Rivermen Shut Down Dayton 6-0
Published on March 26, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Peoria, Ill. (March 26, 2004) â Rivermen goaltender Levente Szuper turned away all 26 Dayton Bombers' shots he faced for his fourth shutout of the season, as the Peoria Rivermen powered through Dayton 6-0 in front 5,330 on Friday night at Carver Arena.
Szuper stopped four shots in the first period, nine in the second and then 13 in the final session for his 20th victory of the season (20-8-1); it is the first 20-win season of his four-year career. It was the 12th shutout of Szuper's career and the eighth by a Rivermen netminder this season. Szuper is one shutout away from his career season-high of five.
At 9:12 of the final session, the Rivermen made it 5-0. An Igor Valeev shot from the right face-off circle was stopped by Dayton goaltender Andrew Penner, but Rivermen Captain Trevor Baker was at the top of the goal crease and used a second effort to chip his 16th tally of the season over Penner, who went down to make the initial save.
Valeev, who was reassigned to the Rivermen from the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate â the Worcester IceCats â on Wednesday, has five points (3g, 2a) and a +5 plus/minus in the last two games.
Peoria completed the scoring at 11:17 of the third. Scott Crawford took a pass from Tyler Rennette in the right face-off circle, pushed the puck ahead and then found Valeev for a tip-in at the top of the goal crease. It was Valeev's second tally of the night and fourth in a Rivermen uniform. Rennette finished the night with three assists.
Peoria (42-18-9, 93 points) has won three in a row overall and a season-best seven straight at home, improving to 20-11-3 at Carver Arena this season. The Rivermen improved to 5-3-1 against the Bombers with two games remaining in the season series. Peoria remained in second place in the nine-team Northern Division, three points in front of the defending Kelly Cup Champion Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies and the rival Johnstown Chiefs. Dayton (25-38-5, 55 points) had its four-game winning streak snapped in the loss and dropped to 10-22-3 on the road.
Penner stopped 39 of 45 shots in his 24th loss of the season (14-24-2).
The Rivermen took a 1-0 lead just 11 seconds into the game. Tyler Rennette fed Igor Valeev as he worked into the Dayton zone on left wing. Valeev cut in underneath Dayton defenseman Sean Connolly and backhanded the puck over Penner. It was the quickest goal to start a game this season.
Peoria made it 2-0 at 1:46 of the opening period. Rennette held the puck in at the center point and chipped it ahead to Colin Hemingway, who darted to the top of the right face-off circle and ripped his 18th goal in a Rivermen uniform into the upper left corner.
The Rivermen grabbed a 3-0 lead at 4:02 of the second. Defenseman Chad Starling, stationed along the boards at the top of the left face-off circle, wristed a shot on net that was stopped by Penner. The rebound came off Penner's left pad and right to David Kaczowka, who snapped home his fifth goal of the season and third in a Rivermen uniform.
Peoria collected its second goal of the middle stanza and fourth of the night at 16:02 of the second. Trevor Baker stole the puck in the high slot in the Dayton zone and fed Kaczowka down the left side. Kaczowka quickly one-touched the puck to Jason Norrie for an easy tap-in just off the right goal post. It was Norrie's 12th marker of the season and fourth in a Rivermen uniform.
Tomorrow night â Saturday, March 27 â the Rivermen and the archrival Bombers do battle for the 10th time this season. Game time is 7:00 p.m. It is Ashley Furniture/UFS/Ralph Rashid Fan Appreciation Night. More than $75,000 in prizes will be given away.
ECHL Stories from March 26, 2004
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- Royals Win Two Straight Spoiling Cyclones Home Finale, 4-3 - Reading Royals
- Gladiators Blank Wildcatters, 8-0 - Atlanta Gladiators
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- Blades Fall 2-1 in Roanoke - Florida Everblades
- Bullies Wipe Out Storm 9-0 - Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
- Chiefs Post Franchise Record 18th Road Win - Johnstown Chiefs
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