Rivermen Tie Game Late, Fall in Overtime to Cottonmouths Saturday

December 3, 2016 6:30 pm

Away | Regular

Final
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2
1
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0
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Rivermen
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Photo Credit: Addison Blair/Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Tie Game Late, Fall in Overtime to Cottonmouths Saturday

Snakes held to 10 SOG in final 40 minutes before winning in sudden death

 

Columbus, GA – The Peoria Rivermen battled from behind most of the night, tied it with less than three minutes left in regulation, and eventually lost 2-1 in overtime to the Columbus Cottonmouths Saturday night. The loss, Peoria’s first in Columbus since December of 2014, drops the Rivermen to 8-3-5 before they return home next Friday for a single game against the Knoxville Ice Bears.

 

The teams played scoreless through the first 15 minutes of the first period until the Snakes broke through at 15:59. After a shot from Cottonmouths forward Ben O’Quinn was kicked aside by the left pad of Peoria goaltender Tyler Green, the puck caromed off the back boards and onto the stick of Eva Neugold, who put into an exposed Peoria net for a 1-0 Columbus lead.

 

The game remained tied through the rest of the first, all of the second, and most of the third before Peoria tied it in the final three minutes of regulation. At the 17:27 mark of the third period, Dakota Klecha’s wrist shot from the right-wing circle threaded through traffic and past Columbus netminder Brandon Jaeger for the 1-1 tie score.

 

The game went without another goal through the end of regulation, and the Cottonmouths notched the winner 54 seconds into overtime. The Snakes entered the Peoria zone on a 2-on-2, and a delayed drop pass found Keegan Bruce atop the slot. Bruce delayed before firing a shot through a screen and past Green for the 2-1 overtime win.

 

Green stopped 24 of 26 shots he faced in goal for Peoria, taking the overtime loss. Green has now taken an OTL in each of his last two decisions, and he is 5-1-4 on the season between the pipes.

 

Notes: Klecha’s goal ties him with Cody Dion for his team-high seventh…The loss is Peoria’s first at Columbus since a 3-1 defeat December 27, 2014…Peoria has earned points in their last 8 games, going 4-0-4 since a regulation loss to Huntsville November 12…The Rivermen remain without a regulation loss on the road this season, going 5-0-4 away from Carver Arena…The Rivermen skated two players short due to suspensions to Brandon Greenside and Adam Stuart…The Rivermen return to action next Friday night when they play host to the Knoxville Ice Bears at 7:05 CST…Cleveland Indians pitcher and Chilicothe native Zach McAllister will be on hand to sign autographs during the game…It’s also Peoria’s College Night, and the first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a 2017 Rivermen flip calendar…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)