Rivermen work overtime to snap six-game losing skid
December 18, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
Peoria, IL (December 18, 2005) - After Chicago winger Karl Stewart notched the first goal of this game on a shot that hit Rivermen goaltender Patrick Lalime in the right arm and bounced up over him into the goal, it seemed as if Peoria was destined to extend its season-long losing streak to seven games with a hard-luck loss. In the end, however, the Rivermen earned a hard-working victory by keeping up with the Wolves for the duration of regulation and overtime before sealing the win in a shootout.
Lalime ranks as one member of the Rivermen who worked the hardest in Sunday's triumph. In only his second overall start for the Rivermen and his debut outing in Peoria, Lalime made 44 saves to backstop the Rivermen to the win. As the game moved from period to period, Lalime faced more and more shots. The Wolves started things off by firing 13 shots at Lalime in the opening period, and three of those shots got by him. In the second period, Lalime faced 16 shots but allowed no goals. Chicago then squeezed off 17 shots in the third, but Lalime was up to the task with 16 saves. In the overtime session, Lalime made two important saves before coming through with three crucial ones in the shootout derby.
This shootout win halts Peoria's six-game losing streak and improves the club's record to 16-12-0-1. At home in Carver Arena, the Rivermen are now 10-6-0-1. Tonight's shootout loss for the Chicago squad leaves the Wolves with a record of 9-12-1-4 overall and 4-6-0-4 on the road.
The Wolves grabbed an early lead in this game on a goal by left wing Karl Stewart. After entering the Peoria zone, Stewart took a wrist shot from the high slot. The puck hit Rivermen goaltender Patrick Lalime in the right biceps and then hopped up over the goalie's right shoulder and dribbled into the goal to stake Chicago to a 1-0 lead just 35 seconds into the tilt.
The Rivermen, however, came right back with an early goal of their own. At the 1:01 mark of the first frame, defenseman Jeff Woywitka skated into the Chicago zone and received a pass out of the left corner just inside the blueline. Woywitka then fired a low shot from the top of the left circle that stayed on the ice and slipped under Wolves backstopper Tuomas Tarkki to tie the game at 1-1.
About midway through the opening period, the Wolves went ahead 2-1. Defenseman Brian Sipotz first unleashed a slapper from the right point that Lalime blocked. Chicago center Jared Ross, however, was positioned right on the doorstep to bang home the rebound at 11:02 of the first.
The Chicago lead grew to 3-1 when center Kevin Doell dented the twine. Carrying the puck down the slot, Doell fought through some jostling by a few Peoria defenders and was able to get off a wrist shot. Although Lalime saved the shot, he left a rebound that Doell put past him at 17:32 after Doell had followed the puck to the net.
Peoria climbed back to within one goal of Chicago at 3-2 with a second-period power-play marker. From the right-wing boards in the Chicago zone, Rivermen power-play specialist Peter Sejna hit winger Mike Glumac at the left face-off dot with a precise cross-ice feed. Glumac then fired a one-time rocket right by Tarkki at 4:30 of the second frame.
About 12 minutes later, Glumac tallied again to draw the Rivermen even with the Wolves at 3-3. Right winger Jon DiSalvatore started the play with a pass up the left-wing boards of the Chicago zone to defenseman Brendan Buckley. Buckley then carried the puck along the blueline to the center point, where he let go a slap shot. Skating from the left toward the Chicago goal in the low slot, Glumac got his stick on Buckley's shot and deflected it by Tarkki to tie the game at the 16:22 mark of the second.
The Rivermen and the Wolves remained deadlocked at 3-3 until 12:43 of the third. At that point, Chicago winger Billy Tibbetts collected the puck in the Peoria slot, wheeled around, and fired the puck inside the left post to put his squad up 4-3.
Less than one minute later, however, Peoria again drew even in this game, this time at 4-4. After Sejna got the puck to Buckley in the very far right corner of the Chicago zone, Buckley sent a shot in on net. Although Tarkki made a save on the shot, the puck dribbled to his right, and Rivermen center Blake Evans skated in from behind the goal to bang the puck into the net at the 13:13 mark of the third.
Because this tilt stood at 4-4 at the end of regulation, the teams entered a four-on-four overtime period. When neither team scored in overtime, the game went to a shootout to decide a winner.
In the shootout, the first and fourth shooters for each team scored. For the Wolves, those two shooters were Kevin Doell and Kip Miller, while Peter Sejna and Andy Roach tallied for the Rivermen.
In the fifth shootout round, Chicago's Stephen Baby missed on his attempt. Then DiSalvatore stepped up and buried his attempt to clinch a 5-4 shootout win for Peoria.
The Rivermen will be able to enjoy this victory for one week before their next game on Monday, December 26, at Iowa.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from December 18, 2005
- Rivermen work overtime to snap six-game losing skid - Peoria Rivermen
- Stars Sweep Knights, 3-1 - Abbotsford Heat
- Stars win fourth straight - Iowa Chops
- Griffins gut out 4-3 win over Crunch - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Bulldogs Drop 4-2 Decision to Marlies - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Hartford keeps rolling with 3-1 win over Monsters - Albany Devils
- Admirals Beat Cleveland 5-4 - Milwaukee Admirals
- Barons Fall to Milwaukee, 5-4 - Cleveland Barons
- Cullen Steers Admirals Past Sound Tigers 5-2 - Bridgeport Islanders
- Admirals Rout Sound Tigers 5-2 - Norfolk Admirals
- Kostitsyn assigned to Hamilton - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Bears tangle with Penguins today at Giant Center - Hershey Bears
- Bulldogs game notes - Hamilton Bulldogs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
