The Milwaukee Admirals were able to outlast the Rivermen Sunday afternoon as Peoria closed out a season-long seven game road swing at the Bradley Center.
As has been the habit for the Rivermen of late, Milwaukee was able to score the first goal to open the game when Ryan Maki picked off a clearing feed in the low slot and beat a surprised Chris Beckford-Tseu for an unassisted goal at 13:42 and a 1-0 Admirals lead through 20 minutes of play.
Steve Wagner notched the equalizer for Peoria at 8:09 when he pounced on a rolling puck to the right of the Milwaukee net and drove it past Pekka Rinne for his fourth of the season.
Andreas Thuresson and Jason Guerriero each scored for Milwaukee to move the Admirals in front by a pair, but then Nicholas Drazenovic potted his seventh goal of the season at 13:13 from Jean-Guy Trudel and Nikolay Lemtyugov to close the gap to one goal.
After a Peoria power play expired in the waning seconds of the middle frame, Thuresson sprang Matt Ellison down the right wing for a wrist shot that beat Beckford-Tseu and gave the Admirals its two goal margin back at the break.
Peoria finally found the gas pedal midway through the third period, starting with Jeff Woywitka’s goal at 12:41 to bring the Rivermen within one. Woywitka then set up Charles Linglet at the side of the Milwaukee net as he roofed a backhand shot over the shoulder of Rinne at 16:08 to tie the contest.
Unfortunately for the Rivermen, Cal O’Reilly had saved one last goal for the 17:13 mark as his wrist shot beat Beckford-Tseu low to the blocker side and give the Admirals the victory, snapping Peoria’s nine game overall and ten game road win streaks.
Beckford-Tseu finished with 22 saves in the loss, and Rinne turned aside 26-of-30 for the victory.
CILCK HERE to listen to the scoring wrap from this game.
Peoria now returns home for a Nesquik 2-for-Tuesday game against the San Antonio Rampage at 7 pm. Present any Nesquik UPC Proof of Purchase for buy-one, get-one free upper bowl tickets at the Peoria Civic Center Box Office. Tickets are also on sale through all TicketMaster locations, on line at www.TicketMaster.com, or charge by phone at (309) 676-8700.
