ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Stopped on The Road in Dayton 4-2

Published on January 24, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Fairborn, Oh. (January 24, 2004) – The Peoria Rivermen surrendered just their fourth road regulation loss this season to the struggling archrival Dayton Bombers, losing 4-2 in front of 4,936 on Saturday night at the Nutter Center. The loss, just the fourth in 22 road opportunities, snapped Peoria's season-best, six-game road winning streak.

In a rare 4-on-3 power play, defenseman Sean Connolly netted his second goal of the game and just his third of the season at 13:17 of the third period for a 3-1 Dayton lead, one-timing a Brian Ridolfi cross-ice pass behind a helpless Mike Valley from the left face-off circle.

The Bombers were 1-for-3 on the power play, while Peoria was 0-for-3.

Peoria got within one at 16:16 of the third, making it 3-2. Doug MacIver fired a shot from the right point that Dayton goaltender Bujar Amidovski stopped, but Greg Black was there to poke in his first goal in a Rivermen uniform and second of the season.

Dayton sealed the victory with 36 seconds remaining in the game. With Valley pulled for the extra attacker, Dayton's Jason Deskins poked the puck away from Malcolm Hutt at the right point in the Bombers zone. Deskins broke into the Peoria zone and waited for Olivier Proulx, who easily snapped the puck into an open net.

Peoria (23-11-7, 53 points) fell to 14-4-4 on the road. The Rivermen fell to 4-2-1 this season against the archrival Bombers. Dayton (15-23-3, 33 points) improved to 9-10-1 at home and snapped a three-game losing streak.

It was just the fifth regulation loss (12-5-5) for Valley, who lost consecutive starts for the first time this season; he stopped 40 of 43 shots. Amidovski turned away 25 of 27 shots in the win, his eighth of the season (8-12-3).

Peoria opened the scoring at 3:21 of the first period. Trevor Baker, along the right wing boards at the face-off circle, sent a laser pass to the slot for Randy Rowe, who whistled the puck through the five-hole of Amidovski for his team-leading 25th tally of the season.

For the second night in a row, Rivermen newcomer Doug MacIver fought Dayton's Riley Cote in the second period.

Janne Jokila tied the game 1-1 with 2:13 left in the second. After taking a pass from Proulx, Jokila darted to the right face-off circle in the Peoria zone, using Rivermen rookie defenseman George Halkidis as screen to beat Valley with a wicked shot inside the left post. It was Jokila's second goal in as many games and ninth of the season.

Thirty-nine seconds later, the Bombers gained a 2-1 advantage. Connolly took a pass from Nate Kiser at the left point, pushed the puck to the top of the left face-off circle and rifled a slap shot past a screened Valley.

On Friday, January 30, the Rivermen host the Cincinnati Cyclones at 7:05 p.m. at Carver Arena. Joan Jett will perform in a post-game concert. Tickets start at just $16.

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ECHL Stories from January 24, 2004


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