Rivermen Weekly
November 27, 2006 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
WEEK SIX - RIVERMEN ACTION (2-0-0-0)
Saturday, November 25, RIVERMEN 3 @ Omaha 2: The Peoria Rivermen have replaced the adage "There's no place like home" with two of their own, "There's no place like Omaha" and "There's no opponent like Omaha," after a 3-2 victory over the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights before a Saturday-night crowd of 2,562 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The Rivermen improved to 6-0-0-0 lifetime in Omaha and have won 10 in a row over the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights; both marks date back to last season. Peoria (10-6-1-2), who improved to 9-2-0-0 when scoring three or more goals in a contest, is currently in the midst of a six-game point streak with 10 points out of a possible 12 and a 4-0-1-1 record. The road victory improved Peoria's record away from Carver Arena to a game above .500 at 4-3-1-2. The Rivermen, who would be tied with Omaha for second place in the West Division if they win their game in hand, finished the month of November with a 5-2-1-1 mark. Rookie right wing David Backes opened the scoring at 10:06 of the opening period on the first of two power play goals in the session for the Rivermen. Left wing Jon DiSalvatore's initial blast from the right side of the slot was stopped by Omaha goaltender Curtis McElhinney, but the rebound popped to the left of the net, where Backes pumped home his ninth goal of the season for a 1-0 lead. Peoria's second power-play tally came just less than four minutes later on another rebound conversion. Center Ryan Ramsay was able to finish his third marker of the year after left wing Charles Linglet initially tipped a Mike Glumac shot that was stopped. The goal came at 14:02 of the first frame for a 2-0 advantage. Ramsay is in the midst of a four-game point streak with five points (1g, 4a) and a +3 plus/minus. At 8:01 of the middle stanza, the Rivermen staked themselves to a 3-0 lead on center Trent Whitfield's team-leading 10th goal of the season in a 4-on-4 situation. Whitfield took a pass from DiSalvatore, the game's No. 1 star, at the left face-off dot and launched a shot into the near upper corner that chased McElhinney from the net in favor of Brent Krahn. Whitfield has points in 13 of the team's last 16 games with 20 (10g, 10a). Omaha (12-7-1-0), who has lost three in a row for the first time this season, got on the board with 2:48 remaining in the second, as left wing Brandon Prust, parked in the low slot, followed up the rebound from a David Moss shot for his third tally of the season. The Ak-Sar-Ben Knights made it interesting with 1:01 left in regulation and their netminder on the bench for the extra attacker. Defenseman Richie Regehr's shot from the right point made its way through a maze of players past Rivermen rookie goaltender Marek Schwarz, who stopped 21 of 23 Omaha chances in the win. Schwarz heatedly disputed the goal, believing he was interfered with, but it stood.
Friday, November 24, RIVERMEN 2 vs. Omaha 1: Goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu stopped 29 of 30 shots, including several at point-blank range, as the Peoria Rivermen edged the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights 2-1 in front of 3,939 on Friday night at Carver Arena in the front end of a home-and-home set between the clubs. Beckford-Tseu, who backstopped the Rivermen to a 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Wolves last Sunday, turned away all 11 shots he faced in the first period, including seven - three of them at point-blank range - on a full five-minute Omaha power play after Ryan Ramsay went off for high sticking. Beckford-Tseu stopped 10 of 11 shots in the second and all eight in the final period for the victory, his second (2-0-1) with this season. The Rivermen (9-6-1-2, 21 pts) are in the midst of a five-game points streak with eight points out of a possible 10. They improved to 6-3-0-0 at Carver Arena this season and have now won nine in a row against the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights. Peoria cinched the victory on the power play with less than 7:30 remaining in regulation. Center Trent Whitfield hammered home a rebound on the right doorstep after an initial shot from left wing Jon DiSalvatore. It was Whitfield's ninth marker of the season. After a scoreless first period, the Rivermen opened the scoring at 8:14 of the middle stanza on left wing D.J. King's second tally of the year and in as many games. Veteran right wing Rocky Thompson fought the puck free along the end boards in the Omaha zone and kicked to left wing D.J. King, who gathered the puck and wasted little time converting a wrap-around chance from off the right post. King notched his first goal of the season in the team's 3-2 shootout loss in Chicago last Sunday. Omaha (12-6-1-0, 25 pts) tied the game 1-1 with just 2:12 left in the second on their third power-play chance of the period. Defenseman Adam Pardy took a pass at the top of the right face-off circle from center Andrei Taratukhin and one-timed the puck inside the right post past a screened Beckford-Tseu. It was Pardy's first goal of the season.
PROMISING POINT STREAK
With a 3-2 road win over Omaha this past Saturday and a 2-1 home win over the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights the previous night; by going unbeaten in regulation the previous weekend with a 3-1 road win over Grand Rapids (Friday), a 5-4 overtime home victory over Milwaukee (Saturday) and a 3-2 road shootout loss to Chicago (Sunday); and with a 2-1 overtime loss to Milwaukee on November 11, the Rivermen have points in their last six games with 10 out of a possible 12 for a 4-0-1-1 mark. It has been Peoria's best stretch of hockey this season and has pushed it into fourth place in the West Division. The Rivermen are just two points back of the second-place Omaha with a game in hand and three points shy of the Iowa Stars with two games in hand.
A TWO-GOAL TRIUMPH
The Rivermen entered this past Friday night's game without a win - regulation, overtime or shootout - when scoring two goals or less against the opposition. In its 2-1 win over Omaha, its first when scoring just two goals in a contest, Peoria improved to 1-4-1-2 when scoring two or less goals in a game. The Rivermen are 9-2-0-0 when scoring three or more goals in a contest.
"REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER"
The Rivermen finished the nine-game month of November with a 5-2-1-1 mark after opening the season with a 5-4-0-1 record in October.
OH, MY OMAHA
With a 2-1 home victory over the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights this past Friday and 3-2 road win over them to complete a weekend, home-and-home series, the Rivermen have won 10 in a row over the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights and improved to 6-0-0-0 lifetime at the Omaha Civic Auditorium; both marks date back to last season.
DA'CRAZY DECEMBER
After a nine-game month of November, the Rivermen barrel into a 14-game month in December to close out the 2006 calendar year. Eight of Peoria's 14 December games are against West Division foes. The other six are against North-Division foes. Seventy-five (75) percent of their 2006-07 AHL Schedule (60 of 80) is against the West.
TIME & TIME AGAIN TRENT
Ninth-year center Trent Whitfield has points in 13 of the team's last 16 games with 20 (10g, 10a). He owns the team season-high point streak for the year at six games, which was broken on November 10 in a 3-1 home loss to Albany. The 5-foot-11, 204-pound native of Estevan, Saskatchewan, leads the team in goals (10) and points (20), and is second in power play goals (6) and assists (11). 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).
OTHER RAVES ABOUT THE RIVERMEN
This past Saturday's road victory over Omaha (3-2) improved Peoria's record away from Carver Arena to a game above .500 for the first time this season at 4-3-1-2...Left wing Ryan Ramsay is in the midst of a four-game point streak with five points (1g, 4a) and a +3 plus/minus.
RECENT RIVERMEN TRANSACTIONS
November 24, 2006 G Jason Bacashihua loaned by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to the Peoria Rivermen (AHL).
November 20, 2006 D Jeff Woywitka recalled from loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL)
November 20, 2006 RW Kevin Croxton returned on loan to the Alaska Aces (ECHL).
November 18, 2006 RW Mike Glumac, D Jeff Woywitka loaned by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to the Peoria Rivermen (AHL).
November 15, 2006 G Chris Beckford-Tseu reassigned to the Peoria Rivermen (AHL) from the Alaska Aces (ECHL) by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).
November 15, 2006 G Jason Bacashihua recalled from loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).
November 15, 2006 D Stephen Wood, RW Kevin Croxton recalled from loan to the Alaska Aces (ECHL).
November 12, 2006 RW Mike Glumac, D Jeff Woywitka recalled from loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).
November 11, 2006 RW Mike Glumac returned on loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to the Peoria Rivermen (AHL).
November 10, 2006 RW Mike Glumac recalled from loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).
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).
RIVERMEN ACTION THIS WEEK
DAY DATE TIME OPPONENT
Friday December 1, 2006 7:00 PM Iowa Stars
Saturday December 2, 2006 7:00 PM @ Iowa Stars
Sunday December 3, 2006 4:00 PM Houston Aeros
Radio: The Rivermen will be broadcast LIVE on Friday, December 1 and Sunday, December 3 and broadcast JOIN-IN-PROGRESS on Saturday, December 2 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 STARS
National Hockey League Parent Club: Dallas Stars
Record Entering This Week: 13-8-0-0
Standings Points (Relative to Rivermen): 26 (+3)
Western Conference Standing: 3rd Place
West Division Standing: 2nd Place
Rivermen Record vs. Stars: 1-0-0-0
Leading Scorer: RW Junior Lessard (21 GP, 9 G, 12 A, 21 PTS)
Number-1 Goaltender: Tobias Stephen (10 GP, 6-3-0, 2.17 GAA, .922 SV PCT., 1 SO)
AHL Power-play Ranking Entering This Week: T-13th (16.0%)
AHL Penalty-kill Ranking Entering This Week: 13th (82.7%)
SCOUTING THE AEROS
National Hockey League Parent Club: Minnesota Wild
Record Entering This Week: 10-11-0-1
Standings Points (Relative to Rivermen): 21 (-2)
Western Conference Standing: T-6th Place
West Division Standing: 5th Place
Rivermen Record vs. Aeros: 0-1-0-0
Leading Scorer: RW Matt Foy (20 GP, 11 G, 11 A, 22 PTS)
Number-1 Goaltender: Josh Harding (20 GP, 9-9-1, 2.37 GAA, .922 SV PCT)
AHL Power-play Ranking Entering This Week: 26th (12.8%)
AHL Penalty-kill Ranking Entering This Week: 4th (87.4%)
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American Hockey League Stories from November 27, 2006
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