AHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Shellack Wheeling 7-0; Rennette Notches Hat Trick & Valley Gets Shutout

Published on October 24, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Peoria, Ill. (October 24, 2003) – All-Star center Tyler Rennette recorded the hat trick and Mike Valley registered the shutout, as the Peoria Rivermen trounced the division rival Wheeling Nailers 7-0 before a crowd of 4,273 on Friday night at Carver Arena.

Rennette completed the hat trick on the power play at 15:22 of the third period. He took a pass between the face-off circles in the Wheeling zone and fired a slap shot past goaltender Tyler McKay, who relieved AHL veteran Martin Brochu at 12:18 of the second period. Rennette's tally finished the seven-goal output by Peoria.

Valley, who played last season for Wheeling and had a shutout against Peoria, picked up the shutout with 23 saves on 23 Wheeling shots. Last season, Valley had four shutouts and now has eight for his career.

Captain Trevor Baker helped set up Rennette's hat trick, figuring in four of the team's seven tallies with four assists.

Earlier in the third period, Randy Rowe notched his second tally of the night, pounding home a Craig Brunel pass at 13:32 for a 6-0 lead.

The Rivermen utilized seven power play opportunities in the game, collecting three goals with the man advantage. Wheeling was scoreless in seven opportunities.

Late in regulation, speedy Rivermen center Brendan Brooks got into a scuffle with Wheeling's Steve Crampton in front of the Nailers bench. Brooks and Crampton went toe-to-toe before Brooks knocked Crampton back with a huge right hook.

Peoria (2-0-1, 5 points) remains undefeated in regulation three games into the 2003-2004 season. The Rivermen finished last season with a 5-2-2 record against the Nailers. Wheeling (2-1-0), which opened the season with a 2-0-0 record for the first time in Wheeling hockey history, mustered just 11 shots over the first two periods.

Brochu stopped 16 of 20 in the loss, while McKay turned away 13 of 16 in relief.

The Rivermen opened the scoring at 3:04 of the first period. Rookie defenseman Craig Olynick, stationed at the top of the right circle, took a Josh Kern pass and wristed the puck toward the Wheeling goal. The puck deflected off of a Wheeling defenseman and up over the left shoulder of Brochu for Olynick's first professional tally.

Peoria took a 2-0 lead just over seven minutes later. From the bottom of the right circle, Peoria defenseman Scott Crawford found Rennette at the top of the Wheeling crease. Rennette waited for Brochu to go down and snapped the puck up into the open goal.

Rennette added his second at 16:47 of the opening session. With several Rivermen crashing the Wheeling goal, Baker tapped the puck to Rennette, who stuffed it past Brochu.

Peoria added its fourth goal of the night at 11:29 of the second period. Rowe intercepted a Wheeling clearing attempt just after a Rivermen power play expired and rifled home his first of the season from the top of the right circle.

The Rivermen used the power play again to make it 5-0 at 3:24 of the third period. Alex Kim dropped the puck off to Brooks at the right circle. Brooks took the puck, maneuvered to the front of the goal and used the defenseman as a screen to beat McKay with a wrist shot over the right shoulder.

The Rivermen will host the Nailers tomorrow night in the second of the two in a row between the clubs. Game time is 7:05 p.m. at Carver Arena.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 24, 2003


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