Rivermen Steamroll Storm Friday

October 26, 2018 7:10 pm

Away | Regular

QuadCity Storm

Final
3
2
1
Storm
1
1
0
0
Rivermen
6
1
3
2

Photo Credit: Sean Flynn/Quad City Storm

Rivermen Steamroll Storm Friday

King & Rumble record first pro goals, Klein earns win in pro debut

 

Moline, IL – The Peoria Rivermen scored five goals in the first two periods en route to a 6-1 win over the Quad City Storm at the TaxSlayer Center Friday night. The win, Peoria’s first of the 2018-19 season, lifts the Rivermen to 1-0-1 before their Tuesday morning game at Evansville.

 

The Rivermen opened the scoring with a marker just over five minutes into the game. Rivermen winger Joe Kalisz collected the puck in the right-wing corner of the Quad City zone, and sent a pass to the bottom of the right circle for teammate Lane King, who deposited a shot past Storm goaltender Eric Levine as he crossed the front of the net, giving the Rivermen a 1-0 edge 5:41 into the first period.

Peoria doubled their lead with another even-strength tally late in the game’s opening frame. Rivermen defenseman Jake Hamilton held in a Quad City clearing attempt at the left point of the Storm zone, and sent a pass behind the net. Peoria winger Ben Blasko collected the puck and sent a no-look pass to the slot, where teammate Will Smith one-timed the puck past Levine for a 2-0 lead at 18:53 of the frame.

 

The Rivermen built their lead to 5-0 with a trio of goals late in the game’s middle period. With Peoria on a 5-on-3 power-play courtesy of slashing minors against Storm players Taylor McCloy and Don Olivieri, Rivermen defenseman Brandon Rumble one-timed a pass from atop the left-wing circle of the Quad City zone for a 3-0 lead at 14:31 of the frame. The Peoria lead grew to 4-0 at 17:10 when Peoria center Justin Greenberg snapped home a backdoor feed from Kalisz with the teams at even strength. Peoria winger Mike Gurtler pushed the Rivermen lead to five at 18:26 of the period with a power-play tally of his own.

 

The teams traded even-strength goals in the game’s final period. Blasko broke into the Quad City zone on an odd-man rush and fired a shot over the shoulder of new Storm goaltender Peter Di Salvo at 13:53 of the period. Storm defenseman Ben Boukal carried the puck into the zone and fired it just past the outstretched glove of Stephen Klein for the eventual 6-1 final at 17:44 of the final frame.

 

Klein stopped 27 of 28 shots faced and earned the win in his pro debut. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native also came 2:16 from his first pro shutout.

 

Notes: King and Rumble each recorded their first professional goals…Greenberg posted his fourth career three-point game, and first since February 16 of last season…Blasko had his first career multi-point game…The Rivermen were 2-for-6 on the power play, and out-shot the Storm 34-10 in the first two periods…The Rivermen return to action Tuesday morning, October 30, in Evansville, Indiana against the Thunderbolts at the Ford Center…Puck drop is scheduled for 10:00 AM, and the broadcast of the game can be heard, starting with the pregame show, at 9:40, 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)