ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen split weekend home games

January 31, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


THE RECAP:

Friday, January 28, 2005 vs. San Diego Game #36 ECHL Game #544

Rivermen 3 San Diego 0

The Peoria Rivermen used a stifling defense to shut down and shut out the visiting the San Diego Gulls and the ECHL's second-best offensive club 3-0 before 4,645 on Friday night at Carver Arena.

The Rivermen entered the game with the ECHL's fourth-best defense, allowing just 2.49 tallies per contest.

Peoria outshot the Gulls 21-2 in the opening session, 15-8 in the second and 15-2 in the final stanza for a season-high 51. San Diego's two shots in the first was a new low allowed by the Rivermen this season.

Veteran Alfie Michaud (10-7-2) posted his second shutout in five games and on the year and the 13th of his career, stopping all 12 shots he faced.

The Rivermen collected their second goal of the game with 8:43 left in regulation. With goaltender Eddie Ferhi caught out of the net, Russ Guzior stepped into a Jake Riddle pass in the high slot and slapped his first goal in a Rivermen uniform into the open net. It was Guzior's second tally of the season.

Peoria completed the scoring on the power play with 5:07 left in the game. Guzior fed Rivermen Captain Trevor Baker, who was breaking to the net down right side of the slot, for a redirection just off the right goal post. It was Baker's eighth tally of the season in his first game back from injury since January 8.

Baker and Guzior led all scorers with a goal and an assist each. Chad Starling, playing in his first game since December 10 because of a high-ankle sprain, also had an assist on the Baker goal.

The Rivermen were 1-for-7 on the power play and held the Gulls scoreless in three chances. Peoria has killed off the last 26 consecutive opposition power plays.

Peoria (17-15-4, 38 points), who is two games above .500 on the season and has won 10 of its last 13 contests, has won a season-best five in a row overall and a season-best seven straight at Carver Arena. The Rivermen, who are tied with the Johnstown Chiefs for sixth place in the North Division with a game in hand, improved to 15-2-1 when scoring three or more goals in a contest this season. San Diego (21-13-4, 46 points) has lost two straight and dropped to 7-9-2 on the road this year.

Saturday, January 29, 2005 vs. Toledo Game #37 ECHL Game #556

Rivermen 3 Toledo 5

Looking to sweep a six-game homestand, the Peoria Rivermen were handed some bad luck to see it end in a 5-3 loss to the archrival Toledo Storm before 5,811 on Saturday night at Carver Arena.

Rivermen defenseman Chris Bogas fell down just shy of the Toledo blue line at center ice, as a penalty to Steve Slonina expired. The mishap created a two-on-none for Toledo rookie Todd Jackson and Maris Ziedins. Jackson fed Ziedins just off the left goal post for an easy pop-in. It was Ziedins' 12th tally of the season.

The Storm finished the scoring with Peoria's net empty. With a face-off just outside of the Toledo end, Storm center Scooter Smith slapped the puck through the legs of Peoria's Reggie Stringer down the ice and into the net. It was Smith's third goal of the season since signing as a free agent just after the New Year.

Peoria (17-16-4, 38 points) had its season-best five-game overall winning streak snapped and its season-best seven-game home winning streak stopped. The Rivermen dropped to 10-6-2 on home ice this season and lost just their third game in 19 opportunities (15-3-1) when scoring three or more in a contest. Toledo (22-14-4, 48 points) has won three in a row and is unbeaten in regulation in its last five games (4-0-1).

The Captain's Log

How ‘Bout That Homestand

Despite just one blemish in a 5-3 loss last Saturday to the archrival Toledo Storm, the Rivermen (17-16-4, 38 points) won the first five games of a six-game home set, amassing 10 of a possible 12 points and moving a game above the .500 mark for the first since November 6 (2-1-2). The Rivermen are 11-6-2 at home this season. Peoria owns a 208-63-32 lifetime regular season ECHL record (74 percent point percentage) at Carver Arena. Beginning Friday, February 11, the Rivermen will play 12 of their next 13 contests at home until March 8. The stretch includes a Rivermen, ECHL franchise-record, 11-game homestand.

Wins Brew With More Than Two

The Rivermen are 15-3-1 when scoring three or more goals in a game this season, having done so four of the last five contests. With three goals in both games this past weekend, the Rivermen have notched three or more goals in a contest in 12 of the last 14 opportunities. The Rivermen are ranked 20th in the ECHL in goals scored per game, averaging 2.70 goals per contest.

Magnificent With A Man Down

The Rivermen have killed off 29 straight opposition power plays and are killing penalties at an 86.9 efficiency clip, good for fourth in the ECHL.

First-Timers Feel The Win

Rookie Aaron Forsythe tallied his first professional goal last Friday night and it proved to be the game winner in a 3-0 shutout of San Diego. Prior to last Saturday night's 5-3 home loss to Toledo, first professional goals proved to be the game-winning tallies for the Rivermen in two straight games. Rookie Patrick Wellar collected his first professional goal on Sunday, January 23 in a 3-1 win over the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies.

Injury, Call-up & Transaction Report

· Rivermen left wing David Kaczowka has been reassigned to the Worcester IceCats, 01/29/05.

· Rivermen left wing Kris Kasper has been placed on the 7-day injured reserve, 01/28/05.

· Rivermen Captain and center Trevor Baker has been activated from the 7-day injured reserve, 01/28/05.

· Rivermen defenseman Chad Starling has been activated from the 30-day injured reserve, 01/28/05.

· Right wing Joe Pereira has been released, 01/28/05.

· Rivermen rookie goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu has been reassigned to the Worcester IceCats, 01/26/05.

· Rivermen defenseman James Sanford remains on reassignment to the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL), 01/03/05.

· Left wing/defenseman Mark Jerant remains on reassignment from the Worcester IceCats (AHL), 12/26/04.

· Rivermen rookie center Troy Riddle remains on reassignment to the Worcester IceCats (AHL), 12/01/04.

· Rivermen forward Colin Hemingway remains on the 30-day injured reserve, 11/25/04.

· Forward Colin Hemingway remains on reassignment from the Worcester IceCats (AHL) by the St. Louis Blues (NHL), 11/03/04.

Steering Our Way Through The Schedule

GAMES:

· On Tuesday, February 1, the Rivermen visit Trenton, NJ for the first time this season to battle the Titans in the third of seven meetings this year and the first of three matchups at the Sovereign Bank Arena. Peoria took both games in a mid-January meeting at Carver Arena, winning 2-0 and 6-2, respectively, on January 14 & 15. The Rivermen own a 10-4-1 lifetime ECHL regular season record against the Titans. Trenton (20-12-5, 45 points) is in fifth place in the tightly-packed North Division, four points back of the Reading Royals (23-12-3) with a game in hand. The Titans are led by left wing Scott Bertoli, who has 31 points (15g, 16a) in 35 games. The game broadcast can be heard TAPE DELAY on WWFS FOX Sports Radio 1290 AM and LIVE online at www.rivermen.net, beginning at 5:45 p.m. from the Sovereign Bank Arena. Game time is 6:00 p.m. CT.

· On Wednesday, February 2, Peoria travels to Atlantic City to face off against the Boardwalk Bullies in the first of two in row between the clubs for the Rivermen over four days; Atlantic City plays a road game in Johnstown on Friday. Peoria has completed its home portion of the season series with the Boardwalk Bullies, taking three of the four matchups on November 6 (6-3 W), January 21 (4-1) and January 23 (3-1). Atlantic City (22-12-6, 50 points) is tied for second place in the North Division with the Toledo Storm (23-14-4) with a game in hand. The Boardwalk Bullies are two points back of the first-place Wheeling Nailers (25-14-2, 52 points) with a game in hand. Atlantic City is led by center Derek Edwardson, who has 40 points (15g, 25a) in 38 games and a +13 plus/minus. The game broadcast can be heard LIVE on WWFS FOX Sports Radio 1290 AM and online at www.rivermen.net, beginning at 5:45 p.m. from Historic Boardwalk Hall. Game time is 6:05 p.m. CT.

· On Saturday, February 5, the Rivermen face off against the Boardwalk Bullies again in the second of four meetings in Atlantic City this season. The game broadcast can be heard LIVE on WWFS FOX Sports Radio 1290 AM and online at www.rivermen.net, beginning at 5:45 p.m. from Historic Boardwalk Hall. Game time is 6:05 p.m. CT.

· On Sunday, February 6, Peoria travels to Johnstown, Pa., for the second time this season for the third of four meetings at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena. On November 12 & 13, the Rivermen fell to the rival Chiefs in 6-5 and 5-2 losses, respectively. Peoria owns a 33-17-6 lifetime ECHL regular season record against Johnstown. The Chiefs (15-13-10, 40 points) are in sixth place in the eight-team North Division, two points in front of the Rivermen with one more game played. Johnstown is led by center Shawn Mather, who has 32 points (14g, 18a) in 35 games. The game broadcast can be heard JOIN-IN-PROGRESS on WWFS FOX Sports Radio 1290 AM with live cut-ins during the first and second periods and live broadcasting in the third period, and LIVE online at www.rivermen.net, beginning at 12:45 p.m. from the Cambria County War Memorial Arena. Game time is 1:00 p.m. CT.

Check out the Peoria Rivermen Statistics



ECHL Stories from January 31, 2005


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