PEORIA, ILL – It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, they say. The Rockford Ice Hogs finished well Friday night, rallying from a three goal deficit with four third-period goals, but the Peoria Rivermen finished best, scoring twice in the closing minute of regulation to force overtime and beat their intra-state rival front of 5099 fans at Peoria’s Carver Arena.
It was a wild third period. Ben Smith had a pair of goals for Rockford. Brandon Pirri and Jeremy Morin scored, as well, giving Rockford a 6-4 lead. With just seventy-two second left on the clock, Phil McRae scored his second goal of the night with two Ice Hogs in the penalty box and goalie Jake Allen pulled for a total of three extra attackers. With Allen pulled again after the face off, McRae completed a hat trick with less than 30 second left to force overtime.
In the overtime period, the flow of the game ran from end to end, with Rockford providing all the early pressure. Eventually, Jay Barriball muscled his way into the Rivermen offensive zone, all the way to the crease. There, his point-blank shot found the pads of Rockford goalie Alec Richards and bounced out into the slot, where Adam Cracknell one-timed the rebound to touch off a
Photo by Chris Loudermilk
Early in the first period, the game looked to be in Rockford’s hands. The Ice Hogs attacked Rivermen goaltender Jake Allen, including a 75 second flurry that saw six consecutive shots on the Rivermen tender. It was the Rivermen broke through first, though. At 9:31 of the first period, TJ Hensick skated across the goalmouth and flipped a backhand shot over the stick of Richards. Anthony Peluso and Brennan Evans were credited with the assists.
Less than two minutes later, defenseman Cade Fairchild slapped one past a screened Richards from the top of the slot to give the Rivermen a 2-0 lead. Richards protested that Brett Sterling was interfering, but replays show he was being pushed into Richards by Rockford defenseman Shawn Lalonde. Sterling and Danny Syvret assisted on the goal.
In the second period, Rockford drew their first blood with a goal from Jeremy Morin. The goal light did not go off but the team raised their sticks and the referee pointed. Brian Connelly and Brett McLean assisted on the goal as Allen spun on the seat of his pants in the crease as Rockford cut the Rivermen lead in half.
Photo by Chris Loudermilk
The Rivermen answered six minutes later when the team got very good pressure on Richards. Jay Barriball started it off and several rebounds later, Phil McRae was credited with a goal. Barriball and Stefan Della Rovere had helpers but this was a team goal, putting the Rivermen up 3-1.
The goal play also resulted in a penalty as Ice Hog Brian Fahey was called for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. The Rivermen set up and pressured Richards for the next sixty second until Syvret’s shot from the blue line went into the net, untouched. Credit Brett Ponich for a perfect screen and Hensick and Sterling with assists as the Rivermen staked a three-goal lead on the power play goal.
McLean pulled the Ice Hogs to within two when he backhanded the puck and chipped it over Allen’s shoulder. Morin and Brandon Segal took the assists as Rockford cut the Peoria lead to 4-2.
The third period started well for Rockford, as Brennan Evans went to the box for hooking just 1:30 into the period. Ben Smith had the power play goal and Connelly and Lalonde assisted, cutting the Rivermen lead to a single goal, 4-3.
Photo by Chris Loudermilk
Peoria was outshot 40-42 by Rockford. The Ice Hogs scored twice on six power plays while the Rivermen scored three time on eight man-advantages.
NOTES: Peoria is on the road until December 3….The Rivvermen wore special desert camouflage themed jerseys to celebrate Veterans Day. The jerseys were auctioned after the game with the proceeds going to the Children’s Hospital of Illinois.
Contact the author: Shaun.Bill@ProHockeyNews.com
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