Rivermen Grind Out 3-1 Win in Huntsville

December 29, 2018 1:00 pm

Away | Regular

Huntsville Havoc

Final
3
2
1
Havoc
1
1
0
0
Rivermen
3
2
0
1

Photo Credit: Dennis Sievers/Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Grind Out 3-1 Win in Huntsville

Blasko nets game-winner early in third as Peoria earns weekend split

 

Huntsville, AL – The Peoria Rivermen battled to a 1-0 lead through two periods and held on to win 3-1 Saturday afternoon in Huntsville. The win, Peoria’s eighth in their last nine games, earns the Rivermen a split of their weekend pair at the Von Braun Center before Monday’s matchup at Quad City.

The Rivermen fired the opening salvo at even strength late in the first period. Rivermen winger Austin Vieth collected a loose puck at center ice, and lobbed a pass into the left-wing circle of the Havoc zone, where Peoria winger Jack Prince collected it and popped a shot past Havoc goaltender Max Milosek for the 1-0 lead at 14:42 of the first period.

 

The game remained 1-0 through the entirety of the second period until Peoria doubled their lead early in the third. Rivermen winger Alec Hagaman dropped a pass for teammate Will Smith at the top of the left-wing circle of the Havoc zone. Smith carried down the left wing, then sent a pass across the zone to Ben Blasko, who filled the empty net behind Milosek for a 2-0 edge at 3:33 of the period.

 

The Havoc got back to within a goal with their first of the game late in the third period. Havoc winger Ryan Salkeld took a pass from Huntsville defenseman Alec Brandrup, and put it past Rivermen netminder Stephen Klein for a 2-1 score at 16:46 of the period.

 

Peoria answered Huntsville’s tally and put the game back out of reach with a marker 31 seconds later. Vieth collected a loose puck at center ice and broke into the Havoc zone 1-on-1 with defenseman Dale Deon. Vieth deked his way past Deon, and rifled a wrister over Milosek’s shoulder and into the net for the eventual 3-1 final score at 17:17 of the period.

 

Klein stopped 22 of 23 shots faced in net to earn his ninth win of the season, and second in three games against the Havoc. The win improves Klein to 9-2-0 through 12 outings in his first pro season.

 

Notes: Prince netted his second goal in as many games for the Rivermen…Vieth netted a goal and an assist for his second multi-point game in his last three…Rivermen winger Mike Gutler had his five-game point streak, four-game goal streak, and four-game multi-point streak snapped…Rivermen head coach Jean-Guy Trudel was named best-looking head coach in the SPHL by a panel of himself…The Rivermen return to action Monday afternoon in Moline, IL when they take on the Quad City Storm at 4 PM…The broadcast of the game can be heard, starting with the pregame show, at 3:40, at http://mixlr.com/peoria-rivermen/

 

Group, single game, and season tickets for Peoria's 37th 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)