Report for the Week Ending Feb. 19
Tuesday, 02.21.2012 / 9:46 AM
By Kevin Orris - Peoria Rivermen / The Rivermen Report
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The Rivermen won two of three meetings last week, capturing four of six potential points. Peoria is now 28-22-2-1 with 59 points, which grades third in the Midwest Division and tied for sixth in the Western Conference.
Feb. 15 – W 1-0 at Rockford
Peoria set a new season-low in shots on goal for the second time in as many games with 13, but still managed to defeat the Rockford IceHogs 1-0 on Wednesday night at BMO Harris Bank Center. Brennan Evans scored his first goal of the season just 20 seconds into the second period. Ben Bishop played 51:14, stopping all 36 shots of 36 shots on goal and Jake Allen tallied six saves on six shots in 8:46 of action in the second frame. Allen relieved Bishop early in the second stanza after he became ill.
Feb. 17 – L 4-2 vs. Charlotte | HIGHLIGHTS
The Charlotte Checkers stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first period with goals from Zac Dalpe, Zack Boychuk and Justin Shugg in a 4-2 win over the Peoria Rivermen at Carver Arena on Friday night. Evgeny Grachev ended John Muse’s shutout bid just 20 seconds into the third period and brought the Rivermen within two. Just 18 seconds after a Michal Jordan marker, T.J. Hensick scored the game’s final goal at 5:03 in the third period. Jake Allen stopped 26 of 30 shots on goal while Muse saved 26 of 28. Both teams went 0-4 on the power play.
Feb. 18 – W 3-1 at Grand Rapids
Jake Allen captured his fifth win in his best start this season, stopping 31 of 32 shots on goal, in a 3-1 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday at Van Andel Arena. Second period goals from Brett Sterling and Anthony Peluso gave Peoria a 2-0 lead entering the final fame. Griffins rookie Gustav Nyquist brought Grand Rapids within one, but Phil McRae sealed the win just 30 seconds later. Both teams finished the game with zero penalty minutes.
Rivermen Report
Feb. 15 – W 1-0 at Rockford
Peoria set a new season-low in shots on goal for the second time in as many games with 13, but still managed to defeat the Rockford IceHogs 1-0 on Wednesday night at BMO Harris Bank Center. Brennan Evans scored his first goal of the season just 20 seconds into the second period. Ben Bishop played 51:14, stopping all 36 shots of 36 shots on goal and Jake Allen tallied six saves on six shots in 8:46 of action in the second frame. Allen relieved Bishop early in the second stanza after he became ill.
Feb. 17 – L 4-2 vs. Charlotte | HIGHLIGHTS
The Charlotte Checkers stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first period with goals from Zac Dalpe, Zack Boychuk and Justin Shugg in a 4-2 win over the Peoria Rivermen at Carver Arena on Friday night. Evgeny Grachev ended John Muse’s shutout bid just 20 seconds into the third period and brought the Rivermen within two. Just 18 seconds after a Michal Jordan marker, T.J. Hensick scored the game’s final goal at 5:03 in the third period. Jake Allen stopped 26 of 30 shots on goal while Muse saved 26 of 28. Both teams went 0-4 on the power play.
Feb. 18 – W 3-1 at Grand Rapids
Jake Allen captured his fifth win in his best start this season, stopping 31 of 32 shots on goal, in a 3-1 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday at Van Andel Arena. Second period goals from Brett Sterling and Anthony Peluso gave Peoria a 2-0 lead entering the final fame. Griffins rookie Gustav Nyquist brought Grand Rapids within one, but Phil McRae sealed the win just 30 seconds later. Both teams finished the game with zero penalty minutes.
Rivermen Report
- Jake Allen started back-to-back games for the first time this season with Ben Bishop recalled on loan in St. Louis.
- Third in the league in scoring and the only one of the top six who doesn’t play in Hershey or Norfolk, T.J. Hensick has 19 goals and 45 assists for 64 points in 53 games with the Rivermen this season. His 264 points in 231 career AHL contests are good for a 1.14 points-per-game average, the most among active players.
- Defenseman Cade Fairchild became the first player in the AHL to reach the plus-30 threshold after he posted a plus-one rating in Saturday’s win.
- The Rivermen power play leads with Western Conference with a 20.7% conversion rate this season. The penalty kill ranks seventh in the AHL at 84.1%.
- Feb. 20 – Ben Bishop (G) returned on loan from St. Louis (NHL)
- Feb. 18 – Ben Bishop (G) recalled from loan by St. Louis (NHL)
- Feb. 18 – Brad Fogal (G) released from PTO
- Feb. 18 – Brad Fogal (G) signed to PTO
- Feb. 15 – Evgeny Grachev (LW) returned on loan from St. Louis (NHL)
- Feb. 15 – Ian Cole (D) returned on loan from St. Louis (NHL)
