Sorry I'm a little late getting this cranked up, folks...
Yan Stastny has just scored for the Rivermen, 1:01 of the first period, off of a feed from Mike Glumac, set up by a big hit from a kid that's fast becoming my favorite prospect, Chris Porter.
Nikolai Lemtyugov is playing again tonight, and has had some chances already. Marek Schwarz is in goal for the Rivermen.
Updates coming up as soon as I let my dog in...
6:49 1st: Shots on goal 6-1 Peoria so far. Lemtyugov has had several good chances already, as has Trent Whitfield.
9:39 1st: Payer from Clutterbuck, in tight and up over the right shoulder of Schwarz. 1-1.
About six minutes left in the first; shots favor Peoria 10-4, but Houston has had the better of the physical play so far.
19:00 1st: Peoria has just taken a too many men on the ice penalty; Houston has 40 seconds of a 5-on-3 coming up.
End of the first period... score tied at 1-1. Shots 12-6 in favor of Peoria.
Penalties:Â 16:44 1st, Reitz, HOU (hooking); 17:40 1st, Porter, PEO (tripping); 19:00, PEO bench (served by Linglet) (too many men on the ice).
Notes: As mentioned earlier, Houston has been the more physical team tonight. They came out hitting, and haven't let up. Micki DuPont has been sent back to the Rivermen until the Blues need him again (Wednesday), and he's playing tonight. The Rivermen are using six defensemen tonight (Woywitka, Brooks, Polak, Mackenzie, DuPont, Hellstrom), where they used only five last night in San Antonio. Cam Keith is in at forward tonight, and Julian Talbot and Jean-Guy Trudel are sitting out. No word on Talbot's condition after leaving the game last night with a leg injury.