Rivermen Win Goaltending Duel, Capture Shootout Saturday

March 17, 2018 7:05 pm

Away | Regular

Pensacola Ice Flyers

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Photo Credit: Brooke Mueller/Pensacola Ice Flyers

Rivermen Win Goaltending Duel, Capture Shootout Saturday

Pulde makes 39 saves to help Peoria to first win at Pensacola in three years

 

Pensacola, FL – The Peoria Rivermen got a late goal from Connor Gorman, a pair of shootout tallies from Joseph Widmar, and 39 saves in regulation and overtime from Mason Pulde to beat the Pensacola Ice Flyers 2-1 in a shootout Saturday night. The win, Peoria’s first victory at Pensacola since January 31, 2015, lifts the Rivermen to 33-12-4 on the season with seven games left in their regular-season schedule.

 

The Ice Flyers opened the scoring with a tally in the early stages of the game’s second period. Rivermen defenseman Cody Smith sent a pass from his own zone to neutral ice that was intercepted by Pensacola winger Garrett Milan. Milan carried into the left wing of the Rivermen zone, and fed a pass to the slot for teammate Charlie Adams, who one-timed it past Rivermen goaltender Mason Pulde for a 1-0 lead at 3:10 of the second period.

 

The Rivermen tied the game with a tally of their own toward the midway point of the third period. Rivermen center Joseph Widmar entered the middle of the Pensacola zone, and chipped the puck wide of the net off the back boards. Peoria winger Connor Gorman hustled to the back of the goal, collected the puck, and stuffed it around the post past Ice Flyers netminder Brian Billett for the 1-1 score at the 8:07 mark of the period.

 

The game remained tied through the rest of regulation and all of overtime, and the game descended into a shootout. The first shooter for each team was turned aside, and Pensacola’s second shooter, Charlie Adams, put Pensacola ahead 1-0. In the shootout. Peoria’s next shooter, Joseph Widmar deked the puck to his backhand and lofted it over Billet for a 1-1 shootout tie. The next five shooters were stopped, and the shootout went to an extra round. Widmar deked out Billett for a 2-1 shootout lead before Pulde turned Adams aside to seal the 2-1 win.

 

Pulde stopped 39 of 40 shots faced through 65 minutes and denied five of six penalty shot attempts in the shootout to earn the win between the pipes. The win is Pulde’s first since last Friday in Mississippi and marks his first win in a start since joining the Rivermen.

 

Notes: The win marks Pulde’s first in a starting assignment, and his third win overall…Widmar’s game-winning goal is his second in his last four games after he logged his first ever GWG last Friday in Mississippi…Gorman’s goal extends his point streak to eight games…The Rivermen return to action next weekend at Carver Arena when they host a trio of games against the Macon Mayhem Friday and Saturday and the Evansville Thunderbolts Sunday…All three games are Goodwill Industries Nights, with fans bringing a clothing donation for Goodwill Industries receiving a ticket voucher for Peoria’s April 6 home game…Saturday is Peoria’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer night game, with special jerseys worn by the Rivermen, with a design featuring the names of family members, friends, and other loved ones who have battled cancer…Sunday is another PNC Family Fun Sunday at Carver Arena, with a pregame fun fest in the PCC Great Hall, a postgame skate with the Rivermen on the Carver Arena ice, $3 tickets for kids 12 and under, and $1 Raber hot dogs…Friday’s and Saturday’s games start at 7:15 PM, and the broadcast of those games can be heard, starting with the pre-game show, at 6:55 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)