Rivermen Hold On for 3-2 At Home Over Archrival Toledo
Published on February 1, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Peoria, Ill. (February 1, 2004) â The Peoria Rivermen jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held on for a 3-2 win over the archrival Toledo Storm before 3,501 on Sunday afternoon at Carver Arena.
The Rivermen posted it two wins in a row at home for the third time this season but have yet to post three straight there. They will get the chance on February 13 when they host the Pacific Division Idaho Steelheads. With the victory, the Rivermen improved to 11-8-3 on home ice, averaging 4.09 goals per game when victorious.
Peoria (25-12-7, 57 points) moved to within six points of the defending Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies, who lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Augusta Lynx this afternoon. The Rivermen stayed unbeaten in regulation against the Storm in five games (3-0-2). The teams will meet seven more times over the final two months of the regular season. Toledo (18-22-4, 40 points) has lost four of its last five games and dropped to 9-11-3 on the road.
Peoria's Mike Valley, starting consecutive games for the first time since New Year's Eve, posted his 14th win (14-5-5) by stopping 30 of 32 Toledo shots. The Storm's Jimi St. John surrendered three tallies on 41 shots a night after shutting out the Roanoke Express at home with 31 saves.
Peoria opened the scoring just 19 seconds into the game. Adam Edinger, dancing through the right face-off circle, snapped a quick pass to Marty Johnston, who was at the right side of the slot and cranked a one-time shot past Toledo goaltender St. John. It was Johnston's 10th tally of the season and sixth in a Rivermen uniform. Scott Turner also had an assist on the goal.
The Rivermen pushed their lead to 2-0 at 13:38. Edinger broke into the Toledo zone on a two-on-one with Turner. Turner took a pass from Edinger just off the left post and slipped it under St. John for his fifth goal of the season.
Peoria made it 3-0 at 13:21 of the second period. Defenseman Scott Crawford maneuvered into the Toledo zone down to the bottom of the right face-off circle and backhanded the puck to Greg Black, who was just off the right post and chipped the puck over a screened St. John.
Toledo finally got on the board at 18:36 of the second. Chris Gignac stole the puck in the right face-off circle in the Peoria zone and fed Kris Waltze with a behind-the-back pass in the slot. Waltze wasted no time firing his second tally of the season past a helpless Valley.
The Storm got within one with 4:28 remaining in regulation. Jim Abbott fed Gignac on a behind-the-back clearing pass out of the Toledo zone up the left wing. Gignac then broke into the Peoria end on a two-on-one with Marco Charpentier, who took a pass at the inner part right face-off circle and snapped the puck just inside the left post.
On Wednesday, February 4, the Rivermen travel to Atlantic City to face off against the defending Kelly Cup Champion Boardwalk Bullies. Game time is 6:00 p.m. CT. It is a rescheduled road game from Saturday, March 20.
ECHL Stories from February 1, 2004
- Gladiators Weekly Update - Atlanta Gladiators
- Lynx Nip Bullies 4-3 In A Shootout - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Florence Pride Weekly - Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz
- Mississippi Announces Top Players In January - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Royals Rout Bombers, 8-1 - Reading Royals
- Royals best Bombers, 8-1 - Dayton Bombers
- Rivermen Hold On for 3-2 At Home Over Archrival Toledo - Peoria Rivermen
- ECHL Today - ECHL
- Chiefs Cruise By Royals For Third Straight Time - Reading Royals
- Ice Dogs earn point against Idaho - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Checkers Take Down First Place Columbia 3-2 - Charlotte Checkers
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