AHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen lance Knights 5-1

Published on April 8, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Omaha, NE - On Saturday evening at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, the Peoria Rivermen worked together as a team to defeat the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights by the score of 5-1. Most of the credit for the victory, however, should go to one particular player.

Center Mike Zigomanis, who was acquired by the Rivermen parent club St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League from the Carolina Hurricanes along with right wing Jesse Boulerice, left wing Magnus Kahnberg, and three draft picks in exchange for center Doug Weight and left wing Erkki Rajamaki on January 30, 2006, had a hand in all five of Peoria's goals on Saturday night. His three goals comprised the second hat-trick ever scored by a member of the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League, and his five total points established a new team record for the most points scored in one game by one player.

Zigomanis began his big night with an assist. After taking a pass from Zigomanis off of the left-wing boards in the Omaha zone, Peoria defenseman Brendan Buckley blasted a slapper from the right point past the stick of Ak-Sar-Ben Knights netminder Brent Krahn just 1:26 into the game. The early go-ahead goal that put the Rivermen up 1-0 was only the second score of the year for Buckley.

Zigomanis got his first goal of the affair on a nice give-and-go play. During a Peoria power play, Zigomanis entered the Omaha end down the middle and then dished the puck off to the left to right winger Jon DiSalvatore. Continuing down the slot, Zigomanis then got the puck back from DiSalvatore at the left hash marks and redirected it past Krahn's stick to collect his 12th goal of the season at the 3:19 mark of the second period and to give Peoria a 2-0 lead. After the goal was scored, Omaha opted to replace Krahn in net with Curtis McElhinney.

About midway through the tilt, Zigomanis notched another man-advantage marker. Stationed near the left-wing boards in the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights' zone, Rivermen left winger Peter Sejna sent in a shot on goal that McElhinney blocked but did not control. As the loose puck went to the goalie's left, Zigomanis was there to quickly bang the puck into the goal before McElhinney could react. Zigomanis' second goal of the contest and 13th of the season staked Peoria to a 3-0 lead at the 8:56 mark of the second frame.

Zigomanis completed his hat-trick in the third period, once again on the power play. On a slap shot from the right point in the Omaha zone by Peoria defenseman Trevor Byrne, the puck hit a body in front and bounced to Zigomanis in the left circle. Zigomanis then buried a one-timer, his 14th strike of 2005-06, to help the Rivermen fashion a 4-1 lead at 10:27 of the final frame.

Zigomanis' scoring outburst ended with his second helper of the outing. From the left point in the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights' end, the Rivermen centerman sent in a shot that McElhinney saved with his left leg pad. DiSalvatore was right there at the door-step, though, to pop the loose puck up over McElhinney into the upper portion of the goal. The fourth power-play goal of the night for Peoria came at 18:11 of the third session for a 5-1 Rivermen advantage and improved DiSalvatore's season goal total to 21.

The Rivermen now possess an overall mark of 44-25-3-4 and a road record of 21-13-3-2. The Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, on the other hand, now stand 34-28-3-10 on the season and 16-13-2-9 at home.

The Ak-Sar-Ben Knights finally lit the lamp late in the middle frame. Looping around and down the right wing in the Peoria zone with the puck, Omaha left wing Cam Cunning angled toward the Rivermen goal at the bottom of the right circle. When Peoria goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu went down in anticipation of a shot from Cunning, the left winger fired a wrong-footed wrist shot over the netminder's right shoulder and up into the top left corner of the cage. The goal at the 17:00 mark of the second made the score 3-1 in favor of Peoria and gave Cunning two tallies on the year.

The Rivermen will now return home to Carver Arena for a Sunday rematch with the Omaha squad at 5:00 p.m. (CDT).

Check out the Peoria Rivermen Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from April 8, 2006


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