Rookies Propel Rivermen Past Rockford 5-1
Opponent: Rockford IceHogs
Date: November 7, 2010 4:05
Score(Home/Away): 5-1 W
The Peoria Rivermen ended a four-game winless streak with a solid 5-1 win over division rival Rockford Sunday night at Carver Arena. The Rivermen went 2-for-6 on the power play, while Jake Allen stopped 31 of 32 shots and kept Rockford from tallying on all seven of their power-play opportunities.
Rookies Anthony Nigro, Tyler Shattock, Stefan Della Rovere and Mark Cundari all scored for Peoria while Allen improved to 3-0-0 in his career. Shattock, who finished with three points, and Nigro, who finished with two, both registered the first goals and points of their careers.
The tone was set instantly when the puck was dropped when Peoria’s Ryan Reaves and Rockford’s Brandon Bollig dropped the gloves two seconds in and exchanged punches.
Nigro put the Rivermen on the board first with their first shot on goal at 3:11. Daryl Boyle started the play by keeping the puck in the zone at the point and feeding it to Shattock. Shattock dropped it off for Nigro in the slot who beat Rockford’s Alec Richards short-side over the glove.
The Rivermen struck again at 16:02 when Shattock wristed off a high shot that hit Richards in the chest and bounced to the right of his crease where Stefan Della Rovere backhanded in the rebound for his second on the year.
Rockford tallied the last goal of the first when Hugh Jessiman picked up a loose puck behind the net, brought it to the front, and stuffed one under the right pad of Allen to bring the score to 2-1, his first of the year. Rob Klinkhammer assisted on the lone Rockford goal of the period.
Allen stopped 11 of the 12 shots he faced in the period, and was helped out by a post and a crossbar as well.
Peoria scored the only goal of the second, this time on an unassisted power-play goal from the point by Cundari, his second of the year at 10:16.
Allen stopped all 10 Rockford shots in the second while the Rivermen power play went 1-for-4. Peoria also successfully killed all three IceHogs power plays.
The Rivermen opened the scoring in the third frame midway through on a power play goal from T.J. Hensick, his fourth of the year. Derek Peltier rocketed a slap shot wide to the right of Richards, and the puck bounced sharply right to Hensick who finished the play with a slap shot of his own. Rookie Phil McRae also added an assist on the fourth goal of the game.
The Rivermen added one more goal with 40 seconds left when Hensick picked up his own rebound, carried the puck behind the net, and then fed Shattock who buried his first of the year just outside the left of the crease; Reaves also assisted on the final goal of the game.
The Rivermen and IceHogs are back in action in Rockford on Tuesday at 6:35p.m. The game can be heard on 96.5 ESPN Radio in Peoria and online through www.rivermen.net.
Peoria opens a seven-game homestand on Saturday against the Houston Aeros. For tickets visit www.rivermen.net, call 309-676-1040 or stop by the Rivermen office inside the Peoria Civic Center.
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