Rivermen Take Second Straight From Wolves
December 5, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Peoria, Ill. (December 5, 2008) - After pulling out a 7-6 win Wednesday on the road, the Rivermen beat the first-place Chicago Wolves for the second consecutive game to pull within one point of the division leader. The two teams combined for five power-play goals as the Rivermen bested the Wolves 3-2 at Carver Arena on Friday night.
Jonas Junland scored once and assisted on the other two goals while Ben Bishop was tested often and made 42 saves to pick up the win. It improved the Rivermen's record on home ice to 9-2-1 and put them in a tie with Hershey and Manitoba for the most home wins in the league.
The Rivermen scored three straight goals to erase an early 1-0 lead. Joe Motzko scored his, team leading, 11th goal of the season at 10:59 of the first period as he ripped a shot past the blocker of Bishop 1:35 into a power play. After accepting a pass from Jeff Hamilton, Motzko stepped out of the corner and took the shot from the left faceoff dot to put the Wolves in front.
Brian Sipotz was whistled for holding 1:48 later and the Rivermen wasted no time tying the game. Just 21 seconds after the faceoff, Julian Talbot scored for the ninth time this year. He has three goals in the last two games and has now accumulated seven power-play goals on the season. Junland's drive from the point hit a body parked in front of the net and bounced behind goalie Dan Turple. With the puck laying inches from the goal line, Talbot pushed it home to even the score.
A penalty in the final minute of the first created another opportunity for the Rivermen power-play unit. This time it only took 8 seconds following the minor for Junland to score his fifth of the year. Talbot and Trent Whitfield set Junland up for a slap shot from just inside the blue line. Although it appeared Turple made the save, the puck bounced high in the air and landed behind him. Steve Regier was there to help it along but the puck had already crossed the line for Junland's fourth power-play tally.
Bishop stopped all 16 shots he faced in the second period while the Rivermen increased their lead to 3-1. At 14:29, with Jordan LaValle off for interference, Junland's wrist shot hit Josh Soares as he parked in front of Turple. He was able to find the blocked puck and slide it home for the eventual game winner. Soares has seven points (four goals, three assists) in just eight games since being signed to a PTO from ECHL Alaska.
Brett Sterling's goal with 8:01 remaining in the third made it a one-goal game down the stretch but Bishop made 16 more saves in the third to secure his seventh win of the season.
The Rivermen finished 3-for-6 on the power play and are now 8 for their last 15 (53.3 percent). Chicago was 2-for-6.
With wins by both Iowa and Rockford, the Wolves are involved in a three-way tie for first place in the West Division with the Rivermen just one point off the pace.
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