Rivermen Come Back Again, Complete Weekend Sweep Saturday

February 2, 2019 6:30 pm

Away | Regular

Macon Mayhem

Final
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2
1
Mayhem
2
0
1
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Rivermen
3
2
1
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Photo Credit: Bryan Meeks/Macon Mayhem

Rivermen Come Back Again, Complete Weekend Sweep Saturday

Peoria erases third-period deficit en route to fifth straight victory

 

Macon, GA – The Peoria Rivermen erased a 2-0 second-period deficit and capped the comeback with a two-goal third period, capturing a weekend sweep of the Macon Mayhem with a 3-2 win Saturday. The win, Peoria’s fifth straight, lifts the Rivermen to 29-3-4 on the season and dropped their magic number to clinch a playoff spot to five points over Quad City before next weekend’s home-and-home against the Storm.

The Mayhem started the scoring with a first-period tally for the second straight night. Off a faceoff in the Peoria zone, Mayhem defenseman Jarret Kup’s drive from the right point was kicked aside by Rivermen goaltender Storm Phaneuf. The ensuing rebound came to the low left circle of the Peoria zone, and Mayhem center John Siemer popped it past a sprawling Phaneuf for the 1-0 lead at 16:54 of the opening period.

 

The Mayhem pushed their lead to 2-0 in the second period at the tail end of a power-play. One second after Dean Yakura’s hooking penalty expired, Mayhem winger Derek Sutliffe finished a backdoor feed on a rush into the Rivermen zone, past Phaneuf, for a 2-0 edge at 9:41 of the middle frame.

 

Peoria got on the board and cashed in on the power-play just past the midway point of the contest. With Mayhem defenseman Nick Minerva in the box for hooking, Rivermen defenseman Ralfs Grinbergs held the puck on the high slot, and passed to the low right wing, where teammate Ben Blasko filled an empty net behind Tanner Creel for a 2-1 score at 11:09 of the period.

 

Peoria tied the game at two with another power-play goal early in the third. With the Rivermen on a man-advantage courtesy of a high sticking double-minor against Macon defenseman Zach Urban, Rivermen defenseman Kevin Patterson’s drive from the left point beat Creel’s glove for a 2-2 score at 5:26 of the final period.

 

The Rivermen took the lead for good with an even-strength goal late in the third period. Rivermen winger Mike Gurtler carried into the left wing of the Mayhem zone on a 2-on-1 with Blasko, sent the puck to the netfront, and stuffed home the rebound for the 3-2 final score at 13:23 of the third period.

 

Phaneuf earned his eighth consecutive win between the pipes, stopping 22 of 24 shots faced. The win improves Phaneuf to 10-0-1 on the season and left his league-leading goals-against average at 1.80.

 

Notes: The win improves Peoria to 13-0-2 all-time against Macon in regular-season play…The Rivermen went 2-9 on the power-play, and Macon amassed 44 minutes in penalties to Peoria’s 22…Patterson scored a goal for the second straight night…Gurtler netted his first goal since January 5 against Evansville, and his first game-winner since November 11, 2017 against Knoxville…Blasko recorded an assist on Patterson’s goal to extend his league-best point streak to 13 games…The Rivermen return home to Carver Arena to face the Quad City Storm Friday, February 8, for Peoria’s first ever Hockey Is For Everyone Night in cooperation with the You Can Play Project…Special tickets to the game, including a limited-edition T shirt and a post-game group photo with the Rivermen team, are available at https://bit.ly/2DQmbUE and additional tickets to the game can be purchased at 309-676-1040…The game is set to begin at 7:15, and the broadcast of the games 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)