Despite the loss, Lake Erie extended its point streak to five games (3-0-1-1) by forcing a shootout.

The Monsters are 12-9-2-3 on the season, while they are 1-3 in shootouts and 1-5 outside of regulation.

Lake Erie carried the play through the majority of the first period, but Peoria escaped the opening frame with a 1-0 lead. At the 16:49 mark, Jake Gannon took a wrist shot from the right point that was deflected into the net by Phil McRae. Defenseman Mark Cundari also assisted.

In the second period Lake Erie was outshot, 12-8, but knotted the score at 1-1 with just five seconds remaining. From the left circle Patrick Rissmiller sent a cross-ice pass to Matt Ford, who buried his eighth of the season with a one-timer from a sharp angle. Ford’s goal marked his second in as many games, while Rissmiller’s assist came as his sixth point (4G, 2A) in his last two games.

Deadlocked at a goal apiece in the third period, Lake Erie took a 2-1 lead when center Mike Carman scored an unassisted, shorthanded goal at 11:37. From just inside the blue line of his defensive zone, Carman picked off a loose puck, sprinted the length of the ice and used a forehand-backhand move to score on a breakaway. Carman leads AHL rookies with four shorthanded tallies on the season.

With just 14 seconds remaining in regulation, Peoria managed to tie the game at 2-2 with a power play goal by Derek Nesbitt. Nesbitt’s goal forced overtime and was assisted by Adam Cracknell and Hensick.

Both teams registered four shots in the extra session but neither scored, sending the game to a shootout.

In the shootout, Rissmiller scored Lake Erie’s lone goal. Nathan Oystrick and Hensick both scored for Peoria, lifting the Rivermen to their fourth consecutive win.

Goaltender John Grahame made 31 saves in the game and two during the shootout in his second consecutive start for Lake Erie. Grahame holds a record of 3-3-1 on the season.

Peoria’s Ben Bishop went 22-for-24 in regulation and overtime, before stopping four more in the shootout for the win.

Saturday’s contest marked the first of this season’s six meetings between Peoria and Lake Erie.

The Monsters will travel to Abbotsford for back-to-back games against the Heat on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Three Stars: 1. PEO Hensick (1 assist, shootout goal); 2. Oystrick (shootout goal); 3. Bishop (22 saves, four shootout saves)