Rivermen Storm to 4-1 Win Over Thunderbolts Friday

Photo Credit: Marilyn Demont/Evansville Thunderbolts

Rivermen Storm to 4-1 Win Over Thunderbolts Friday

Gorman’s two-goal night leads Peoria to third straight

Evansville, IN – The Peoria Rivermen scored 6:08 into the first period and led the rest of the way as they beat the Evansville Thunderbolts 4-1 Friday night. The win, Peoria’s third straight, lifts them to 6-3-0 on the season, two points behind first-place Pensacola before Peoria’s first trip to Birmingham tomorrow night.

The Rivermen opened the scoring early in the game’s first period. After Rivermen winger Dakota Klecha’s slashing penalty, assessed at the 3:52 mark of the period, expired, Peoria broke into the Evansville zone on an odd-man rush. Klecha carried the puck up the right wing of the Thunderbolts zone, and his shot was turned aside by Evansville goaltender Tomas Sholl. The ensuing rebound bounced low along the ice, and was batted in by Rivermen winger Nick Miglio, giving the Rivermen a 1-0 lead 6:08 into the contest.

The Rivermen doubled their lead in the final minutes of the first period. Rivermen center Joseph Widmar carried the puck through the right-wing circle of the Evansville zone, and his shot on goal was turned aside by Sholl’s blocker. The ensuing rebound went through the slot, and Peoria winger Cody Dion fed a pass to teammate Connor Gorman, who popped it in for a 2-0 Rivermen lead with two minutes remaining in the period.

The Thunderbolts cut the Peoria lead in half with a power-play tally late in the second period. With Rivermen defenseman Kevin Patterson boxed for tripping, Evansville worked the puck to the low right point, where Thunderbolts blueliner Cory Melkert wound up and fired a slap shot past Rivermen netminder Eric Levine’s blocker for a 2-1 score at 17:04 of the second.

The Rivermen rebuilt their lead to a two-goal advantage with a power-play goal of their own early in the third period. With Thunderbolts defenseman Lee Christensen in the sin bin for slashing, Peoria worked the puck to the high slot, and Peoria captain Dave Pszenyczny’s shot was redirected by Gorman past Sholl and into the net for a 3-1 lead at 5:22 of the period.

Peoria added an insurance tally with the Thunderbolts net empty in the game’s final minute. With Sholl on the bench for an extra attacker, the Rivermen worked the puck out of their own end and into the neutral zone. Rivermen winger Mike Gurtler picked the puck up and fired it from center ice into the unprotected Evansville goal at 19:05 of the period for the 4-1 final score.

Levine stopped 36 of 37 shots faced in net to earn the victory between the pipes. With the win, Levine has earned the W in each of his last three outings, and improves to 2-0-0 against the Thunderbolts this season.

Notes: Miglio’s goal is his first of the season and his SPHL career…Gorman notched his first goal of the season in the first period…Gorman’s multi-goal outburst marks his first such game since April 8 of last season against Mississippi…Klecha’s assist on Miglio’s goal is his first point of the season…Pszenyczny has logged a point or more in seven straight contests and the veteran blueliner has a point or more in eight of nine games this season…Gurtler notched his third empty-net goal of the season…The Rivermen return to action tomorrow night at the Pelham Civic Complex when they wrap up their current road trip against the Birmingham Bulls at 7:05…The broadcast of the game can be heard, starting with the pre-game show, at 6:45 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)