Mike Duco earned a hat trick and Eddie Lack made 30 saves as the Chicago Wolves beat the Peoria Rivermen 5-2 on Friday night at Carver Arena before 4,931 fans. Brett Sonne and Stefan Della Rovere scored Peoria’s two goals as they saw their three-game winning streak, and four-game point streak, come to an end. The Rivermen are now 17-16-2-1 and are currently in fourth place in the Midwest Division, just one point back of the Wolves. Duco scored at the 11:50 mark of the second period to build Chicago a 2-0 lead and start s string of three goals over the next 2:48. The Rivermen cut the lead in half 15 seconds later as Della Rovere ripped a turnaround shot over Eddie Lack’s glove for his third of the season. Byron Bitz scored for Chicago at 13:38 to restore the Wolves’ two-goal lead. The hat trick from Duco came on an empty-netter with 1:11 to play. Click here for the official stats.
-Bob
The Peoria Rivermen overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period on Monday, but fell to the Chicago Wolves in overtime, 4-3 at Carver Arena before 5,036 hearty fans. Chicago’s Jordan Schroeder notched the game winner with under a minute to go in the extra frame as Peoria fell to 14-15-2-1 on the season. Peoria began to creep back into the game midway through the third period as Derek Nesbitt notched his 11th of the year. At 9:46, Nesbitt set up and sent a slap shot from between the circles into the back of the net. Less than two minutes later, Tyler Shattock drew the game back even with his fourth goal of the year. At the 11:39 mark, Brett Sonne sent the puck ahead to Shattock who wristed a shot off of the crossbar and into the net. Both teams took a 3-3 tie into overtime, but Jordan Schroeder ended the contest with less than a minute to go in the extra frame. From the right boards, Bill Sweatt made a powerful move to the net and Ben Bishop made the initial stop, but the rebound once again popped to the top of the crease. Schroeder knocked it home to give Chicago the win at the 4:13 mark.
-Bob
The Chicago Wolves came up short in their bid for a third Illinois Lottery Cup win in a 50-hour stretch as the Peoria Rivermen pulled off a 5-2 victory Sunday night at Carver Arena before 3,001 fans. The Peoria Rivermen (2-3-1-1), playing for the third night in a row, received 2 goals from 2011 AHL all-star T.J. Hensick. He opened the scoring just 3:17 into the game when a fortuitous missed shot left him with an open net. Former Wolves standout Brett Sterling assisted on the goal.
Game Box Score: Peoria 2 2 1 — 5 Chicago 1 1 0 — 2
First Period—1, Peoria, Hensick 3 (Sterling, Nesbitt), 3:17; 2, Connauton 2 (Schroeder, Oreskovich), 4:00; 3, Cracknell 2 (Syvret, Cheechoo), 12:09. Penalties—Cole, Peoria (high-sticking), 4:52; Clackson, Chicago (fighting), 7:37; Hagel, Peoria (fighting) 7:37; Ponich, Peoria (slashing) 16:25.
Second Period—4, Peoria, Cheechoo 3 (Cracknell), 4:15; 5, Hensick 4 (Cundari), 6:34; 6, Mancari 2 (Strong, Sweatt), 10:32. Penalties—Doell, Chicago (hooking), 10:55.
Third Period—7, Nigro 1 (Cheechoo, Cracknell), 17:50. Penalties—Cundari, Peoria (interference), 1:58; Fairchild, Peoria (interference), 7:55; Baumgartner, Chicago (tripping), 14:38; Barriball, Peoria (tripping); 14.58. Shots on goal—Chicago: 11-9-9—29. Peoria: 11-16-10—37. Power plays—Chicago: 0-5. Peoria: 0-2. Goalies—Chicago, Lack (32-37). Peoria, Bishop (27-29). Referees—Terry Koharski and Jarrod Ragusin. Linesmen—Brian Oliver and Mathieu Chenier.
-Bob
The Peoria Rivermen took the ice at Carver Arena for the first this season in an exhibition matchup with the Chicago Wolves. Peoria rallied from down 2-0 to tie the game only to fall 3-2 on Kevin Connauton’s second goal of the night. Chicago’s Adam Polasek let a one-timer rip from the right point that rang off the post midway through the first period, but at the end of the frame neither team was able to find the back of the net. With 4:03 remaining in the first Matt Clackson for Chicago and Peoria’s Kyle Hagel engaged in the game’s only fight. The Rivermen tied the game at 2-2 just 6:04 into the third period on a power-play goal from T.J. Hensick. Hensick’s wrister from the top of the right circle found a way between the arm and body of Karel St. Laurent. Danny Syvret and Jake Allen earned assists on the play.
-Bob
The Peoria Rivermen earned a much needed two points Tuesday night at Carver Arena edging the Chicago Wolves in overtime 6-5. Ian Cole registered the final two Rivermen goals in regulation and Mark Cundari blasted a slapshot by Chris Carrozzi with only 10 seconds left in overtime to end it. With the win, the Rivermen (34-23-2-3, 73 pts) jumped into a tie for third place in the West Division with the Texas Stars (32-20-4-5, 73 pts.). The Rivermen now trail the Houston Aeros (35-23-1-4) by two points, and are behind the first-place Milwaukee Admirals (34-16-3-7) by five points.
-Bob
