ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Upended at Home by Archrival Toledo 5-3

Published on January 30, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Peoria, Ill. – 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).

Rivermen goaltender Alfie Michaud (10-8-2) stopped 19 of 23 shots in the loss. Rookie Logan Koopmans (6-7-1) picked up his third win in three opportunities at Carver Arena with 25 saves on 28 shots.

The Storm took a 1-0 lead at the 7:00 mark of the first period. Tomas Micka took a pass from Slonina as Micka was circling out to the slot from the right wing corner. Micka quickly wristed a screen shot over a diving Travis Rycroft, by a Rivermen defender and into the upper left corner past a screened Michaud. It was Micka's sixth tally of the season and second against Peoria.

The Rivermen tied the game 1-1 just 1:17 into the second period with an amazing individual effort. Rowe pushed his way down the left-wing boards with Toledo defenseman P.J. Martin draped all over him. Rowe motored his way in behind the net with one hand on his stick and one hand holding off Martin. Rowe then circled out to the slot and pushed off Martin enough to make room to lift the puck into the upper right corner with one hand remaining on his stick. It was Rowe's 10th goal of the season.

Toledo needed just 1:28 to take its second lead of the game. Defenseman Doug Andress, from the top of the right face-off circle near the slot, flipped a backhand shot toward the Peoria goal that trickled through the legs of a partially-screened Michaud. It was Andress' second tally of the year.

Peoria tied it back up 2-2 just 30 seconds later. After Jake Riddle was stopped just off the left goal post, the rebound popped to Brian McCullough, who – after getting knocked to the seat of his pants – snapped the puck off the back of the right leg of Koopmans and into the net. It was McCullough's team-leading 19th goal of the season.

The Storm would enter the second intermission with the lead, taking a 3-2 advantage with 6:23 left in the second stanza. Russ Guzior's clearing attempt from in front of the Peoria goal was knocked down at the top of the left face-off circle by Slonina, who then fed Tyler Knight just off the right goal post for an easy chip-in and his team-leading 16th goal of the season.

On Sunday night, Peoria embarks on a four-game, eight-day road trip with games against the Trenton Titans (Tuesday, February 1), the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (Wednesday, February 2 & Saturday, February 5) and the Johnstown Chiefs (Sunday, February 6). The Rivermen then return home for 12 of 13 at Carver Arena and a team, ECHL-record 11 straight in Peoria from Sunday, February 13 to Tuesday, March 8.

Check out the Peoria Rivermen Statistics

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ECHL Stories from January 30, 2005


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