Rivermen Complete Comeback, Topple Dawgs 4-3 in Overtime Friday

March 17, 2017 7:05 pm

Away | Regular

Roanoke R.Y. Dawgs

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Rivermen
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Photo Credit: Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs

Rivermen Complete Comeback, Topple Dawgs 4-3 in Overtime Friday

Jones’ pair, Pszenyczny’s OT winner help Rivermen in Roanoke

 

Roanoke, VA – The Peoria Rivermen erased a 3-1 second-intermission deficit and went on to win in overtime, topping the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs 4-3 at the Berglund Center Friday. The win, Peoria’s first in their last three games, keeps the Rivermen tied with Fayetteville for third place in the SPHL before tomorrow’s rematch in Roanoke.

 

The Rivermen opened the scoring in the middle portion of the game’s first period. After a long rebound off the blocker of Rivermen goaltender Storm Phaneuf, Peoria winger Connor Gorman carried through the neutral zone into the right wing of the Rivermen zone and fed a pass across the slot to teammate Jeff Jones, who one-timed it past Roanoke goaltender James Kruger and into the net for a 1-0 Peoria lead at 7:04 of the period.

 

The Rail Yard Dawgs tied the game early in the second period. A chaotic sequence in the Peoria slot kicked the puck out to the high slot, where Rail Yard Dawgs defenseman Cody Walsh fired a slap shot off the glove-side post of the Rivermen net. The puck popped off the post and out to Roanoke center Zach Tatrn, who fired it past Phaneuf for a 1-1 score at 4:44 of the second.

 

The Rail Yard Dawgs took their first lead of the contest with a shorthanded tally toward the midway point of the contest. With Roanoke center Peter Gintoli in the box for slashing, Tatrn carried the puck in front of the benches and to the top of the right circle of the Peoria zone, and his shot beat Phaneuf for the unassisted short-handed tally for a 2-1 Roanoke lead at 8:06 of the second.

 

Roanoke built their lead to a 3-1 edge at 13:29 of the second stanza. With bedlam ongoing in the Rivermen slot, the puck kicked free to Walsh in the left circle, and he fired a wrister past Phaneuf for a 2-goal Roanoke lead.

 

The Rivermen began their comeback over seven minutes into the third period. With play in the Roanoke zone, Rivermen forward Adam Stuart took a shot towards the net that was turned aside by Kruger. At7:09 of the third, Jones stuffed the rebound into the net to cut the Rail Yard Dawgs lead to 3-2.

 

The Rivermen tied the game with a power-play tally in the final five minutes of the third. With Roanoke forward Mike Driscoll in the box for interference, the Rivermen worked the puck to winger Ryan Keller above the right corner, and Keller paused before sniping a shot past Kruger for a 3-3 score at 15:09 of the third.

 

The game remained tied through the end of regulation before the Rivermen won it in overtime. After Roanoke winger Phil Bronner’s penalty shot at 1L04 of OT was denied by Phaneuf, the Rivermen carried the puck into the Roanoke zone. From the high right point, Rivermen defenseman Dave Pszenyczny skated to the high slot, sidestepped a Roanoke defender on his way to the center of the zone, and wristed a shot past Kruger from between the circles for the 4-3 win at 3:38 of overtime.

 

Phaneuf stopped 30 of 33 shots faced in net to earn the win. The victory is Phaneuf’s team-leading ninth between the pipes, and his seventh in his last eight outings, dating back to a 6-1 Rivermen win over Knoxville February 19.

 

Notes: Jones’ pair of goals gives him seven in four games against Roanoke this season…Rivermen defenseman Kevin Kirisits made his pro debut in the game…Pszenyczny’s game-winning goal is his second of the season and first GWG since January 22 at Evansville…Keller scored a goal in his return to the Rivermen lineup from a loan to ECHL Indy…The Rivermen return to action tomorrow night when they rematch the Rail Yard Dawgs in Roanoke…Tomorrow’s game starts at 6:05 Central Daylight Time, and the broadcast of the game can be heard, starting with the pre-game show, at 5:45 p.m. at 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)