Cheechoo Leads Rivermen to 4-2 Win
Opponent: @Milwaukee Admirals
Date: February 3, 2012 7:00 p.m.
Score(Home/Away): 2-4 W
Jonathan Cheechoo collected two goals, including the game-winner, and an assist as the Peoria Rivermen downed the Milwaukee Admirals 4-2 on Friday night at the Bradley Center. Peoria trailed for much of the first two periods before Cheechoo and Derek Nesbitt scored just 2:06 apart to put the Rivermen comfortably ahead.
Adam Cracknell registered a goal and an assist and Ben Bishop made 24 saves to pick up his 19th win of the season. His win total ties him with Yann Danis (OKC) for the league lead.
The game started nearly an hour late after some car problems left the officials behind schedule.
Kyle Wilson opened the scoring at 5:03 of the first period with his 10th of the year. Peoria tied the game at 11:05 with Cheechoo deflecting in a Shaun Heshka shot. He went crashing the net and redirected the shot from the point past Jeremy Smith.
Milwaukee reclaimed the lead a mere 12 seconds into the second period. Ryan Flynn carried the puck into the zone and Blake Geoffrion picked up the loose puck and swung it in between Bishop’s legs. Adam Cracnkell tied the game back up with his 11th at 17:07. Following a Cheechoo shot, he kicked the rebound past Smith and into the crease before he tapped it across the goal line just before the end of the period.
Cheechoo’s second of the night came at 5:10 of the third to give the Rivermen their first lead of the game. He found a loose puck in the right circle and quickly turned it off the post and in. It was his second two-goal game of the season and first since Oct. 20 against San Antonio.
At 7:16 of the third, Nesbitt’s buried a one-timer to put the Admirals away. After Brett Sterling intercepted a pass and fed T.J. Hensick at the side for the goal, Hensick waited out two defenders and snapped a pass across to Nesbitt to fire home his 16th of the season.
The Rivermen travel to Chicago to face the Wolves on Saturday at 7 p.m. All games can be heard on CD Country 107.9 FM or online through www.rivermen.net.
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