ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Nipped in Reading 3-1

March 15, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Reading, Pa. (March 15, 2005) – Nearly four months to the day since their first visit to the Sovereign Center this season, the Peoria Rivermen turned in a repeat performance as they fell 3-1 to the Reading Royals in front of 5,303 on Tuesday night.

The games were eerily similar, as Peoria trailed early on November 16 before tying the game 1-1 on a power play goal, just as it did in this game. In both games, Peoria surrendered a third-period special teams goal that decided the game. On November 16, it was a shorthanded goal by David Masse, and on this night, it was a power play marker. And each contest finished with Reading sealing the win with a tally in the final minute of play. The goaltenders were even the same as Chris Beckford-Tseu tended nets for Peoria and Barry Brust for Reading.

The Royals would record the game winner with the man advantage early in the final period. Troy Milam, at the center point, rifled a low shot toward the Peoria net that Captain Cail MacLean, just above the goal crease, tipped through the legs of Beckford-Tseu at 3:43. It was MacLean's 16th marker of the year.

With Peoria's net empty and just after a power play expired, the Royals would add the empty-net tally with 46 seconds remaining in the game. Just as David Masse exited the penalty box, Graig Mischler found him at the center red line. Masse, who had a buffer along the left-wing boards between he and Rivermen rookie defenseman Aaron Forsythe, easily flipped the puck down the ice into the open Peoria goal. It was Masse's third goal in a Reading uniform this season in 12 games.

Peoria (30-21-7, 67 points) has lost three of its last four games to open a five-city, seven-game, nine-day road trip. The Rivermen dropped to 11-14-2 on the road this year. Despite the loss, Peoria has held the opposition to three goals or less in 25 of its last 30 games. Reading (35-18-5, 75 points) has won four of its last five contests and improved to 18-7-2 at home this season.

Beckford-Tseu (9-11-3) stopped 30 of 32 Reading shots in the loss, and Brust (21-8-3) turned away 26 of 27 Peoria chances in the win.

An errant pass toward the slot early in the first period gave the Royals a 1-0 lead at 3:04. Mike Sandbeck cut off the pass at the left side of the bottom of the right face-off circle, roofing his seventh of the year into the upper right corner and popping the water bottle off the top of the netting.

The Rivermen tied the game up on the power play with 3:44 left in the opening session. Chad Starling, just inside the blue line at the center point, rifled a stomach-high shot toward the Reading goal that veteran Reggie Stringer deflected down and inside the right goal post. The tally gave him 17 on the year and his fourth in four straight contests.

On Thursday, March 17, the Rivermen travel to Johnstown, Pa., to take on the rival Chiefs. Game time is 6:00 p.m. at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena.

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ECHL Stories from March 15, 2005


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