman as a screen, Medak roofed his second goal of the playoffs into the upper left corner.
Peoria (3-2, 6 points) had its 11-game home winning streak snapped in the defeat. Reading (5-2, 10 points) has won two in a row overall and improved to 4-1 on the road in the playoffs; the Royals were a dismal 12-18-6 away from the Sovereign Center in the regular season.
Peoria goaltender Mike Valley turned away 23 of 25 chances in the loss (2-1), his first of the postseason, while former Rivermen goaltender Cody Rudkowsky stopped 32 of 33 Rivermen shots in the victory (5-2). Rudkowsky has started all seven playoff games for Reading.
The Royals took a 1-0 lead to the locker room after one period with a power play goal, their eighth in seven playoff games. Royals Captain Brad Church found David Masse darting down the slot Masse, who leads the ECHL in playoff power play goals with four, waited for the defense to collapse to him before finding Peter Hay all alone just off the left goal post. Hay easily slapped the puck into open net with Valley out at the top of the crease expecting a Masse.
The Rivermen had a chance to tie the game with a penalty shot at 7:01 of the second. Adam Edinger broke in underneath the Reading defense and then was hauled down in the slot by Mikko Viitanen. On the ensuing penalty shot, Edinger brought the puck down the left side of the slot. A left-handed shot, he faked a forehand move and then pulled the puck back to his backhand, forcing Rudkowsky out of position. Edinger looked like he slipped the puck inside the right goal post, but Rudkowsky â on his back â threw his glove over the puck for the save.
Peoria's only other penalty shot opportunity this season came in Reading on March 16 as part of a 4-3 shootout loss. Rivermen Captain Trevor Baker was stopped at 7:26 of the second period in that game by Rudkowsky.
Baker set up the game-tying goal at 13:31 of the third period, winning a face-off in the left circle back to Joe Vandermeer at the point. Vandermeer had a shooting lane created when George Halkidis and David Kaczowka held their men up. With a Royals defenseman screening Rudkowsky, Vandermeer a floated a wrist shot through the legs of Reading netminder for his first tally of the playoffs.
The goal ended a shutout streak for Rudkowsky that spanned 145:58 and dated back to 7:33 of the second period of Game Four of Reading's Northern Division Semifinal series with Wheeling.
The Rivermen face off against the Royals in Game Two of the Northern Division Finals on Monday, April 19. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Carver Arena.
ECHL Stories from April 17, 2004
- Gwinnett Even Series with 2-1 win - Atlanta Gladiators
- Rivermen Fall 2-1 in Overtime to Reading in Game One of the Northern Division Finals - Peoria Rivermen
- IceGators Fall To Gladiators 2-1 - Louisiana IceGators
- Aces lose 4-1 in Game 2, series tied - Alaska Aces
- Steelheads draw even with Aces, 4-1 - Idaho Steelheads
- Blades Win Double Overtime Thriller 2-1, Lead Series 2-0 - Florida Everblades
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