After defeating the Rockford IceHogs on Friday night, the Peoria Rivermen began a season-long nine game road trip on Saturday with another win. They are now 7-6-1-1 through their first 15 games of the year after sweeping Rockford this weekend.

Nov. 11 – W 7-6 vs. Rockford (OT)
After the Rivermen captured a 4-1 lead halfway through the second period, Rockford countered with five straight goals to take a 6-4 lead. Within the last 1:12 of regulation, Phil McRae added two power-play goals to complete a hat trick and force overtime. Adam Cracknell tallied the game-winning goal at 3:31 in overtime for a 7-6 victory in favor of the Rivermen. Jake Allen won his first game on the year while saving 36 of 42 shots. Peoria finished the game 2-for-6 on the power play. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Nov. 12 – W 3-0 at Rockford
The Rivermen finished the weekend sweep at the BMO Harris Bank Center on Saturday with a 3-0 win over the IceHogs in their sixth meeting of the year. Ben Bishop stopped all 37 shots while Brett Sterling (1g, 1a) and T.J. Hensick (1g, 1a) tallied two points each on the way to becoming the top two point scorers in the league. Peoria finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play.

Rivermen Notes

• With 16 points in 15 games played, the Rivermen currently rank third in the Midwest division and eighth in the Western Conference.
• Ben Bishop is 6-3-1 with an impressive 2.01 goals-against average and .938 save percentage after recording his second shutout of the season on Saturday night. He is currently tied for third in the league in save percentage and ranks fifth in GAA.
• After adding a goal and an assist in each of this weekend’s games, T.J. Hensick has assumed sole possession of the league lead in points with 21 (6g, 15a). Linemate Brett Sterling is now tied for second with 19 (9g, 10a). Hensick’s 15 assists are tied for the league lead with Hersey’s Keith Aucoin.
• Rookie defenseman Cade Fairchild has put up a league-best plus-12 rating this season.
• Defenseman Danny Syvret scored his first goal for the Rivermen on Friday night in a four point performance (1g, 3a). Syvret is third in the league among defensemen with 12 points (1g, 11a) in 15 games played. Eight of his points have come on the power play, which ranks second in the league among defensemen.
• Sterling’s 16 minors now lead the league after he picked up five more this weekend. Anthony Peluso’s 64 PIM rank third in the league after he accumulated 10 more this weekend. As a team, Peoria is averaging 20.87 PIM per game, trailing only to Worcester at 23.18
• After adding three more power-play goals this weekend, Peoria ranks seventh in the AHL on the man advantage at 23.3%. The penalty kill grades 12th best in the league at 83.1%.
• Friday’s 13 goal affair marks the most combined goals in a Rivermen game since Dec. 3, 2008 when the Rivermen defeated the Chicago Wolves 7-6 in regulation.

The Rivermen play four games this week:

Tues., Nov. 15 @ Hamilton – 6:30 p.m.
Thurs., Nov. 17 @ Lake Erie – 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 19 @ Lake Erie – 6:30 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 20 @ Toronto – 4:00 p.m.