Opponent: Chicago Wolves
Date: November 3, 2011 7:00 p.m.
Score(Home/Away): 3-2 W
The Peoria Rivermen took the first of back-to-back matchups against the Chicago Wolves at Carver Arena Thursday night in front of 3,225 fans. The Rivermen were a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill and received a short-handed goal from Anthony Nigro, the team’s first of the year. Brett Sterling’s power-play goal broke a 2-2 tie and proved to be the game winner.
The Wolves jumped out to an early lead scoring at the 4:05 mark of the opening period. Nathan Longpre one-timed in his second of the year from the slot on a nice centering feed from the Tim Miller. Yann Sauve picked up the secondary assist on the play.
Peoria’s Derek Nesbitt had the equalizer at the 16:51 mark of the first just seconds after a successful penalty kill. T.J. Hensick came barreling down the right wall and threaded a pass through three Chicago defenders to Nesbitt in the slot who ripped a shot over the glove of Eddie Lack for his fifth of the year.
The Rivermen took their first lead of the game at the 4:24 mark of the middle frame with a shorthanded goal from Nigro. He stole the puck at his own blueline and raced in on a breakway against Eddie Lack. His deke left Lack guessing wrong before he finished the play on the forehand.
Bill Sweat evened things up at 2-2 on his second of the year from Adam Polasek just 4:30 after the Nigro tally. Sweat rushed up the ice, got by Brett Ponich and wristed a shot from a tough angle under the blocker of Bishop.
Former Wolves forward Sterling put the Rivermen ahead for good on the power play less than 2 minutes later. Sterling was digging away at a loose puck near the right post and was able to squeeze it by Lack for his team-leading eighth of the year.
Bishop improved to 5-2-1-0 on the year stopping 28 of the 30 shots he faced in the victory.
The Rivermen are set to take on the Wolves again Friday night from Carver Arena at 7 p.m. For tickets call 309-676-1040 or visit www.rivermen.net. The game can also be heard on CD Country 107.9 FM in Peoria.
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