Rivermen Strike First, Can’t Hang on In Finals Opener

April 28, 2017 7:30 pm

Home | Post

Macon Mayhem

Final
3
2
1
Mayhem
2
2
0
0
Rivermen
1
0
0
1

Photo Credit: Tim Lester/Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Strike First, Can’t Hang on In Finals Opener

Two-goal Mayhem third forces Rivermen to face elimination in Game 2

 

Peoria, IL – The Peoria Rivermen got on the board first but could not hold a one-goal lead as the Macon Mayhem scored two unanswered in the third period to take Game 1 of the President’s Cup Finals by a 2-1 score at Carver Arena Friday night. With the loss, the Rivermen will face elimination in the Best-of-3 series when they play Game 2 Sunday evening in Macon, GA.

 

The Rivermen got on the board in the early stages of the first period. Peoria winger Connor Gorman raced up the boards into the right wing of the Macon zone. Gorman sidestepped a check from Mayhem winger Daniel Gentzler, and took a shot that Mayhem netminder Jordan Ruby stopped with his right pad. The ensuing rebound came to the low slot, where Rivermen center Michael Colantone fired it home for a 1-0 Peoria lead 1:35 into the contest.

 

The Rivermen held their 1-0 lead through the rest of the first and all of the second period before the Mayhem tied the game early in the third. Mayhem winger John Siemer carried the puck down the right-wing boards, made his way to the right corner, and flicked a shot down the goal line toward Rivermen goaltender Storm Phaneuf. The puck trickled inside the post and beat the Peoria netminder at 6:27 of the period, to even the score at 1-1.

 

The Mayhem took the lead for good just past the mid-way point of the third period while on the power play. With Rivermen center Adam Stuart in the box for tripping, Mayhem winger Daniel Gentzler received a pass from teammate Ryan Michel and one-timed a shot from the top of the slot that deflected off teammate Stephen Pierog and snuck past Phaneuf at 10:49 for a 2-1 Mayhem lead.

 

Phaneuf took the loss in goal for the Rivermen, stopping 21 of 23 shots faced. The Gatineau, Quebec native drops to 4-2 in the 2017 playoffs.

 

 

 

Notes: Colantone scored his second career playoff goal in the contest…Gorman’s assist gives him a point or more in each of Peoria’s six postseason contests…The Rivermen will now aim to become the first team in league history to win the President’s Cup after losing Game 1 of the Finals…The Rivermen and Mayhem return to action Sunday night when they travel to Macon, GA to face the Mayhem in game 2 of the President’s Cup Finals…Sunday’s game starts at 5 p.m. Central Time…The broadcast of the game can be heard, starting with the pre-game show, at 4:40 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)