Rivermen top Grand Rapids in OT
By: Michael Klos
Updated: March 17, 2013
WMBD/WYZZ-TV STAFF - The Peoria Rivermen, wearing their green St. Patrick's Day sweaters, started the celebration 30 seconds into overtime when Taylor Chorney gave them a 3-2 win over Grand Rapids on Sunday at Carver Arena. His unassisted tally gave the Rivermen their fifth straight win against the division-leading Griffins.
Mark Cundari started the Rivermen off with a goal from just 1:42 into the first period. His blast went right over the glove of Tom McCollum Anthony Nigro and Derek Nesbitt assisted on Chorney's seventh of the season.
Then, at 1:11 in the second period, Tomas Tatar evened the score for the Griffins off a breakaway goal, stick-handling the puck past McKenna and into the net. Jan Mursak's pass sprang Tatar in alone.
The Rivermen answered and took the lead once again just over 3 minutes later. After Andre Bouvet-Morrissette was in alone, he was stripped of the puck but it bounced right to Anthony Nigro charging the goal. His fourth of the year restored Peoria's lead at 2-1.
The Griffins tied it up again, 2-2, at 14:28 in the second frame as Louis-Marc Aubry jammed the puck through the traffic in front of the net and past McKenna. Tomas Jurco and Francis Pare both assisted in the goal.
After 60 minute of regulation the game went into overtime. Chorney scored the unassisted game-winner just 30 seconds into overtime as he looked of a pass on a two-on-one and ripped one past the glove of McCollum.
The Rivermen went 0-for-2 on the power-play while the Griffins went 0-for-4. Peoria had 28 shots in the game while Mike McKenna picked up the win with 24 stops.
