ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Power Past Trenton 6-2 at Home

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


Peoria, Ill. - The Peoria Rivermen tallied two goals in each period, racing past an undermanned Trenton Titans squad, who had just 13 skaters because of call-ups, in a 6-2 victory before 5,323 on Saturday night at Carver Arena.

The Rivermen made it 5-1 just 1:35 into the third period. Justin Maiser worked into the Trenton zone down the left wing and from the top of the face-off circle fired his second goal of the night into the upper right corner. It was his ninth tally of the season.

Peoria pushed it to a 6-1 advantage seven seconds after a power play expired. Chris Bogas, at the top of the left face-off circle, one-timed a Jake Riddle pass out of the right-wing corner past Trenton goaltender Andrew Allen low inside the left post at 6:51 of the third. It was Bogas' first goal of the year in 33 games.

The Titans netted their second goal of the contest on Scott Bertoli's 13th of the year. Bertoli, falling down in front of the goal, slapped it by Rivermen goaltender Alfie Michaud to finish the scoring at 7:55 of the third.

Peoria (14-15-4, 32 points), who is just a game under .500 on the year, has won two straight overall and four in a row at home; the Rivermen are now 8-5-2 on home ice this season . With the victory, Peoria Head Coach Jason Christie tied Pat Kelly, ECHL Commissioner Emeritus, for the All-Time Regular Season & Playoffs Coaching Wins Record at 209. The Rivermen are 12-2-1 when they score three or more goals in a contest. Trenton (19-10-4, 42 points) has lost three in a row overall and six of its last eight contests. The Titans dropped to 10-4-2 on the road on the year.

Michaud (8-7-2) stopped 22 of 24 in the victory, and Allen (10-6-1) turned away 29 of 35 in the loss.

The Rivermen opened the scoring 8:41 into the game. Brian McCullough raced into the Peoria zone on left wing after taking a pass from defenseman Ed Hill and rifled in the first tally of two in the period inside the right goal post from the top left face-off circle. It was the third consecutive game in which McCullough had scored for his team-leading 15th goal of the season.

McCullough struck again late in the opening session on the power play. Hill fed McCullough in the right face-off circle in the Trenton zone, where McCullough sidestepped a defender and launched his 16th goal of the year into the upper right corner at 19:02 of the first.

Peoria pushed its lead to 3-0 just 2:44 into the middle stanza. Tyler Rennette intercepted a Trenton clearing attempt along the left-wing boards, motored the puck down through the face-off circle and - with a defenseman all over him - was able to get his right hand back on his stick to chip the puck into the upper right corner. It was his ninth goal of the season.

The Rivermen took a 4-0 lead on their second power play of the game. Reggie Stringer, after accepting a pass from Randy Rowe at the bottom of the right face-off circle, snapped the puck to Justin Maiser, who was breaking down the left side of the slot and redirected his eighth goal of the year inside the left post.

Peoria's struggling power play went 2-for-5 against the third-best road penalty-killing unit in the ECHL at 89.5 percent.

Trenton finally got on the board with 2:16 left in the second. Mathieu Brunelle sidestepped Rivermen defenseman Trevor Byrne in the right face-off circle, cut to the left side of the slot - pulling Michaud out of position, and chipping his 12th goal of the year inside the left post.

The Rivermen continue six in a row at Carver Arena next Friday night - Friday, January 21 - against the North Division-leading Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

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