The Peoria Rivermen kicked off the 2012 American Hockey League preseason schedule with a 2-1 shootout decision over the Chicago Wolves on Monday night at Carver Arena.
It was the first of 40 preseason games to be held in the league this year and the first of three for Peoria.
Anthony Peluso and Brett Sonne scored in the fifth and sixth rounds of the shootout while goaltender Paul Karpowich stopped the final four shooters he faced to earn the win.
Karpowich replaced Jake Allen at the start of the third period and made eight saves between the remainder of regulation and overtime. Allen had stopped 12 of 13 in two periods of work.
Mark Cundari scored Peoria’s only goal of regulation at 13:11 of the first period on a shot from the left point that found its way through goaltender Joe Canata. Tyler Shattock earned the lone assist.
Chicago held an early lead after Matt McCready sent one past Jake Allen with the Wolves on a power play. At 11:36 of the first period, just eight seconds after a Sonne minor, Peter Andersson and Kellan Tochkin worked the puck into the right circle where McCready snapped on past Allen’s outstretched glove.
The game started with two fights in the opening 15 minutes including Chris Bruton and John Armstrong dropping the gloves just three seconds from the opening faceoff. Rookie forward Cody Beach went with Alexandre Mallet at 14:39.
Peoria finished 0-for-7 on the power play while Chicago went 1-for-3.
