Wolves Sink Peoria Rivermen In 4-3 Win
PEORIA, Ill. -- Jordan Schroeder's rebound goal with 46.2 seconds left in overtime lifted the Chicago Wolves to a 4-3 Illinois Lottery Cup triumph over the Peoria Rivermen Monday night at Carver Arena.
Left wing Bill Sweatt set up the game-winner as he sprinted down the right side past Peoria defenders for a scoring chance. While Sweatt couldn't jam the puck past goaltender Ben Bishop, Schroeder was there to deposit the carom in the net as the Wolves won for the sixth time in seven games.
Sweatt, Steve Reinprecht, and Stefan Schneider also delivered goals for the Wolves. Eddie Lack posted 31 saves as Chicago (15-10-1-3) kick-started a busy stretch where eight out of nine games come against other Midwest Division foes.
Schroeder and Sweatt worked together well from the outset as they hooked up for a goal at the 3:46 mark of the first period. Schroeder controlled the puck near the boards and noticed Sweatt flashing toward the slot. Sweatt took Schroeder's feed and fired it over Bishop's left shoulder for his seventh goal of the year.
After Peoria's Phil McRae knotted the game with 7:34 gone in the first period, centers Steve Reinprecht and Stefan Schneider responded in the second period with their first goals in a Wolves uniform.
Reinprecht, who has 140 National Hockey League goals to his credit, backhanded home his first American Hockey League goal at 2:15 of the second period. Kevin Connauton and Anton Rodin set up Reinprecht's power-play score.
Less than two minutes later, defensive-oriented center Stefan Schneider earned his first Wolves goal as he crashed the net and cashed in the rebound at 3:46 after Bishop stopped Mike Duco's slapshot.
Peoria (14-15-2-1) sent the game into overtime as Derek Nesbitt and Tyler Shattock registered goals midway through a quiet third period as the teams combined for just 10 shots. Ben Bishop (12-9-0) finished with 24 saves for the Rivermen.
The Wolves head to Milwaukee for an Amtrak Rivalry game at 7 p.m. Wednesday before returning to Allstate Arena for an Illinois Lottery Cup contest against Rockford at 7 p.m. Thursday.
-- Chicago Wolves
