AHL Peoria Rivermen

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Published on January 15, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


WEEK 14 - RIVERMEN ACTION (2-2-0-0)

Saturday, January 13, 2007, RIVERMEN 2 vs. Milwaukee 3: Despite winning the shot battle 28-10 over the final two periods, the Peoria Rivermen could not tally the equalizer and found themselves on the short end of a back-and-forth game against the Milwaukee Admirals, losing 3-2 on Saturday night in front of 5,520 at Carver Arena. The game was delayed for about an hour due to travel problems for Milwaukee, who were trying to get out of San Antonio early in the morning and were held back due to ice. The travel issues seemed to be the only thing that slowed the Admirals down as they came out firing with 18 shots in the first period compared to Peoria's eight. The Rivermen (22-15-1-2, 47 pts) got on the board first at 14:56 of the opening session on left wing Charles Linglet's team-leading 21st goal of the season. Milwaukee goaltender Karl Goehring played the puck behind the net and tried to fling it around the left-wing boards, but center Ryan Ramsay was there to stop it. Ramsay quickly fed Linglet in the slot, where he was able to fire a one-timer into the net before Goehring was able to retreat to his position. Linglet is averaging a point per game over his last 10 contests. Milwaukee (19-14-3-4, 45 pts) answered shortly after that at 17:33 of the first frame. Left wing Arpad Mihaly got the puck at the high slot from right wing Rich Peverley and skated to his left while being chased by a Rivermen defender. Just before Mihaly was checked to the ice in the left face-off circle, he snapped a shot between the left post and right arm of Rivermen netminder Chris Beckford-Tseu, whose season-best, four-game winning streak was snapped, for his second tally of the year. Just 38 seconds later, right wing Bracken Kearns of the Admirals made the game 2-1 on his fifth goal of the season. From the right face-off circle, center Nicolas Corbeil dished the puck just to the left of the goal for Kearns, who banked it in off the left post. Peoria tied the game on its third shorthanded marker of the 2006-07 campaign at 9:41 of the middle period. Center Trent Whitfield stole the puck from an Admiral defenseman in his own zone and sprinted down the ice, one-on-one with Goehring. Once Whitfield reached the slot, he shook a Milwaukee defender; faked a backhand shot, making Goehring commit; and then slid the puck underneath the goalie's left pad for his 18th goal of the year. The Admirals regained the lead at 15:13 of the second stanza on center Jason Guerriero's 10th goal of the year. From the left face-off circle, Peverley found Guerriero, who was in the slot battling for position and somehow managed to get off a shot as he was being knocked to the ground that slipped between the legs of Beckford-Tseu; it turned out to be the game-winner.

Friday, January 12, 2007, RIVERMEN 4 vs. Toronto 2: After a slow start, in which both teams recorded only four shots on goal in the first period, the Peoria Rivermen turned the offense up a couple notches in the second period, notching three goals en route to a 4-2 win over the Toronto Marlies in front of a crowd of 4,257 on Friday night at Carver Arena. Prior to tonight's tilt, Toronto (15-21-2-3, 35 pts) led the AHL in shots per game, averaging 35.15. Peoria, which is now 14-9-0-0 when outshooting their opponent, was able to hold the Marlies 10 shots below their average. The Rivermen were second in the league in shots allowed coming into the game at 26.26. After going 0-for-10 on the power play in their previous game, the Rivermen (22-14-1-2, 47 pts) opened the scoring on their first man-advantage opportunity. Center Ryan Ramsay fired a pass from the right point to the bottom of the right face-off circle for left wing Charles Linglet, who quickly found center Konstantin Zakharov just off the left goal post. Zakharov took Linglet's pass and one-timed a rocket shot up under the crossbar past a helpless Marlies goaltender Justin Pogge. It was Zakharov's fifth marker of the year and came at 12:11 of the first frame. Peoria came out of the intermission firing, registering its second tally just 27 seconds into the second session. From the high slot, left wing Peter Sejna dumped the puck into the left wing corner for center Trent Whitfield, who backhanded a no-look centering pass for right wing Jon DiSalvatore right in front of Pogge, where DiSalvatore chipped it in for his 10th goal of the season. The Rivermen continued to pepper Pogge with shots, and center Cam Keith notched his third goal of the season and first in 27 games at 9:30 of the middle period. Defenseman Jeff Woywitka launched a shot from the left point as Keith was skating to his left, just above the goal mouth. The shot was slightly behind Keith, so he twisted back to get his stick on the puck to redirect it above Pogge's glove. The Marlies were able to get on the board at 17:08 of the second period on center Erik Westrum's 15th marker of the 2006-07 campaign. Westrum started at center point and skated around a couple Rivermen defenders to the left face-off dot, where he found an open look and flicked the puck between the legs of Peoria netminder Curtis Sanford. Peoria regained its three-goal lead just a minute and ten seconds later on left wing Michal Birner's fourth tally of the year. Linglet skated across the slot from left to right and flipped a shot on net that was saved by Pogge. The puck dropped straight down, but Pogge was sliding to the right and could not recover, as Birner skated in from the slot to throw it into the vacated net. Toronto added a late power play goal at 19:46 of the final frame as center John Mitchell blasted a one-timer from the right face-off dot, between the right post and left arm of Sanford for his sixth marker of the year. Sanford, who was the first star of the contest, recorded his first victory with the Rivermen this season, as he is down in Peoria on a rehabilitation assignment after injuring his groin on December 1 against the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007, RIVERMEN 0 @ Grand Rapids 3: The Peoria Rivermen had been mostly feasting on the power play over the last 12 games heading into Wednesday night's road tilt with the Grand Rapids Griffins, but famine hit for the third time in the last four, as the Rivermen suffered their second-worst, single-game power-play performance of the year, going 0-for-10, in a 3-0 shutout loss before 4,212 at Van Andel Arena. The Rivermen (21-14-1-2, 45 pts), who were converting 24.7 percent of time (18-for-73) over the last 12 contests, went 0-for-7 in a 4-3 road shootout win in Houston on January 4 and 0-for-8 in a 3-1 road loss in San Antonio on January 6. Peoria's worst power-play outing of the year, 0-for-12, came on October 7 in a 5-0 home loss to the Chicago Wolves. Despite all of that, Peoria, who fell to 3-2-0-0 against the Griffins this season, currently ranks eighth in the AHL with the man advantage at 19.0 percent. It was the third shutout loss Peoria suffered this season in 38 games, equaling the team's 2005-06 regular-season total. Griffins netminder Stefan Liv (7-7-1) stopped all 28 shots, picking up his second and the team's fourth clean sheet of the season. Grand Rapids (19-15-4-2, 44 pts) grabbed a 1-0 lead just 3:57 into the game. Captain and center Matt Ellis broke into the Rivermen zone down the left side on a two-on-one break with left wing Brock Radunske. Ellis looked off Radunske for the pass and lifted his 13th tally of the season over the right shoulder of Rivermen goaltender Curtis Sanford (0-1-0), who was assigned to the team from the St. Louis Blues earlier in the day for a conditioning stint and stopped 21 shots in defeat. The Griffins pushed their lead to 2-0 with a shorthanded goal just 28 seconds into Peoria's second power play of the first stanza. Ellis chased down a loose puck in the neutral zone, edging past a back-checking Rivermen left wing Michal Birner as they headed toward the top of the left face-off circle. With a step on Birner, Ellis whipped a low wrist shot inside the right goal post. It was Ellis' second tally of the period and 14th on the year, one shy of the team lead held by center Kip Miller. It was just Peoria's fourth shorthanded tally surrendered this season. After a scoreless second, the Griffins extended their advantage to three goals at 4:17 of the third during a 4-on-4 situation. Right wing Darryl Bootland, who was at the bottom of the right face-off circle, banked a shot in off Sanford's left shoulder. Midway through the final session, the Rivermen, who were 8-for-21 (38.1 percent) on the power play against the Griffins coming into the contest, squandered 1:24 of 5-on-3 power-play time.

Tuesday, January 9, 2007, RIVERMEN 2 @ Chicago 1: For the first time in five games this season, the Peoria Rivermen were able to beat the high-flying Chicago Wolves, winning 2-1 before a crowd of 3,938 Tuesday night at Allstate Arena. Tonight's contest marked only the sixth time in 40 games that the Chicago Wolves, the AHL's team scoring leader with 180 goals, were held to two or fewer markers. Peoria also ended the AHL-record, 39-game point streak of right wing Darren Haydar. The Wolves (26-11-1-2, 55 pts) opened the scoring with a power play goal at 7:49 of the first frame. Defenseman Nathan Oystrick intercepted a clearing attempt at the left point and quickly fired a shot at Peoria netminder Chris Beckford-Tseu, who made the stop. The rebound trickled behind the goal line to the left of the net, where center Cory Larose ricocheted the puck off the leg of Beckford-Tseu and into the net for his ninth goal of the season. Peoria (21-13-1-2, 45 pts) tied the game with a man-advantage marker of its own at 18:41 of the opening period. Defenseman Jeff Woywitka controlled the puck at the right point and dished it to left wing Charles Linglet, the leading goal scorer for the Rivermen, at the top of the right face-off circle. Linglet skated to his left and once he reached the high slot, wristed a shot that was just over the glove of Chicago goaltender Fred Brathwaite for his 20th tally of the year. The Rivermen took the lead on their second power play goal of the game and left wing Peter Sejna's 12th goal of the season. Left wing Jon DiSalvatore fired a pass from the bottom of the right face-off circle to Trent Whitfield just in front of the goal mouth. Whitfield tipped the puck on net, but was stopped by Brathwaite; the rebound fell to his left, where Sejna skated in from the slot and jammed the puck underneath the pads of Brathwaite. The goal came at 13:55 of the second stanza and turned out to be the game-winner. The Wolves had an excellent opportunity to tie the game with six minutes left in the final session as they were on a two-man advantage for a full minute, but Peoria's penalty killing unit, which stopped seven of eight chances, prevailed to keep its 2-1 lead. The winning goalie, Chris Beckford-Tseu, has now won four in a row and improves to 6-3-0-1 with the Rivermen. During his four-game win streak, Beckford-Tseu has stopped 92 of 97 shots for a .948 save-percentage and 1.25 goals against average.

NEED TO STAY ALIVE WITH FOUR IN FIVE

The Rivermen play their second four-games-in-five-nights stretch of the season this week. Peoria took in its most grueling week of the schedule between Christmas and New Year's (December 26-31) with five games in six nights.

ONE-GOAL WONDERS

The Rivermen are 10-3-1-2 in games decided by one goal. They lost for just the third time this season on Saturday at home (3-2 regulation loss to Milwaukee) in a one-goal differential game. Peoria had won its previous five straight games with that situation present.

HARRIED HOCKEY HALTED

Peoria just completed a stretch of 16 games (9-7-0-0 record) in 30 days (more than a game every other day) from December 15-January 13. The Rivermen now play just six games in stretch of 17 days (nearly a game every third day).

LING BLING

Left wing Charles Linglet has averaged a point per game over his last 10 contests. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound native of Montreal, Quebec, had seven goals, including a two-goal contest, and three assists for the stretch. The fourth-year professional, who signed an NHL contract with the St. Louis Blues with the ringing in of the New Year, leads the team in goals (21), is tied for second in power-play goals (7) and is third in points (32).

RECENT RIVERMEN TRANSACTIONS

January 13, 2007 D Matt Walker recalled from conditioning loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).

January 13, 2007 LW Peter Sejna recalled from loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) under emergency conditions.

January 13, 2007 G Curtis Sanford recalled from conditioning loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).

January 13, 2007 G Marek Schwarz returned on loan from the St. Louis Blues (NHL).

January 12, 2007 D Matt Walker loaned from the St. Louis Blues (NHL) for conditioning purposes.

January 9, 2007 G Curtis Sanford loaned from the St. Louis Blues (NHL) for conditioning purposes.

January 9, 2007 G Marek Schwarz recalled from loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).

January 9, 2007 G Jason Bacashihua returned on loan from the St. Louis Blues (NHL) upon the termination of emergency conditions.

January 9, 2007 LW D.J. King returned on loan from the St. Louis Blues (NHL).

January 9, 2007 D Zack FitzGerald reassigned by the St. Louis Blues (NHL) to the Alaska Aces (ECHL) from the Peoria Rivermen (AHL).

January 8, 2007 LW D.J. King recalled from loan by the St. Louis Blues (NHL).

RIVERMEN ACTION THIS WEEK

all times are local

DAY DATE TIME OPPONENT

Wednesday January 17, 2007 7:00 PM Rochester Americans

Friday January 19, 2007 7:30 PM Chicago Wolves

Saturday January 20, 2007 7:05 PM @ Iowa Stars

RIVERMEN PROMOTIONS THIS WEEK

Wednesday, January 17

- Nesquik Wacky Wednesday - Receive a Buy One, Get One Upper Bowl Ticket Free offer by presenting a Nesquik cap or UPC at the Carver Arena Box Office

- Insight presents WWE RAW Superstar Victoria, who will appear and sign autographs from 7-9:00 p.m.

Friday, January 19

- Coca-Cola/Insight Date Night - two (2) tickets, two (2) Cokes and a tub of popcorn for JUST $25

- McDonald's Night - Sandwich coupons to the first 3,000 adult fans and hand clappers to the first 500 kids

- U.S. Cellular 25 Greatest Rivermen of All-Time continues with Doug Evans cards to the first 2,500 fans. There will be an appearance and autograph signing.

Radio: The Rivermen will be broadcast TAPE DELAY on Wednesday, January 17 and broadcast LIVE on Friday, January 19 and Saturday, January 20 and 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 Web cast of each game is available for a pay-per-view fee of $6.

SCOUTING THE AMERICANS (AMERKS)

National Hockey League Parent Club: Buffalo Sabres

Record Entering This Week: 26-11-1-0

Standings Points (Relative to Rivermen): 53 (+6)

Western Conference Standing: 2nd Place

North Division Standing: 1st Place

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

Leading Scorer: LW Clarke MacArthur (35 GP, 16 G, 28 A, 44 PTS)

Number-1 Goaltender: Craig Anderson (20 GP, 13-7-0, 2.73 GAA, .908 SV PCT., 1 SO)

AHL Power-play Ranking Entering This Week: 13th (17.8%)

AHL Penalty-kill Ranking Entering This Week: 23rd (78.5%)

SCOUTING THE WOLVES

National Hockey League Parent Club: Atlanta Thrashers

Record Entering This Week: 26-13-1-2

Standings Points (Relative to Rivermen): 55 (+8)

Western Conference Standing: 1st Place

West Division Standing: 1st Place

Rivermen Record vs. Wolves: 1-3-0-1

Leading Scorer: RW Darren Haydar (42 GP, 25 G, 55 A, 80 PTS)

Number-1 Goaltender: Michael Garnett (22 GP, 13-8-0, 3.42 GAA, .888 SV PCT., 1 SO)

AHL Power-play Ranking Entering This Week: 3rd (20.9%)

AHL Penalty-kill Ranking Entering This Week: 19th (80.9%)

SCOUTING THE STARS

National Hockey League Parent Club: Dallas Stars

Record Entering This Week: 21-17-2-0

Standings Points (Relative to Rivermen): 44 (-3)

Western Conference Standing: 9th Place

West Division Standing: 5th Place

Rivermen Record vs. Stars: 4-1-0-0

Leading Scorer: C Joel Lundqvist (36 GP, 15 G, 21 A, 36 PTS)

Number-1 Goaltender: Karl Goehring (23 GP, 11-10-0, 3.43 GAA, .878 SV PCT.)

AHL Power-play Ranking Entering This Week: 22nd (14.6%)

AHL Penalty-kill Ranking Entering This Week: 16th (81.9%)

Check out the Peoria Rivermen Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from January 15, 2007


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