AHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Outlast Wolves 3-2

January 10, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Rosemont, Ill. (January 10, 2009) - The Peoria Rivermen scored early and never trailed in their 3-2 win over the Chicago Wolves on Saturday night at Allstate Arena. Trent Whitfield's goal with 0.2 seconds left in the second period proved to be the game winner as Chicago scored twice in the third period to get back within one.

Peoria has now won three out of four meetings against the defending Calder Cup Champions with the only loss coming in their first meeting on Oct. 18. The Rivermen win extended the Wolves' losing streak to six games.

Jonas Junland's minor at 18:55 gave Chicago a six-on-four advantage for the final 65 seconds of regulation but Ben Bishop's 23 save performance was enough to hold off the Wolves. The Rivermen were outshot 12-1 over the final 20 minutes and 25-17 in the game.

An unlikely source accounted for the only goal of the first period as Ryan Reaves banked a pass off the skate of Eric Neilson at 4:00. Only two shifts removed from the Rivermen first penalty kill, Reaves stood at the side of the net and had his pass tip off the toe of Nielson for his second goal of the season. It was his first goal since Oct. 31 against Quad City.

Peoria expanded their lead to 3-0 during the middle frame as Jeff Cowan and Whitfield chipped in with bookend goals. Cowan scored his second goal in as many games at 1:57 to raise his season total to four on the season. Jim Jackson wristed the puck toward the goal and Cowan deflected it out of the air and between the legs of Robert Gherson. The puck narrowly crossed the line before it was whisked out of the net by a defender.

Whitfield' buzzer-beater came on the power-play in the final second of the period. Junland and Steve Wagner, who finished with two assists, worked the puck to Whitfield to carry into the offensive zone. He pulled up for a shot from the top of the right circle, only to have it blocked. It bounced right back to him and his second slapshot hit the back of the net with 0.2 seconds remaining.

The captain has now scored the game-winner in each of the last two Rivermen wins and has five goals in his last five games.

Jeff Hamilton and Steve Martins scored at 7:46 and 10:10 respectively to energize the Wolves and the 7,312 fans in attendance but Peoria held Chicago to an 0-for-6 performance on the power play to stop them from completing the comeback.

The Rivermen and Wolves will not meet again until Feb. 4 back in Chicago.

Peoria returns home on Sunday to host the Manitoba Moose at 5:00 p.m. It is a Comcast/Journal Star/Fun on the Run/Coke Family day as tickets for kids 12 and under can be purchased for just $1. Hot dogs, cokes and chips will also be available for $1 each from 4-5:00 p.m. 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



American Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2009


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