Rivermen Report – Mink and Bishop Leading Peoria
Well, as the season has made it’s way to us at the NHL level, the AHL has also gotten started, and the Rivermen are hot.
Less than two weeks into the season, and the Rivermen are the hottest team in the American Hockey League. After dropping their first game of the season, the Rivermen have rebounded to five straight wins and sit a top the AHL.
They also have on their team the AHL’s top forward and one of the AHL’s top goaltenders in Graham Mink and Ben Bishop.
Graham Mink (image via theahl.com)
Mink leads the team and the AHL with 12 points in six games. Four of those points came in the Rivermen’s 6-2 win over the San Antonio Rampage. Another three points in the last two games, both wins, over the Houston Areos and the Calder Cup Champions, the Texas Stars.
Mink, 31, was acquire in the off-season from the Florida Panthers in exchange for defensive prospect T.J. Fast. An AHL all-star and a Calder Cup Champion with the Hershey Bears, Mink brings experience, leadership and a winning history to a very young Peoria roster. Mink has six points in the last two games. Quite a start he’s had in his first season with the Rivermen.
The Rivermen have a strong duo of two young goaltenders in net. Ben Bishop, the starter holds a 4-1 record. Stopping more then 40 pucks in his last two starts. Bishop had an outstanding training camp with the Blues and it looks to have carried over to his season in Peoria.
Jake Allen, in his first pro season, won his first pro game against the Houston Areos to help the Rivermen as they extended their winning streak. Allen stopped 30 shots in his first pro win, letting in only two goals. A strong duo in net is something the Rivermen will need to make their way back into the post season.
Graham Mink isn’t the only Rivermen producing offensively either. Both Nicholas Drazenovic and T.J. Hensick have eight points in six games. Nathan Oystrick leads all defensemen with seven points in his first six games with the Rivermen, notching three goals and four assists.
Though the hot start has the Rivermen flying high, some of the Peoria players are disappointing. Brett Sonne, Ian Cole and Tyler Shattock are all pointless thus far this season. Shattock is playing in his rookie season and it seems that Tyler is having some trouble adjusting to the AHL tempo.
Ian Cole is disappointing early on this season. (image via rivermen.net)
Ian Cole, coming into his first pro season is pointless through the first six games. Cole had five points (one goal, four assists) in his first nine games last season. The Rivermen will need Cole to log some big minutes and be a key role player for the Rivermen this season and has been disappointing thus far.
Brett Sonne, a second year forward recorded 24 points in his rookie season with Peoria and Sonne was expected to be an offensive player for the Rivermen this season and has been lacking in that category early on this season. He’ll need to step it up to be a big game player for the Rivermen. I for one have been waiting to see the Brett Sonne who notched 100 points with the Calgary Hitmen in his last season in juniors, but he has been missing since turning pro.
Both Shattock and Sonne have been getting some decent penalty killing time and have spent a lot of time on the fourth line. When their offensive touch comes to them, more ice time is bound to come as well.
It’s been quite a start for the Rivermen, some high points for certain players and low points for others. Thats hockey though, some players have to fight through their slumps and other player have been able to click and be key players. Now will Graham Mink continue this incredible pace all season? Will Ian Cole finish the season with zero points? It’s highly doubtful. So be sure to check in here as I keep you updated on how our Rivermen fair throughout the year.
Randall Ritchey
randallritchey@gmail.com
