Rivermen Outdueled 2-1 By Evansville In Shootout Saturday

Photo Credit: Addison Blair/Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Outdueled By Evansville Saturday

Evansville goaltender Milliron makes 33 saves to shut down Rivermen

Peoria, IL – The Peoria Rivermen dueled to a 1-1 tie through 65 minutes before they fell 2-1 in a shootout to the Evansville Thunderbolts at Carver Arena Saturday night. The loss comes in Peoria’s first shootout of the season, and drops them to 7-3-3 before a three-game road trip next weekend to Huntsville and Columbus.

The Rivermen and Thunderbolts battled through the first period with no goals scored but a pair of scraps. At the 11:49 mark of the first, Peoria’s Alec Hagaman and Evansville’s Josh Elmes dropped the mitts, and each was penalized with a five-minute fighting major. Later in the first, at the 14:37 mark, Rivermen captain Dan Bremner squared off with Thunderbolts defender Vytal Cote.

The Rivermen grabbed a quick lead early in the second period to trigger their annual Teddy Bear Toss. Rivermen winger Cody Dion carried the puck from the right circle and muscled his way across the slot and backhanded the puck over the pad of Evansville goaltender Tanner Milliron to make it 1-0 Peoria 1:26 into the frame.

Evansville tied the game just past the midway point of the period. Evansville winger Phil Bronner battled the puck free behind the Peoria goal and sent a pass to Ryan Patsch, who was waiting below the hashmarks to fire it past Peoria goaltender Tyler Parks and tie the game 1-1.

Sixty minutes and overtime could not settle the match-up as the two teams skated to a 1-1 tie through the third period and the five-minute three-on-three overtime session before a shootout decided the victor. The Rivermen got a marker from Johnny Daniels in the third round, and Parks forced the Thunderbolts to their final regulation shooter, Dave Williams, who scored to force sudden death penalty shots. After each team had a shooter turned away, former Rivermen center Josh Harris came through on his second try for the Bolts, and Milliron denied Dakota Klecha to seal the 2-1 win for Evansville.

Parks stopped 28 of 29 shots faced in the first 65 minutes of the game, as he took the tough-luck shootout loss in net for Peoria. The loss is Park’s second overtime defeat, and the first time he has played a game in extra time since his pro debut October 22, a shootout loss as a member of the Thunderbolts.

Notes: The Rivermen have earned a point in each of their last five games, dating back to a November 12 regulation loss to Huntsville…Dion has posted a point in each of his last five games at Carver Arena, and is a +6 with three points in his last two…Peoria’s penalty kill unit was perfect for the second straight night, and the Rivermen have killed off six consecutive power play chances faced…Parks made his first Carver Arena start and his second appearance for the Rivermen after he was cut by Evansville earlier this season…The Rivermen announced an attendance of 6,981, the largest crowd since 7,621 took in a 3-2 loss to Mississippi on March 7, 2015…The Rivermen return to action this Thursday when they head to Huntsville, AL to take on the Havoc at 7:00 p.m…The game can be heard, starting with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. on http://mixlr.com/peoria-rivermen/

Group, single game, and season tickets for Peoria's 35th season of professional hockey presented by Midwest Orthopaedic Center are on sale at the Toyota Box Office in the Peoria Civic Center, or by phone at the Rivermen office, located at 201 S.W. Jefferson Street, or over the phone at (309) 676-1040. For the latest Rivermen news and notes, follow online at www.rivermen.net or through Facebook (www.facebook.com/PeoriaRivermen) – Twitter (https://twitter.com/Peoria_Rivermen)