AHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Grab Third Straight Win

Published on March 8, 2009 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


PEORIA, Ill. - The Peoria Rivermen took another step towards catching the pack in the West Division with a 4-3 shootout victory over the visiting Rockford IceHogs at Carver Arena. Nicholas Drazenovic, Carl Corazzini and Steve Regier all scored in the shootout as Chris Holt stopped all three IceHogs shots to earn the win.

The win pulled the Rivermen within three points of the Chicago Wolves for the fourth and final playoff spot. They have two games remaining with the Wolves, including tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.

It was the second meeting in a row that the Rivermen and the IceHogs needed more than 60 minutes to decide the outcome. The Rivermen have won six of the nine meetings this season, three of which have come in a shootout.

Holt finished with 24 saves in his first start since Jan. 24. It was his ninth win of the season.

The two teams traded bookend goals in the first period with the Rivermen striking early and the IceHogs tied it late. Ryan Reaves scored his second goal in as many nights on anther nice setup from Curtis Fraser. With Reaves parked just outside the crease, Fraser slid the puck from behind net onto the blade of Reaves for his seventh of the season.

With the clock inside the final minute of the frame, Bryan Bickell blasted a one-timer past the glove of Holt with only 19.4 seconds remaining. It was Bickell's first goal since suffering a broken thumb on New Year's Eve.

The two teams combined for 30 shots and three goals during the middle period that led to a 3-2 IceHogs' lead. It was Rockford with the early goal to take their first lead of the game. Adam Hobson's third of the year with assists from Pete MacArthur and Jake Dowell.

Danny Richmond tied the game at two at the 7:09 mark by sending a backhand shot off the crossbar and in from inside the right circle. It came as time expired on the power play and capped a 1-for-6 power-play performance for the Rivermen. The goal for Richmond was his fourth of the year and first with the Rivermen since he was acquired on Wednesday from Pittsburgh.

The IceHogs took back the lead just before the end of the second period on a slapshot from Logan Stephenson at 18:24.

Trailing 3-2, midway through the third period, Ivan Vishnevskiy scored his fifth goal of the year to eventually force overtime. The rookie danced through a few defenders on his way to the net before backhanding it through the legs of Crawford.

A scoreless overtime gave way to an abbreviated shootout as Crawford was unable to stop any of the three shooters and Holt denied every attempt by Rockford. It was the first shootout this season that Holt has been involved in with the Rivermen.

The Rivermen hit the road for a West Division showdown with the Wolves in Chicago on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. The game will have a live radio broadcast available on Hippie 101.1FM as well as www.rivermen.net.

Peoria returns to Carver Arena on Sunday, March 15 with a 3:00 p.m. start against the Quad City Flames. Tickets are available at the Peoria Civic Center Box Office, by calling (309) 676-1040 or online at www.rivermen.net/tickets.

Check out the Peoria Rivermen Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2009


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