Latinovich Blanks Storm 3-0 for St. Patrick’s Day Sweep
March 17, 2024 - 06:20 pm
PEORIA, IL – Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, but it’s even better to be both. Goaltender Nick Latinovich was both lucky and good as he made 26 saves on Saint Patrick’s Day afternoon in a 3-0 victory over Quad City. The shutout marked Latinovich’s seventh shutout of the season.
Peoria and Quad City skated to a scoreless first period though it was not due to a lack of chances for Peoria. The Rivermen were denied on back-to-back short-handed chances in the last few minutes of the first period.
Just like Friday night, the Rivermen were able to find the go-ahead goal in the second period. Unlike Friday night, it came on the power play. A shot-pass by Braydon Barker from the left side was stopped at the side of the crease by Braydon Barker. Barker then put the puck to his backhand and touched a shot just inside the far post to put the Rivermen up 1-0. Despite a flurry of chances in the second period to expand the lead, Peoria was held off due to some lucky bounces and good goaltending from Quad City’s Baily Brkin.
The Rivermen put the game out of reach in the third period as Alec Baer was the recipient of a below-the-goal-line pass from Barker in the early stages of the third period to put the Rivermen up 2-0. Midway through the third, JM Piotrowski, chasing in on a power-play dump-in, streaked into behind the net as he picked up the puck and stuffed a wrap-around attempt in past Baily Brkin to put Peoria up 3-0. Nick Latinovich and the Rivermen held off the Storm in the final few minutes to secure Latinovich’s third straight shutout performance against the Storm and Peoria’s 12th straight home victory.
The Rivermen will embark on a five-game set on the road over the next few weeks. It all starts on Friday night as Peoria travels to the Hoosier state for a weekend in Evansville against the Thunderbolts.
Photo: Elizabeth Maier - Peoria Rivermen
