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AHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Weekly

November 6, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


WEEK FIVE - RIVERMEN ACTION (1-1-0-0)

Sunday, November 5, RIVERMEN 4 vs. Iowa 1: The Peoria Rivermen erased their memory of last night's game, in which they gave up six power play goals, by not allowing any power play goals and scoring three man-advantage markers of their own for the third time this season en route to beating the division-leading Iowa Stars in front of 3,453 at Carver Arena late Sunday afternoon. Prior to tonight's game, the Rivermen power play unit was ranked 17th scoring at a15.2 percent efficiency on the man advantage, going against the 6th-ranked penalty killing unit of Iowa, which had stopped 69 of 78 opponent power play opportunities. Peoria also scored three power play goals against San Antonio on October 13 at home and at Hamilton on October 21; both of them were victories. The Rivermen (6-5-0-1, 13 pts) began the scoring on a power play goal at 5:43 of the first period. Defenseman Jeff Woywitka, who was deep in his own zone, fired a beautiful entry feed that split two Iowa defenders and found left wing Peter Sejna streaking down center ice in the neutral zone. Sejna found himself one-on-one with the Stars netminder Dan Ellis, and once he reached the slot he snapped a shot between the left post and right arm of Ellis for his third goal of the season. Peoria increased its lead to 2-0 just 26 seconds into the second stanza on right wing Ryan MacMurchy's first professional goal. MacMurchy came flying down the right wing boards, cut into the center of the right face-off circle and wristed a shot top-shelf, above Ellis's left shoulder. Right wing Mike Glumac was credited with an assist. The Stars (9-3-0-0, 18 pts) cut the lead in half on a goal at 4:20 of the second. Center Joel Lundqvist won a face-off in the left circle, tapping the puck back to the left point for defenseman Jared Nightingale, who snapped a shot through a screen that squeaked between the left post and right arm of Peoria goaltender Jason Bacashihua for his second marker on the season. The Rivermen responded with their second tally on the man-advantage at 14:15 of the second period. Woywitka, who was at the left point, dished the puck parallel at the blue line to center Joel Perrault, who slapped a one-timer toward the net. Right wing David Backes redirected the shot while in the slot, bouncing the puck past the outstretched right leg of Ellis. Peoria added a third marker on the power play at 17:57 of the second. The initial shot from the right face-off circle by Perrault was denied by Ellis and landed in the crease. Left wing Magnus Kahnberg took a hack at it, but again was stopped by Ellis. However, center Trent Whitfield came in from the slot and was able to poke the puck underneath the Stars goalie for his sixth tally of the year. In the third period, Jason Bacashihua was able to stop all seven shots he faced, sealing the victory for the Rivermen and earning his first win of the year. Last year, Bacashihua finished the season with a 9-4-0 record in 15 games with Peoria and a 4-10-0 mark in 19 games with the St. Louis Blues.

Saturday, November 4, RIVERMEN 5 vs. Chicago 10: The Peoria Rivermen shorthanded struggles continued on Saturday night, as they gave up six power play goals, en route to a 10-5 thumping at the hands of the Chicago Wolves in front of 4,244 at Carver Arena. Prior to the game on October 22 at Toronto, the Rivermen penalty-killing unit had led the league at a 94.3 percent efficiency rating. However, after giving up at least three power play goals in three of their last four games, Peoria has staved off 70 of 85 power play opportunities, falling to 14th in the AHL at 82.1 percent. The game had an ominous start when center Joel Perrault, who was skating with the Rivermen for conditioning purposes, barreled into the Wolves goaltender Michael Garnett and was called for a questionable charging major. The Wolves (8-3-1-0, 17 pts) capitalized on the opportunity and began a string of three power play goals in a span of 2:06 with their first goal at 8:48 of the opening period. A wrist shot from the right face-off circle by left wing Brett Sterling that was tipped by a Rivermen defenseman and the puck slid to the left side of the net. Center Jason Krog skated up to the puck just off the left goal post and slapped a backhand shot in between the legs of rookie goaltender Marek Schwarz, who appeared to be screened. It was Krog's for his seventh marker of the season and first of seven points in the game. Chicago scored their second power play goal at 10:09 of the first. Krog, who was down low in the left face-off circle, fired a pass to defenseman Nathan Oystrick at the left side of the high slot, where he blasted a shot over the right shoulder of Schwarz. The goal was Oystrick's fourth of the season, giving the Wolves' a 2-0 advantage. Just 45 seconds later, the Wolves utilized quick passing in tallying their third man-advantage goal after Perrault's major penalty. From behind the net, Sterling fired a pass to Krog, who was in the left face-off circle and tipped the puck cross-ice to right wing Darren Haydar, who simply needed to tap it home into the vacated net. It was Haydar's 10th tally of the year. Chicago then notched an even-strength goal, increasing their lead to 4-0 at 19:06 of the first frame. Center Derek MacKenzie won the face-off in the right circle that left wing Jordan LaVallee in the slot, where he wristed a shot between the right post and left arm of Schwarz. The tally was the third of the year for LaVallee. The Rivermen (5-5-0-1, 11 pts) were able to get on the board during a man-advantage at 2:40 of the second stanza. Center Trent Whitfield fired a shot from the left face-off circle that was stopped by Chicago goaltender Michael Garnett. The puck landed in front of the crease and Whitfield followed his shot, slamming it through Garnett's legs on third-chance attempt for his fifth goal of the campaign. At the 4:28 mark of the second, goaltender Garnett was taken out of the game after Mike Glumac accidentally kneed him in the head as he was skating through the crease, trying to grab a loose puck. Peoria netted another goal at 5:21 of the second to cut Chicago's lead to 4-2. Left wing Peter Sejna skated up toward the blue line along the right wing boards and fired a pass to defenseman Tomas Mojzis, who was deep in the slot. Mojzis slapped a shot that was deflected by right wing David Backes, who was parked in the slot, which bounced past new Wolves netminder Dave Caruso's right pad. Chicago then started another rally of their own, scoring an unbelievable five unanswered goals in a span of 3:36 in the second period. The first came at 9:22, after numerous fantastic point blank saves by new Rivermen netminder Jason Bacashihua, who replaced Schwarz to start the second period. However, Sterling was finally able to beat Bacashihua as he lifted a rebound over the sprawled out goalie. Defenseman Braydon Coburn and Krog were credited with assists. Twenty-six seconds later, the same combination of players netted another goal. Sterling, who was at the top of the left face-off circle, blasted a shot that slipped through a screen and the legs of Bacashihua for Sterling's second goal of the period and sixth on the year. Wolves right wing Kyle Wanvig got in on the scoring, making the game 6-2 as he took the puck from the left wing boards, wrapped around the net and as he was falling to the ice, backhanded it past the outstretched left leg of Bacashihua at 10:58. Fifty-eight seconds later, Krog tallied his sixth point of the game, and tenth against the Rivermen, in two games, this season, as he snapped a shot from the right circle that flew by the left arm of Bacashihua. The fifth unanswered Wolves goal made the game 9-2 and was scored at 12:58. Wanvig skated deep into the left face-off circle and fired a pass to right wing Joey Crabb in the slot, where he tipped the puck over the left pad of Bacashihua. Peoria capped off the second-period scoring at 14:20. Whitfield dumped the puck off to Sejna at the right-wing boards, where he took it around the net and backhanded a shot off of the back of Caruso and into the goal for his second marker of the year. The Rivermen scored first in the third period, making the game 9-4 at 1:50. From the slot, defenseman Jeff Woywitka sent a pass to left wing D.J. King in the left circle, where he snapped a shot the bounced off of the left post. The puck slid along the goal line, behind Chicago netminder Caruso, to center Ryan Ramsay, who was standing along the right post, where he simply tapped it into the net for his first goal of the year. Peoria registered another goal just 1:07 later, at 2:57 of the third. Left wing Magnus Kahnberg skated into the left face-off circle and dished a pass off to center Cam Keith in the slot, where he tapped the puck past a sliding Caruso to make it 9-5. Chicago recorded its sixth goal on the man-advantage at 7:00 of the third frame. After the initial shot from the right point by Haydar was stopped, the rebound rolled to the right dot, where Krog flung it between the right post and left leg of Bacashihua for his third goal of the game.

CERTAINLY HAVE OUR WHITS ABOUT US

Ninth-year center Trent Whitfield is currently riding a team, season-high six-game point streak with nine points (4g, 5a); he also is in the midst of a three-game goal streak with a goal in each of the team's last three games. The 5-foot-11, 204-pound native of Estevan, Saskatchewan, leads the Rivermen in goals (T-6), assists (8) and points (14) and is second on the team in power-play goals (4). Last season, the 29-year-old pivot posted 53 points (19g, 34a) in 41 games for Peoria and played 30 NHL games with the St. Louis Blues, notching seven points (2g, 5a).

POSITIVE POINTS TO PONDER

Five of Peoria's six wins this season have come after the Rivermen have outscored the opposition in the first period...Defenseman Jeff Woywitka earned First-Star honors in Sunday's 4-1 home win over Iowa with his second straight two-assist game; he leads Rivermen defensemen in points with seven (0g, 7a)...Rookie Ryan MacMurchy's first professional goal proved to be the game winner in Sunday's 4-1 win over Iowa...The Rivermen scored three power-play goals in a game for the third time this season on Sunday afternoon; all three have resulted in victories.

NOVEMBER NINE

Peoria will skate in nine November games, five of which come at home. The Rivermen open the month with three straight at home against the Chicago Wolves (Saturday, November 4), the Iowa Stars (Sunday, November 5) and the Albany River Rats (Friday, November 10). Peoria then plays four of the remaining six contests on the road by traveling to play the Milwaukee Admirals (Saturday, November 11), the Grand Rapids Griffins (Friday, November 17), Chicago (Sunday, November 19) and the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights (Saturday, November 25). The Rivermen will also enjoy home games against Milwaukee (Saturday, November 18) and Omaha (Friday, November 24; as part of a home-and-home set).

RECENT RIVERMEN TRANSACTIONS

November 6, 2006 C Joel Perrault recalled from conditioning loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).

November 5, 2006 D Barret Jackman recalled from conditioning loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).

November 4, 2006 D Roman Polak loaned by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to the Peoria Rivermen (AHL).

November 3, 2006 D Barret Jackman and C Joel Perrault loaned by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to the Peoria Rivermen (AHL) for conditioning purposes.

November 2, 2006 D Stephen Wood loaned to the Alaska Aces (ECHL).

October 25, 2006 G Chris Beckford-Tseu reassigned by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to the Alaska Aces (ECHL).

October 24, 2006 D Patrick Wellar reassigned by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to the Alaska Aces (ECHL).

October 23, 2006 RW Ryan MacMurchy recalled from to the Alaska Aces (ECHL).

October 23, 2006 LW D.J. King loaned by the St. Louis to the Peoria Rivermen (AHL).

October 17, 2006 RW Ryan MacMurchy loaned to the Alaska Aces (ECHL).

October 14, 2006 G Jason Bacashihua loaned by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to the Peoria Rivermen (AHL)

October 8, 2006 C Denis Pederson retired.

RIVERMEN ACTION THIS WEEK

DAY DATE TIME OPPONENT

Friday November 10, 2006 7:30 PM Albany River Rats

Saturday November 11, 2006 1:30 PM @ Milwaukee Admirals

Radio: All Rivermen games this week are broadcast LIVE on Classic Country 1290 AM (WIRL-AM), the flagship radio station of the Rivermen.*

Internet Audio: LIVE streaming audio of all Rivermen games is available for no charge at www.rivermen.net.

Internet Video: LIVE streaming video with the accompanying audio feed is available at www.rivermen.net through the facilities of the b2 networks. The video Webcast of each game is available for a pay-per-view fee of $6.

SCOUTING THE RIVER RATS

National Hockey League Parent Club: Carolina Hurricanes/Colorado Avalanche

Record Entering This Week: 4-6-1-0

Standings Points (Relative to Rivermen): 9 (-4)

Eastern Conference Standing: T-10th Place

West Division Standing: 6th Place

Rivermen Record vs. Albany: 0-0-0-1

Leading Scorer: C Keith Aucoin (5 GP, 4 G, 5 A, 9 PTS)

Number-1 Goaltender: Tyler Weiman (6 GP, 3-3-0, 3.78 GAA, .879 SV PCT., 0 SO)

AHL Power-play Ranking Entering This Week: 23rd (11.6%)

AHL Penalty-kill Ranking Entering This Week: 18th (80.7%)

SCOUTING THE ADMIRALS

National Hockey League Parent Club: Nashville Predators

Record Entering This Week: 2-3-1-0

Standings Points (Relative to Rivermen): 5 (-8)

Western Conference Standing: T-12th

West Division Standing: 7th Place

Rivermen Record vs. Admirals: 4-3-1-0 (2005-06 Regular Season)

Leading Scorer: RW Alexander Radulov (3 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS)

Number-1 Goaltender: Dan Ellis (6 GP, 2-3-0, 2.30 GAA, .922 SV PCT, 1 SO)

AHL Power-play Ranking Entering This Week: 17th (15.8%)

AHL Penalty-kill Ranking Entering This Week: 2nd (93.1%)

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