HUNTSVILLE, AL – The Peoria Rivermen held a two-goal lead as late as 8:38 of the second period but fell 6-4 to the Huntsville Havoc before 6,072 at the Von Braun Center Friday night. The loss, Peoria’s second regulation defeat of the season, snaps a seven-game Rivermen win streak before tomorrow afternoon’s rematch with the Havoc in Huntsville.
The Havoc started the scoring with a power-play tally in the first period’s opening minutes. With Rivermen center Justin Greenberg boxed for tripping, Huntsville forward Rob Darrar rifled a feed from Havoc defenseman Alec Brandrup past Peoria netminder Stephen Klein 2:37 into the game.
Peoria surged ahead with a pair of goals just 10 seconds apart early in the first. At 5:57 of the frame, new Rivermen signee Jack Prince banked a shot from the right-wing corner off of goaltender Mike De La Vergne and into the net for 1-1. Peoria took the lead 10 seconds later when Peoria winger Mike Gurtler finished a rebound of a Will Smith shot past De La Vergne for a 2-1 lead.
Peoria’s lead grew to two goals past the midway point of the first period. Rivermen winger Alec Hagaman took a pass from a faceoff in the left-wing circle of the Havoc zone, and blazed a shot past De La Vergne’s outstretched blocker to a 3-1 lead at 12:24 of the frame.
The teams traded goals 1:05 apart late in the first period. Havoc defenseman Pat Condon’s drive from the blueline found its way past Klein for a 3-2 score at 16:11 of the opening frame. Gurtler answered for Peoria when he finished a backdoor pass from Smith past De La Vergne to give the Rivermen a 4-2 advantage at 17:16 of the first period.
Peoria held their two-goal lead until the 8:38 mark of the second period. With Huntsville on the power-play courtesy of a slashing penalty against Rivermen center Dean Yakura, Havoc winger Stephen Hrehoriak dribbled the puck from the high slot, and it made its way past Klein and into the net for a 4-3 Rivermen lead.
Huntsville tied the game with a marker just past the midway point of the third period. Brandrup fired a shot from the high slot, and veteran Huntsville center Sy Nutkevitch redirected it past Klein for a 4-4 score at 10:42 of the final stanza.
Huntsville completed the comeback with the eventual game-winner when Havoc winger John Schiavo rushed into the Peoria zone 2-on-1 with Nutkevitch. Schiavo’s shot to the net was partially blocked, and fluttered its way past a sprawling Klein for a 5-4 lead at 14:15 of the period. Havoc winger Christian Powers scored an empty-net goal with 1:09 left in the game to seal the 6-4 final score.
Klein took the loss between the pipes for the Rivermen, falling to 8-2-0 on the season. Five goals allowed in a game ties Klein’s career high, last set in a 6-5 overtime win over Fayetteville November 9.
Game recap courtesy of official SPHL media release
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