The Peoria Rivermen completed yet another three-games-in-three-day stretch this weekend, their third of 12 this season. They are now 5-6-1-1 through their first 13 games of the year after they dropped two of three this weekend.

Nov. 4 – W 3-2 vs. Chicago
The Rivermen won the first of consecutive home games against the Chicago Wolves thanks to solid goaltending by Ben Bishop, who stopped 28 of 30 shots on goal. Derek Nesbitt scored the first Peoria goal while Anthony Nigro registered a short-handed tally to give the Rivermen a 2-1 lead early in the second period. Brett Sterling’s second period power-play goal broke a 2-2 tie and proved to be the game winner. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Nov. 5 – L 2-1 vs. Chicago
Chicago earned the weekend split with a 2-1 win on Friday night as 29 of Peoria’s 30 shots on goal were stopped by goaltender Matt Climie. Nesbitt scored the lone Rivermen goal at 6:19 in the second period, which extended his goal-scoring streak to an AHL-best five games. Jake Allen stopped 25 of 27 shots on goal and remains winless on the year. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Nov. 6 – L 2-1 vs. Milwaukee
Entering the game, Peoria trailed Milwaukee and Charlotte by just a point for the division lead, however, an outstanding outing by Jeremy Smith prevented 31 of Peoria’s 32 shots from reaching the back of the net, keeping the Rivermen in third place. Jonathan Cheechoo tallied a second period power-play goal after he swatted in his fourth of the year from just outside the crease. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Rivermen Notes

• Peoria’s potent offense – which had scored 29 goals in its previous six games – was held to just five goals in three games this weekend.
• Although the offense went cold this weekend, the Rivermen rank 12th in the league in goals scored per game at 3.23. They haven’t been as fortunate on defense however, allowing 3.15 goals per game, which positions them at 22nd in the league.
• Ben Bishop is 5-3-1 with an impressive 2.25 goals-against average and 0.929 save percentage. Without his four goals allowed in his season debut, he has posted just a 2.14 GAA with a 0.931 sv%.
• Derek Nesbitt (2g), Jonathan Cheechoo (1g, 1a), Brett Sterling (1g, 1a) and T.J. Hensick (2a) finished the weekend tied for the team lead with two points each.
• After failing to tally a point on Saturday, Hensick and Sterling both saw their league-leading nine-game point streaks come to an end. Nesbitt’s goals scored streak also ended at five.
• Hensick (4g, 13a) is tied for the league lead in assists with 13 through 13 games and is second in points with 17. Sterling (8g, 7a) is tied for third in goals and sixth in points with 15.
• Rookie defenseman Cade Fairchild currently leads all AHL rookie defensemen and ranks fourth overall in plus-minus. His plus-9 is only one back of John Albert (St. John’s) for the overall rookie lead.
• Off-season acquisition Danny Syvret (8a) is tied for fourth in points among AHL defensemen with eight through 13 games played. His eight assists, five of which have come on the power play, grade him third in the league among defensemen.
• Second year forward Anthony Nigro scored his fourth goal of the year this weekend on a shorthanded takeaway in Thursday night’s win. Nigro tallied nine goals and six assists in 54 games with Peoria in 2010-11.
• Anthony Peluso’s 54 PIM rank third in the league after he accumulated 14 this weekend. Sterling’s 11 minors are the second most in the league.
• After adding two more power-play goals this weekend, Peoria is tied for 10th in the AHL on the man advantage at 21.7%. The penalty kill grades 11th best in the league at 83.1%.
• Peoria ranks third in minor penalties with 79 and sixth in penalty minutes per game at 20.23.
• Sterling (47) and Cheechoo (45) rank among the top five in the league in shots on goal at fourth and fifth respectively, while Phil McRae’s 42 shots rank ninth in the league. McRae finished the weekend with 13 shots on goal.