Mike McKenna out dueled the AHL‘s top goaltender in Barry Brust as the Peoria Rivermen came back to beat the Abbotsford Heat 2-1 in a shootout on New Year’s Eve at Carver Arena. McKenna made 35 saves in regulation and overtime and then stopped four of five in the shootout to earn the win. After a fast-paced but scoreless first period, Kris Kolanos opened the second with a power-play goal to give the Heat a 1-0 lead. Kolanos tucked a shot, from along the goal line, over the shoulder of McKenna for his ninth of the season at 2:34. Despite the fact that Peoria was outshot 17-10 in the second period it was still 1-0 at the start of the third. Taylor Chorney tied the score with a goal at 7:35 of the third period. Derek Nesbitt and Ian Cole earned assists on the play and Chorney scooped the puck off the boards and rifled a snapshot under the glove of Brust from the right faceoff circle. Phil McRae and Jaden Schwartz scored in the shootout while McKenna allowed just a single goal as Peoria snapped a three-game losing streak.
-Bob
