Manitoba Moose

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Highlight REEL Rivermen 2 Moose 1 (OT)

By: Staff Writer

28/11/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

PEORIA, Ill. -- The Manitoba Moose fell 2-1 in overtime to the Peoria Rivermen at the Carver Arena Friday night in what was a bruising battle for both sides.

"That," Moose head coach Scott Arniel said afterward, "was a slugfest.

"They got the bounce in overtime, but that was a good, solid road game for us. You hate to lose, but there were a lot of good things that game."

Moose goalie Cory Schneider was sensational again, turning back 31 of 33 shots.

The overtime loss gives the Moose 10 of a possible 12 points through their last six games and improves their season record to 12-9-4.

Worth watching

Tough guys Tommy Maxwell of the Moose and Anthony Peluso of the Rivermen had a fun-filled tilt in the first period after Peluso ran Moose forward Darryl Bootland from behind and Maxwell charged to his teammate's rescue. It was Maxwell's 10th fight of the season, third most in the AHL.

"This is a tough building to play in," Maxwell said afterward. "Those guys come hard."

Later in the third, Bootland hacked at Rivermen centre Yan Stastny, who promptly cross-checked Bootland to the ice. Bootland got up and challenged Stastny to a fight. Stastny declined and gave Bootland a nasty face wash instead.

Goals

The Moose forget their legs in the dressing room after the second intermission and pay for it just 33 seconds into the third as Peoria winger Adam Cracknell digs the puck out of the corner and slides it to the slot, where centre Nicholas Drazenovic fires stick-side past Moose goalie Cory Schneider. Peoria 1 Moose 0

Moose winger Matt Pettinger, who had two third-period goals in Rockford Wednesday night, sets up the equalizer at 10:39. Pettinger fires from the blue-line and Moose centre Marty Murray deflects it in for his sixth of the season. Moose 1 Peoria 1

The Rivermen get the winner just 36 seconds into OT as Peoria defenceman Steve Wagner cashes in on a goalmouth scramble, dribbling one underneath Schneider that just made it over the goal line.

Peoria 2 Moose 1 (OT)ICE CHIPS

Ryan Reaves, the son of former Blue Bombers great Willard Reaves, is in his third season as a right-winger for the Rivermen.

The 22-year-old St. John's-Ravenscourt grad went to camp with the parent St. Louis Blues this fall and got a pat on the back and some words of encouragement for his strong play in two exhibition games.

Reaves said Blues management told him to continue working his game, a bruising and punishing style that makes best use of his 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame and makes him a frequent visitor to the penalty box.

"My mom wants me to stop fighting and start scoring some goals," Reaves said. "I don't think she knows that's not really my game."

Up next

The Moose play the Chicago Wolves in Rosemont, Ill. tonight before heading home.

-- Wiecek

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 28, 2009 D6

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