ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Shorthanded Rivermen Prevail 3-1 in Cincinnati

Published on January 13, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Cincinnati, Oh. (January 13, 2004) – Despite starting the game with just 13 healthy skaters and finishing it with 12, the Peoria Rivermen needed just two players to handle the offense on Tuesday night, winning their season-high sixth in a row overall and fifth straight on the road.

Left wing Randy Rowe and Rivermen Captain Trevor Baker both had a hand in all three Peoria goals, which came in the second period, in a 3-1 road win over the Cincinnati Cyclones before a Tuesday night crowd of 907 at U.S. Bank Arena.

The Rivermen ended up skating with 12 players for most of the game because former All-Star Tyler Rennette went down to injury in the first period.

Rowe and Baker set each other up for goals, their 24th and 13th respectively, and then they combined to set up Brendan Brooks for a power play tally to complete the scoring. Rowe, who is tied for the ECHL lead in goal scoring with Florida's Brian McCullough, has points in each of his last 11 games with 21 (11g, 10a) and has 16 goals over his last 19 games with 31 points (16g, 15a). Baker has points in his last nine games with 16 (8g, 8a).

Peoria (21-8-7, 49 points) is undefeated in regulation in its last nine games (8-0-1) and moved into a second place tie with the defending Kelly Cup Champion Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies with two more games played. Cincinnati (17-17-2, 36 points) dropped to the .500 mark and has lost three of its last four games in regulation. The Cyclones fell to 10-7-2 on home ice.

Rivermen goaltender Mike Valley stopped 27 of 28 chances in his 12th win of the season (12-3-5). Cyclones goaltender Tyler Masters turned away 22 of 25 shots in the loss (5-5-1).

After a scoreless first period, the Rivermen took a 1-0 lead at 2:52 of the second on a dandy play by Rowe. Rowe brought the puck into the Cincinnati zone on right wing, and while facing the boards in the face-off circle, he sent a no-look backhand centering pass to the far left post, where Baker tipped it past Masters. It was Baker's third goal in the last two games.

The Cyclones tied it 1-1 at 6:57 of the second. After cross-ice pass from Garrett Prosofsky – who was at the left face-off circle, Mike Hanson sent a quick chip shot over the shoulder of Valley from the right circle.

The Rivermen grabbed the lead back 2:34 later. Baker dropped the puck off just below the left point to Rowe, who rifled a shot past Masters glove side.

Peoria pushed its lead to 3-1 at 10:40 of the second on the power play. Rowe fired the puck to Baker at the bottom of the right face-off circle, and Baker one-timed a pass to Brooks for a one-time slap shot goal from the slot. It was Brooks' 11th goal of the season.

Peoria was 1-for-2 on the power play, while Cincinnati was 0-for-3.

On Thursday, January 15, the Rivermen host the archrival Dayton Bombers at 7:05 p.m. at Carver Arena. WWE Legend Ric Flair will appear courtesy of the Par-A-Dice Hotel-Casino. Autographs are $5 each and include an 8x10; limit two per person.

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ECHL Stories from January 13, 2004


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