Rivermen prevail over Wolves, 4-3, in a shootout
March 12, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Chicago, IL (March 11, 2006) - Before an announced crowd of 10,812 at Allstate Arena in Chicago, the Peoria Rivermen prevailed over the Chicago Wolves in a shootout by the score of 4-3. Center Ryan Ramsay led the way for the Rivermen with one goal and one assist, while forwards Cam Keith and Reed Low each netted one goal as well. Reinhard Divis picked up the win in net for Peoria, turning aside 36 Chicago shots on goal during regulation and overtime and stymieing all four of the Wolves' shootout attempts. The shootout win was the first victory in Chicago all season for the Rivermen, and it came in their last visit to the "Windy City" for 2005-06.
As part of their 10-game 2005-06 regular season series with the Wolves, the Rivermen were scheduled to play five of those tilts at Carver Arena at the Peoria Civic Center and the other five contests at Allstate Arena in Chicago. Just one home game against the Wolves remains this year for the Rivermen, and that meeting of these two regional rivals is scheduled for Friday, April 7, in Peoria. After Saturday's game, on the other hand, the road portion of the Peoria club's series with the Chicago squad is now complete. In five games played in Chicago this season, the Rivermen posted a record of 1-3-0-1. It took a while for the Rivermen to break through in Chicago, as they lost in their first three outings there by scores of 6-5, 4-1, and 11-5 on December 9, December 11, and December 30, respectively. Then on Wednesday, February 22, the Peoria side was able to earn one point in the "Windy City" with a 3-2 shootout loss. Finally, in their fifth and final visit to Chicago this season on Saturday evening, the Rivermen achieved victory at Allstate Arena with a 4-3 shootout triumph.
With their shootout win in Chicago on Saturday evening, the Rivermen improve to 36-22-2-4 overall and to 16-11-2-2 on the road. The Wolves, meanwhile, now stand 25-27-3-8 on the season and 13-14-2-1 at home.
The Rivermen jumped out to an early lead in this game, going up 1-0 just 51 seconds into the first period. Taking a nice lead-pass from center Ryan Ramsay that sprung him into the Chicago slot, Peoria winger Cam Keith collected the puck and then flipped it up over the stick of Wolves goalie Michael Garnett and into the top left corner of the goal. The early strike was the fourth goal of the season for Keith.
Midway through the opening frame, the Wolves drew even with the Rivermen at one goal apiece. Receiving a pass from defenseman Nick Naumenko on the outside of his left skate, Chicago right wing Justin Morrison kicked the puck up to his stick as he skated down the right wing in the Peoria zone. When he reached the right face-off dot, Morrison sent a shot in on Rivermen netminder Reinhard Divis that just squeezed between the goalie's body and right arm and then dribbled into the goal at the 9:20 mark of the first for Morrison's 14th tally of the year.
The Rivermen took the lead back at 2-1 on a power play in the early minutes of the second period. When Peoria right wing Jon DiSalvatore threaded a pass from the left face-off dot in the Chicago end through the skates of a Wolves defender to the top of the crease, winger Reed Low had to make only a simple redirection shot to notch his first goal of 2005-06 at the 3:38 mark of the middle frame.
The Wolves then tied the game once again on a special-teams goal of their own. During a Peoria power-play chance, Chicago center Kevin Doell from the top of the right circle in the Rivermen end found left winger Brian Maloney with a pass into the slot. Maloney then beat Divis with a pretty left-to-right toe-drag move to knot the score at 2-2 and to record his 12th goal of the season at 7:46 of the second.
On a right-point shot by defenseman Mike Stuart in the Chicago zone, Peoria took the lead for the third time in the contest. Stuart's shot went well wide and hit the end boards, but the puck then bounced to Ramsay to the left of the Wolves goal along the goalline. From a bad angle and with Garnett out of position, Ramsay was able to dent the twine at the 8:24 mark of the second session for a 3-2 Peoria advantage and his ninth tally of the year.
Just 30 seconds later, the Wolves claimed another tied score. After Chicago right wing Pat Dwyer left a drop-pass in the right circle of the Peoria zone, center Kip Miller skated onto the puck, took time to settle it, and then fired a sweep shot from the right hash marks that sizzled by Divis' glove at 8:54 of the middle period. Miller's 15th lamp-lighter of the season so far forged a 3-3 deadlock in this tilt.
Following a scoreless third period and overtime session, the game moved to a shootout tournament to decide a winner. Peoria's DiSalvatore was the first player for either team to convert a shootout attempt, and his goal came in the first half of the third round. As the shootout entered the fifth and final round of the regulation stage, the Rivermen held a 1-0 advantage and would win the shootout with a goal in that round. Peoria's final shooter center Gavin Morgan then came through with that shootout goal to win the game for the Rivermen.
The Rivermen will now make their way home to Carver Arena to entertain the Cleveland Barons on Sunday, March 12, at 5:00 p.m. (CST).
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