The Peoria Rivermen have just one more home game this season… and it’s the most important game of the season. Friday night, the Rivs will host the Macon Mayhem in game one of the Southern Professional Hockey League’s short, best-of-three championship series, vying for the Presidents Cup.
Peoria blasted Huntsville out of the playoffs in the second round with a 7-3 rout in the third and decisive game Saturday night at Carver Arena. The Rivermen have won four of five playoff games by an average score of 4.8 to 2.2. Acquired in January, goalie Storm Phaneuf has been a big reason for the team’s success in 2017. Phaneuf has a 93% save percentage in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Connor Gorman has scored six post season goals, while Peoria native Alec Hagaman has notched nine points in the second season.
During the regular season, the second-place Rivs went 2-1-1 against the first-place Mayhem. The Presidents Cup series opens in Peoria Friday, 7:30p, before hitting the road to Georgia for game two on Sunday at 5p. A final third game, if necessary, would also be in Macon on Monday at 6:30p.
Best of luck to the Rivermen in their quest for their first championship of the 10-team SPHL.
Doc Watson
