Three-Goal Second Dooms Rivermen Monday in Moline

December 31, 2018 4:00 pm

Away | Regular

QuadCity Storm

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Photo Credit: Sean Flynn/Quad City Storm

Three-Goal Second Dooms Rivermen Monday in Moline

Peoria drops 4-1 decision to Storm to end 2018

 

Moline, IL – The Peoria Rivermen surrendered three goals in the second period and were unable to stage a comeback as they fell 4-1 to the Quad City Storm before 2,946 at the TaxSlayer Center Monday. The loss, Peoria’s second in its last three games, drops the Rivermen to 17-3-3 on the season, still good for a first-place tie with the Macon Mayhem in the SPHL standings before next weekend’s trio of home games.

The Storm got a power-play goal to open the scoring early in the second period. Immediately after Rivermen winger Dean Yakura was assessed a slashing minor at the 2:29 mark, Storm center Mitchell Mueller fired a wrister from atop the right-wing faceoff circle that eluded the glove of Rivermen netminder Stephen Klein for a 1-0 lead at 2:33.

 

The Storm lead doubled to 2-0 at 14:43 of the period when former Rivermen center Joe McKeown picked up a loose puck off a blocked shot high in the Rivermen zone, split the defense, and deked to the forehand to beat Klein just inside the right post.

 

Peoria had a penalty shot opportunity late in the second period go by the wayside after rookie winger Austin Vieth was hauled down on a breakaway into the Storm zone after goalie Peter Di Salvo came above the circles in an effort to knock the puck away from Vieth. Vieth’s deke to the backhand on the penalty shot sailed just wide of Di Salvo’s left post at 16:56 of the frame.

 

The Storm lead grew to 3-0 with the teams skating 4-on-4 later yet in the middle period. Storm defenseman Patrick Harrison hustled to the puck in the right corner of the Rivermen zone, sent it net front, and McKeown powered it past Klein for a 3-0 edge at 17:33 of the frame.

 

The Storm continued building their lead into the third period, while on the power-play. Mueller’s wrister from the right point got past Klein’s glove for a 4-0 advantage at 9:45 of the third stanza.

 

The Rivermen got on the board with a tally late in the third. Rivermen winger Alec Hagaman crashed the net, and helped teammate Beau Walker’s drive past Di Salvo to trim the Storm lead to 4-1 at 17:44 of the frame.

 

Klein stopped 19 of 23 shots faced in net as he took his third loss of the season. The first-year pro from Sakatoon, SK is 9-3-0 on the season, his first since finishing his collegiate playing career last year at Middlebury College.

 

Notes: Hagaman’s goal extends his point streak to four games…Veteran Rivermen winger Dean Yakura fought Storm forward John Scully at 15:43 of the third period…The Rivermen return to action at home this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, when they play host to the Huntsville Havoc (Friday & Sunday) and Evansville Thunderbolts (Saturday)…Friday’s and Saturday’s games will start at 7:15 PM, and Sunday’s contest will begin at 3:05 PM…Friday is Peoria’s annual Rivermen Flip Calendar Giveaway to the first 2,000 fans through the doors…Friday is also Chicago Cubs Night, with Cubs mascot Clark in attendance…Saturday is Peoria’s Miracle On Ice Night presented by the Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network, with the Rivermen wearing special jerseys paying tribute to the 1980 Gold Medal-winning USA Olympic Men’s hockey team, with a postgame auction to follow…Sunday is another RLI and Peoria Park District Family Fun Sunday, with pregame inflatables, face painting, and balloon art presented by Fun on the Fun, Wild Style Design, and Unique Twist, respectively, beginning at 2:05 PM…Sunday will also feature a free postgame skate with the Rivermen team on the Carver Arena ice…The broadcast of all three games can be heard, starting with the pregame show 20 minutes prior to puck drop, 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)