Rivermen, Jet Lag Beat Gulls

The Gulls, 90 minutes after getting off the bus, gave up three first-period goals and lost, 5-1, to the defending Turner Cup champion Peoria Rivermen in Peoria, Ill., Saturday.

A crowd of 6,706 turned out for opening night at the Peoria Civic Center and saw Steve Tuttle score a hat trick against the Gulls, who fell to 1-2 while playing their third game in three nights. Peoria is 2-0.

“No doubt the three games in three nights caught up with us, and add to it that this was their home opener,” Gull Coach Don Waddell said. “They came out flying in the first period and it took us a while to get into the game.”

The Gulls, for the second night in a row, were ineffective on the power play, converting only one of nine chances with a one-man advantage. They are five for 31 on the power play this season.

The Gulls flew to St. Louis at 6 a.m. Saturday, then took a three-hour bus ride to Peoria. The Rivermen capitalized on the Gulls’ long travel day, building a 3-1 lead while out-shooting the visitors, 18-5, in the first period.

Tuttle opened the scoring 8:52 into the game and closed out the first period with his second goal at 12:11, following the Gulls’ only goal by Darcy Norton 42 seconds earlier.