Chicago goes to overtime to beat Peoria

PEORIA, ILL – Jordan Schroeder moved across the crease and beat

goaltender Ben Bishop with 46 seconds remaining in overtime to send the visiting Chicago Wolves home with a 4-3 overtime victory Monday night in front of 5036 fans at Peoria’s Carver Arena over the Peoria Rivermen.
 
It was Schroeder who started the scoring when he found Bill Sweatt sliding into the slot. Sweatt fired it over the glove of Bishop for the 1-0 lead just 3:46 into the game. Peoria got back into the game when Phil McRae took a bouncing puck from Brett Sterling, gloved it long enough to tee it up and blasted a low shot past Chicago goalie Eddie Lack to tie the game at one-all at 7:34 of the first period.
 
The first period also featured a fight between Anthony Peluso of Peoria and Chicago’s Matt Clackson. Peluso dominated the fight and Clackson returned to the locker room with dental injuries.
 
In the second period, Chicago scored twice. Their first goal came on a power play as Steve Reinprecht backhanded in a rebound off a Kevin Connauton shot at 2:15 of the period. A minute and a half later, Mike Duco delivered a hard shot to Bishop’s pads. Bishop made the stop but lost track of the puck and Stefan Schneider lifted the puck over Bishop as he himself fell down for the tally and Chicago led at the end of two, 3-1.
 
In the third period, things were looking lackadaisical, if not downright sloppy. It was over seven minutes into the period before either team got off a shot. At 11:10 of the period, Derek Nesbitt looked surprised as he ended up at the top of the slot with the puck all by himself. He recovered and blasted a shot past lack to pull the Rivermen to within a goal, 3-2. It was unassisted but it game Peoria an emotional lift.
 
A minute and a half later it was a whole new game when Tyler Shattock put a shot from the right circle past Lack. Brett Sonne and Brett Ponich were credited with assists at the Rivermen tied the game.
 
Chicago fired 28 shots on Bishop, of which he stopped 24. Peoria mounted 34 shots on Lack, of which he stopped 31. Chicago was given three power play opportunities and scored once. Peoria had no chances with the man advantage.
 
Peoria returns home New Years Eve for a special 6:00PM holiday game.
  Contact the author: Shaun.Bill@ProHockeyNews.com