Oregon, WI – The Peoria Mustangs hit the road for the final time in the regular season for a trip to Oregon, Wisconsin to square off against the Tradesmen. The Mustangs rebounded from last week’s loss to Rochester with a weekend sweep to end the 2021-22 road campaign. With the weekend sweep, the Mustangs improved to 32-9-4 on the season and locked in a second-place finish in the division.
Friday: PEO 2 – ORE 0
After a scoreless first period, the Mustangs opened the scoring when Massimo Polistina chipped a Chris Kondiles shot over the outstretched leg of Oregon’s Wittchow and into the back of the net at 8:04 of the middle period for the 1-0 Mustangs advantage and eventual game winner.
Peoria added to their lead late in the second period when Jackson Gram poked a Thomas Kayner pass under Wittchow and into the back of the net at 16:31 for the eventual 2-0 final score.
Andrew Doran picked up the shutout victory between the pipes stopping all 37 shots faced. The victory, Doran’s 8th straight, improves the Orchard Park, NY native to 10-1-0 on the season.
Saturday: PEO 2 – ORE 1 / OT
The Tradesmen opened the scoring late in the second period after a scoreless 40 minutes. Tradesmen forward Carter Watters won a draw in Oregon’s offensive zone, the puck slid to the top of the right circle where Sam VanderHoeven wound up and rifled a shot over the blocker of Peoria’s Nahuel Veyan and into the back of the net at 19:50 and 1-0 Oregon advantage.
Peoria evened the score as the clock was winding down in the third and final period of regulation while skating with the extra attacker. Jaycob Bland attacked a Jared Wisely pass and zipped it past Oregon goaltender Austin Bartell at 19:57 of the third period to tie the game at 1-1.
The Mustangs tallied the game winner in the early stages of the 5-minute, 3-on-3 overtime session when Tristan Trudel interrupted a Tradesmen pass in the slot, Trudel whacked at the puck and sent it to neutral ice where Wisely corralled it and raced through center ice and into the attacking zone. Wisely zipped down the slot towards the net and stuffed the puck past Bartell and into the back of the net at 37 seconds of overtime for the 2-1 Mustangs’ winner.
Nahuel Veyan picked up the victory between the pipes for Peoria stopping 40 of 41 shots faced. With the win, Veyan improves to 11-1-2 on the season.
By The Numbers:
-With Friday night’s win, the Mustangs have collected at least a point in 15 straight games.
-Andrew Doran picked up his 8th consecutive victory between the pipes in Friday night’s 2-0 win, it was Doran’s 5th clean game of the season and 6th in a Mustangs sweater.
-Peoria has played 3 extra time games in its last 4, two in overtime and 1 in a shootout.
-The Mustangs swept the Tradesmen for the 3rd straight series head-to-head after dropping the first two in Peoria.
-Peoria won the season series head-to-head with Oregon 6-1-1.
What’s Ahead:
The Mustangs return home to conclude the regular season portion of the schedule as they welcome the Wausau Cyclones to the Owens Center on Friday and Saturday night. Friday night’s contest is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. CST face off and Saturday’s game gets underway at 6:30 p.m. CST.
