Rivermen Throttle Mayhem Friday

Photo Credit: Dennis Sievers/Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Throttle Mayhem Friday

Four unanswered second-period goals propel Peoria to 5-2 victory

Peoria, IL – The Peoria Rivermen overcame a 2-1 first-period deficit with four unanswered goals to defeat the Macon Mayhem 5-2 at Carver Arena Friday. The victory, Peoria’s 22^nd on home ice this season, pushes them to 39-7-9 overall before tomorrow night’s regular-season finale.

Rivermen winger Joe Kalisz wasted no time lighting the lamp, scoring his 11^th goal of the season in the first minute of the first period. Kalisz collected a loose puck above the left-winger corner of the Mayhem zone, fired it down the goal line, and banked it in off the leg of Mayhem goaltender Kevin Entmaa 32 seconds after the puck dropped.

Macon pulled ahead with a pair of quick goals at 8:31 and 11:53 of the first from forwards Stathis Soumeliis and John Siemer, respectively, giving the Mayhem a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

The Rivermen answered back to tie the game in the first minute of the second period. Again at the 32-second mark of the frame, Kalisz took a pass from Justin Greenberg in the high slot and fired a one-timer past Entmaa’s right pad, inside the post for 2-2.

Peoria took the lead for good at 3:21 of the second period when Peoria winger Ryan Siiro carried the puck into the right wing of the Mayhem zone, barged to the top of the right-wing circle, and cranked a wrister past Entmaa’s blocker for a 3-2 lead. Peoria doubled their advantage at 6:08 of the frame when Austin Vieth went flying down the right side of the offensive zone got past a Mayhem defender, and deked the puck past Entmaa, chasing the Macon goaltender from the contest.

Rivermen defensemen Brandon Parrone added the final tally of the contest against new Macon goalie Ian Sylves at 13:41 of the second period when his wrister deflected off a Macon defender and into the net. The teams remained scoreless over the final 26:19 of regulation for a 5-2 final score.

Rivermen netminder Stephen Klein stopped 20 of 22 Macon shots on goal, including the final 16, for his 22^nd win of the season. With the victory, Klein becomes the first Rivermen goaltender to surpass 21 wins in a single season since Kyle Rank won 27 games in 2014-15.

Notes: Peoria extended their record for most points in a season with 87…The Rivermen won their 39^th game of the year, tying the 2015-16 Rivermen for that league record…Peoria clinched the SPHL record for fewest regulation losses in a season prior to tomorrow night’s season finale…Kalisz recorded two goals for the first time since November 18, 2017 as a member of the Fayetteville Marksmen…Rivermen forward Ben Blasko notched two assists and holds a six-point lead in the SPHL points race with one game remining in the regular season…The Rivermen are back at Carver Arena tomorrow night for a rematch with the Macon Mayhem to conclude the regular-season schedule…Saturday is Peoria’s annual CEFCU Fan Fest with a team photo giveaway for the first 2,000 fans and Rivermen players on the concourse postgame to sign autographs…Saturday is also Julie1Call Night with $8.11 upper bowl tickets…Puck drop is set for 7:15 PM, and the broadcast can be heard, starting with the pregame show at 6:55 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)