Rivermen Lose Early Lead, Fall 3-2 to RiverKings Saturday

January 7, 2017 7:30 pm

Away | Regular

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Photo Credit: Kori LeVire/Mississippi RiverKings

Rivermen Lose Early Lead, Fall 3-2 to RiverKings Saturday

Rivermen unable to convert 14 third-period shots and eight total power plays

 

Southaven, MS – The Peoria Rivermen saw their 2-0 lead slip away as they fell 3-2 in regulation the Mississippi RiverKings in Landers Center Saturday night. The loss drops the Rivermen to 12-5-7 on the season before a pair of home games next weekend with second-place Macon.

 

Peoria started the scoring early in the first period. With the puck drifting toward the RiverKings blueline, Peoria defenseman Ben Oskroba blasted it toward the Mississippi net, and the ensuing rebound was poked in by Rivermen winger Connor Gorman to make it 1-0 at 3:26 of the first period.

 

Peoria doubled their lead at the midway point of the first. With the puck in the Peoria zone, Rivermen winger Cody Dion banked a pass off the glass and up the boards in front of the benches in the neutral zone. Gorman took the puck and streaked into the Mississippi zone, stopped above the right corner, and beat Barone far side for a 2-0 Rivermen lead at 10:04 of the period.

 

The RiverKings got a goal back on the power play in the second half of the first period. With Peoria defenseman Cole Hutchinson in the sin bin for roughing, RiverKings defenseman Sam Higgins’ drive from the top of the slot caromed off a stick, popped up in the air and came down over the shoulder of Peoria goaltender Storm Phaneuf and into the net for a 2-1 score at 12:17 of the first.

 

The RiverKings tied the game with the teams skating at 4-on-4 in the second period. RiverKings forwards Ryan Marcuz and Dillan Fox skated into the Peoria zone 2-on-2. Fox’s initial shot was stopped by the pad of Phaneuf, but Marcuz put the rebound into the net to tie the game at 2 at the 7:33 mark of the second.

 

The RiverKings scored the go-ahead goal and eventual game-winner early in the third. With Hutchinson one second away from coming out of the sin bin, the RiverKings entered the Peoria zone and Fox beat Phaneuf from the left dot to put the RiverKings ahead for good, 3-2 at the 1:07 mark of the third period.

 

Phaneuf took the loss in net for Peoria, stopping 24 of 27 shots he faced, including 22 of 24 in the first two periods. With the loss, the rookie falls to 0-2-1 in four games with the Rivermen this season.

 

Notes: Peoria went 0-for-8 on the power play, and the Rivermen are 1-for-57 on the man advantage since November 12…The regulation loss is Peoria’s first since December 9 against Knoxville, and Peoria’s first regulation defeat on the road this season…Gorman posted his second career two-goal game, and his first since November 18 at Knoxville…The Rivermen return to action at home next Friday night when they host the first-place Macon Mayhem for the first of two at 7:05…Friday’s game will feature a youth jersey giveaway to the first 750 kids age 12 & under, courtesy of Pekin Insurance….The broadcast of the game can be heard, starting with the pre-game show, beginning 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)