Peoria Rivermen Dropped By Abbotsford Heat, 6-2

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -PEORIA, Ill. (November 25, 2009) – Leland Irving stopped 38 of 40 shots to help the Abbotsford Heat knock off the Peoria Rivermen 6-2 at Carver Arena on Wednesday night. Yan Stastny and Cam Paddock accounted for the Rivermen scores while Riley Armstrong scored twice for the Heat to stop their three-game losing streak.

The loss was the seventh in a row against the North Division (0-5-2) to start the season who now sit at 9-8-3 on the season.  Hannu Toivonen made 23 saves on 28 shots before an empty netter was tacked on in the game’s final minute.

Despite outshooting the Abbotsford 7-2 in the opening half of the first period, the Heat took a 2-0 lead into the second period.  Carsen Germyn picked the top corner with a slapshot at 12:55 and Armstrong tapped in a pass from just outside the crease at 18:20 to give Abbotsford some insurance. 

Stastny scored just 23 seconds into the second period to cut the Heat lead in half.  Lars Eller spun from the boards and fired a pass through the top of the crease for Stastny on the doorstep.  It was Stastny’s sixth goal of the season and Eller’s team-leading 11^th assist. 

The Heat regained the two-goal lead at 11:37 when Keith Aluie’s wrist shot from the blue line slipped between the legs of Toivonen.  Kris Chucko pushed the Heat to 4-1 with his seventh of the season at 4:26 of the third.

Peoria thought they had cut into the Abbotsford advantage at 6:11 of the third but a goaltender interference call against Cam Paddock negated a Chris Porter goal.  Paddock scored at 12:40 to bring the Rivermen back to a 4-2 deficit.  Brendan Bell setup Bryce Lampman for a one-time and Paddock found the rebound into an open net after Irving made the initial save. 

The Rivermen outshot the Heat 19-8 in the third period and 40-29 in the game.  Armstrong scored his second at 16:25 by following up a Cam Cunning breakaway and Garth Murray scored shorthanded on the empty net at 19:18. 

Neither team was able to score on the power play as the Rivermen finished 0-for-5 while the Heat were 0-for-4. 

Peoria continues their home stand on Friday with the Manitoba Moose in town for the first time this year.  Tickets are just $5 in the lower bowl if purchased at the Civic Center box office between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Friday.  Any fan that brings a new or slightly used coat to donate to the Salvation Army’s Coats for Kids will receive a free Coke courtesy of Center Plate.  It’s also another $2 Bud and Bud Light night.

Commissioner Bud Selig shaved drug suspensions of players and broke the rules of MLB. Will Manny Ramirez and three others do a year? What will happen to dozens of minor league players whose records, teams, and leagues are affected? Read the whole story at SZ ( www.mlnsports.com).