Strong Second Period Lifts Rivermen over Thunderbolts Saturday

Photo Credit: Dennis Sievers/Peoria Rivermen

Strong Second Period Lifts Rivermen over Thunderbolts Saturday

Peoria able to weather third-period surge, hold on for second straight

Evansville, IN – The Peoria Rivermen scored four goals to break open a scoreless game in the second period before surviving a third-period rally as they held on to beat the Evansville Thunderbolts 5-4 in regulation Saturday night. The win, Peoria’s second in a row, lifts the Rivermen into a second-place tie with Evansville and Macon before a Sunday rematch with the Thunderbolts at Carver Arena.

The Rivermen opened the scoring with a marker early in the game’s middle period. With play ongoing in neutral ice, Rivermen winger Keegan Bruce carried into the left wing of the Evansville zone and executed a give-and-go with teammate Justin Greenberg, who sent a shot over the shoulder of Thunderbolts netminder Jonah Imoo for a 1-0 lead 1:34 into the stanza.

The Rivermen doubled their lead just past the midway point of the contest. Rivermen center Joseph Widmar carried the puck through the neutral zone deked around Evansville winger Dave Williams, and sent a pass netward, where Rivermen winger Mike Gurtler tipped it past Imoo for a 2-0 edge at 10:17 of the second period.

The Rivermen lead grew to 4-0 with a pair of goals in the latter stages of the game’s middle frame. With the play ongoing in the Evansville zone, Rivermen defenseman Cody Smith held in an Evansville clearing attempt on the right point. Smith carried the puck down the right-wing boards, down the goal line, and wrapped the puck around Imoo’s right pad for a 3-0 lead at 12:14 of the period. The Rivermen tacked on a power-play tally in the period’s final minute. With Thunderbolts center Jackson Leef in the box for tripping, Rivermen winger Will Smith held the puck on the left-wing point of the Evansville zone, and his shot on net was deflected by Greenberg and past Imoo for a 4-0 lead at 19:22 of the period.

The Thunderbolts cut into the Rivermen lead and got on the board with a power-play tally in the third period’s first minute. With Gurtler in the sin bin for cross checking, Leef held the puck in the right-wing circle of the Peoria zone, and sent a pass to the left-wing dot, where Evansville center John Scorcia one-timed it past Rivermen goaltender Tyler Parks for the 4-1 score 50 seconds into the frame.

Evansville chipped further into the Rivermen lead with another power-play goal nearing the midway point of the game’s final period. With Rivermen winger Alec Hagaman in the box for high sticking, Thunderbolts defenseman Robbie Hall fired a shot from the high slot off Parks’ pads. The ensuing rebound was chipped over Parks’ outstretched left leg and in by Thunderbolts center Dylan Clarke for the 4-2 score at 7:33 of the frame.

The Thunderbolts got to within a goal just over three-fourths of the way through the third stanza. With the puck at the left point of the Rivermen zone, Evansville defenseman Lee Christensen sent a pass down the boards, and Evansville winger Mark Petaccio streaked to the netfront and put a hot over Parks’ shoulder and under the crossbar for a 4-3 Rivermen lead 15:29 into the frame.

Peoria added an insurance tally for a 5-3 lead later in the final period. Rivermen winger Connor Gorman carried the puck into the right wing of the Evansville zone, and sent a pass to the slot, where Peoria center Ryan Siiro collected the puck, shot it on net, and was turned away by Imoo before stuffing his own rebound home at 17:37 of the frame.

The Thunderbolts got back within a goal with Imoo off the ice for an extra skater in the game’s final minute. With play raging in the Rivermen zone, Williams sent a pass across the zone to Petaccio, who redirected the puck past Parks’ left leg at 19:39 of the frame for the eventual 5-4 final score.

Parks stopped 31 of 35 shots faced in net to earn his second victory in as many nights. The win lifts Parks to 10-3-0 on the season, including 5-1-0 against his former team.

Notes: Greenberg’s multi-goal game give him four points in two games since his return to the Rivermen lineup…Bruce recorded an assist for his second point in as many games since joining Peoria via trade on Tuesday…Peoria’s four-goal second period marked the most goals allowed by Evansville in a single period this season…The Rivermen return to action tomorrow afternoon when they host the season’s first PNC Family Fun Sunday at 3:05 inside Carver Arena…Discounted tickets are available starting at $3 for children 12 & under, and Raber hot dogs will be available for $1 each…Fans will have the opportunity to skate with the team on the Carver Arena ice following the conclusion of the game…There will be a pregame fan fest in the Peoria Civic Center, with inflatables, balloon art, and face painting…The broadcast of the game can be heard, starting with the pre-game show, at 2:45 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)