Rivermen Snap Three-Game Losing Streak, Beat Alaska, 4-3
Published on November 2, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Anchorage, Alaska (November 1, 2003) â When it came down to it, Rivermen Captain Trevor Baker stepped up to lead his team out of an early-season, three-game losing streak in a 4-3 victory in front of 5,208 on Saturday night at Sullivan Arena.
Baker connected for his second goal of the night and third of the year, which proved to be the game winner, at 7:52 of the third period. Camped out on the right post, he banged twice at a Scott Crawford rebound, while getting hammered by the Aces defense, before jamming the puck past Alaska goaltender Dan Murphy.
Baker got Peoria on the board with the opening period's only goal with 4:44 left in the session. Rookie defenseman Craig Olynick brought the puck into Alaska zone on left wing, carrying it through the face-off circle to the goal post. Olynick's shot was stopped by Murphy, but Baker took the puck behind the net around to the other post, where he stuffed it in for his second tally of the season and in as many nights.
It was the third straight game the Rivermen took the lead to start a game against Alaska.
Peoria (3-3-1, 7 points) salvaged two points after losing the first two games of the three-game set against the Aces. The Rivermen moved into a tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference's Northern Division with the win. Alaska (4-2-0, 8 points) had its four-game winning streak snapped with the defeat. The Aces remain tied for second place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division.
Peoria's Mike Valley stopped 16 of 19 in his third win of the season (3-1-1). Murphy turned away 15 of 19 in his second loss of the year (4-2-0).
With Alaska on the power play, the Rivermen struck shorthanded for the second game in a row early in the second session. Randy Rowe stole a pass at the Rivermen blueline, trucking his way into the Alaska zone. He twice split two Aces defensemen, who were trying to recover defensively, before stickhandling past one of them and roofing a backhand shot over Murphy for a 2-0 lead at 2:57.
The Aces got on the board at 5:24 of the second stanza on the first of two in the session from Mark Smith took a pass from Louis Mass, catching Valley out of position and sending in his fourth of the season.
The Rivermen re-gained their second two-goal advantage at 8:25 of the second. All-Star Tyler Rennette, who had just one shot in the first two games in Alaska, intercepted an Aces clearing attempt in the slot and rifled home his fourth of the year.
Alaska got back within one goal just 28 seconds later on Smith's second of the session. Smith maneuvered into the Peoria zone on a breakaway, keeping a pestering Baker at bay, and beat Valley for his fifth of the year.
Midway through the second period, Rivermen tough man Craig Brunel duked it out with Alaska's Mike Lee at center ice, using three punches to send Lee to the ice.
Peoria rookie defenseman Brian Gaffaney was assessed a major penalty for buttending and a game misconduct early in the third period. The major penalty gave the Aces a five-minute power play, in which they could score as many as goals as possible without losing the man advantage.
The Aces took advantage early in that power play to tie the game 3-3 at 1:39. Wes Dorey tipped in his second of the season on a shot from the right point by veteran Kimbi Daniels. The Aces were 1-for-5 on the power play for the game, while Peoria was 0-for-6.
The Rivermen host the Reading Royals in a two-game set next weekend. On Friday, November 7, the Rivermen face off against the Royals at 7:05 p.m. at Carver Arena before a post-game Christian concert with Audio Adrenaline. On Saturday, November 8, Peoria and Reading will duel at a special 6:00 p.m. start time with a post-game, double bill featuring Eddie Money and Survivor.
American Hockey League Stories from November 2, 2003
- Falcons Overcome P-Bruins on Taffe's Late Goal - Springfield Falcons
- Checkers Shut Out By Roanoke 2-0 - Charlotte Checkers
- Barney's Big Weekend Lifts Monarchs To Third Straight - Manchester Monarchs
- Hamilton Loses To The Barons - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Phantoms win 6-2 at Hershey - Adirondack Phantoms
- Bears Fall to Philadelphia, 6-2 - Hershey Bears
- Penguins Freeze 'Cats - Worcester IceCats
- Bruins drop heartbreaker in Springfield - Providence Bruins
- Crunch Recall Riley Cote From Dayton - Syracuse Crunch
- Rivermen Snap Three-Game Losing Streak, Beat Alaska, 4-3 - Peoria Rivermen
- Columbia Overcomes Checkers 4-3 in OT - Charlotte Checkers
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