Peoria, IL – It took a late goal and a dramatic overtime goal, but the Peoria Rivermen notched a come-from-behind victory over the Pensacola Ice FLyers in front of a reported 3309 fans on Saturday night at Peoria’s Carver Arena.
Pensacola took a 2-1 lead deep into the third period, but could not hold it when Christian Weidaur blasted a shot from the blue line through a screen to even the score at two goals apiece at 17:08 of the third period.
In the overtime period, Peoria took its’ sweet time changing lines after the face off, getting Dmitri Ognev and Jake Hauswirth on the ice. Hauswirth drive the net on the right side, drawing Zenzola before launching an improbable pass through a crowded crease. The puck made it through traffic and Ognev buried to set off the celebration.
The first Pensacola goal deflected off of two different Rivermen defenders, changing directions three times and tying Rivermen goalie Troy Davenpot into a knot as he tried to adjust every time the puck was re-routed. The goal was credited to Jesse Stoughton and spotted the Ice Flyers to 1-0 lead at 13:00 of the first period.
The Rivermen were able to even it up with a power play goal late in the first peiod when Nick D’Avolio blasted a shot from the right face off dot past a screened Matt Zenzola.
The second period started off with an odd play when Davenport came out to play a puck but missed it. Corey Banfield was given the unassisted goal and Pensacola was handed a 2-1 lead.
There were only two penalties called for the whole game, both on Pensacola. Peoria scored on one of those power play opportunities.
Between the pipes, Zenzola was terrific for most of the night. All three of the goals he allowed came on solid screens or, like the last one, a backdoor pass. He stopped 31 of 34 shots. Davenport was solid, with that one worrisome mental mistake as an exception, officially stopping 21 of 23 shots.
The loss sets Pensacola back to 1-3-2 while the win lifts Peoria to 4-2-1 on the young season
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