AHL Chicago Wolves

Wolves Fall 7-6 In Offensive Showdown with Peoria

Published on December 3, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release


ROSEMONT, Ill.---The Chicago Wolves went goal-for-goal with the Peoria Rivermen for three periods in an offensive battle that saw the teams combine for 11 markers in the first two periods before Nicholas Drazenovic converted on a penalty shot to break a 6-6 tie and help the Rivermen skate away with a 7-6 victory at the Allstate Arena Wednesday night.

The Wolves offensive eruption matched a season-high and included multiple-point performances from defenseman Chad Denny (3A), center Grant Stevenson (2G) and right wing Spencer Machacek (G, A). The seven goals against also matched a season-most for Chicago (13-8-1-1), which dropped consecutive home games for the first time in 23 games this season.

Peoria (12-9-1-0) became the first team to be awarded a penalty shot against Chicago this season, and Drazenovic's tally was only the ninth penalty shot made against the Wolves in 23 all-time chances.

The Wolves took a 1-0 lead just 2:09 into the game when a pass from defenseman Scott Lehman banked off the skate of Stevenson and skidded past Peoria goaltender Marek Schwarz into the net, but the Rivermen got it right back when center Trent Whitfield flung a shot by Wolves netminder Robert Gherson, 2:10 later.

A second power-play goal made it 2-1 in favor of the Rivermen at 9:33 of the first period. Peoria worked the puck down to the corner and pulled Gherson out of position to far to catch the puck deflecting out of a scrum in front of the net and into the crease.

Center Riley Holzapfel answered for Chicago, 56 seconds later when he sent a hard wrist shot through traffic to even the score, 2-2.

Peoria continued the scoring with a long blast from Alexandre Imbeault that beat Gherson glove side, 14:37 into the opening frame.

Center Matt Anderson drew Chicago even again, 3-3, with 2:26 remaining in the first frame when he ripped a shot through Schwarz for his fourth goal of the season.

Chicago broke the 3-3 tie, 7:19 into the second period when Denny took a long slapshot from the blueline, which Schwarz stopped, but left wing Colin Stuart was there to dish the rebound over the goal line.

Stevenson followed that up with his second of the game, flipping the puck through Schwarz's five-hole at 9:08 of the middle frame, giving Chicago a 5-3 advantage and sending the Peoria netminder to the bench in favor of goaltender Ben Bishop.

Schwarz made 17 saves in 29:05 of action, while Bishop (6-6-0) stopped 15 attempts in 30:52 of relief duty.

Nikolay Lemtyugov brought Peoria back within one, 5-4, when he unleashed a shot straight at Gherson from high in the slot, and the Rivermen chased the Wolves goaltender from net with a fifth tally, 77 seconds later.

Gherson posted seven saves in 31:04 between the pipes, while netminder Dan Turple (5-4-0) recorded eight saves in 27:45 between the pipes.

Right wing Spencer Machacek helped Chicago inch ahead, 6-5, when he scored on a rebound from a Denny slapshot with 3:24 remaining in the middle frame.

Peoria tied the game for the fifth time, 7:21 into the third period when Julian Talbot beat Turple on a rebound for the Rivermen's sixth goal of the evening.

The Wolves and Rivermen lock horns again at Carver Arena on Friday at 7 p.m.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 3, 2008


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