Peoria's Season Ends in Frustrating 3-1 Loss to Evansville
April 18, 2025 - SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
EVANSVILLE, IN- The Rivermen's season came to an abrupt and frustrating end on Friday night as they were frustrated by a hot Evansville goaltender on the road at the Ford Center. Peoria fell 3-1 in Game Two of the best-of-three semifinal series in their first loss in the second round of the playoffs since 2023.
Peoria started strong, taking the play to the Thunderbolts on the road. The Rivermen were winning battles for loose pucks and supporting the puck carrier. That effort paid dividends midway through the first period. Carson Baptiste tried a wrap-around attempt from behind the net. Evansville goaltender Cole Ceci made a pad save, but it produced a rebound that defenseman Josh Martin jumped on. Martin fired a shot home from the slot for his third goal of the playoffs to put the Rivermen up 1-0. It stood as Peoria's first goal of the series. Though the Thunderbolts came close to tying the game late in the period on the power-play, the Rivermen defense held firm to take a one-goal lead into the second period.
After killing off a five-on-three disadvantage early in the third period, the Rivermen had multiple grade-A chances in tight against Ceci, but the Evansville netminder held his line well to keep the Thunderbolts within striking distance. Evansville found the back of the net midway through the second period off of a point shot while on the power play and then took advantage of the long second-period chance to cash in on a two-on-one rush later in the second to take a 2-1 lead into the third. Friday marked the first time all postseason that the Rivermen trailed going into the third.
The Rivermen outshot the Thunderbolts 21-8 in the final period of regulation. But blocked shots and timely saves denied Peoria the tying goal they so desperately sought. One of the decisive moments came midway through the third period as Braydon Barker seemingly stuffed home a bouncing puck on the far side of the net while Ceci was down and out on the right side of the net with nothing but his pads covering the line. The call on the ice was inconclusive; therefore, the officials resorted to video review to determine a ruling. In the end, they found that there was no conclusive evidence that Barker had put the puck over the line, so the call on the ice remained "no goal".
Despite great chances in front of the net and desperation shots by the Rivermen forwards and defensemen, the Rivermen were unable to find the equalizing goal, and instead, it was the Thunderbolts who iced the game with an empty net tally just 18 seconds before the final horn. Peoria's season came to an end as the Thunderbolts completed the series sweep of the Rivermen two games to none. Evansville will play for its first-ever President's Cup title against the winner of the Birmingham Bulls-Knoxville Ice Bears series, currently tied at one game apiece.
SPHL Stories from April 18, 2025
- Thunderbolts Sweep Rivermen, Advance to President's Cup Final - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Peoria's Season Ends in Frustrating 3-1 Loss to Evansville - Peoria Rivermen
- Not Done Yet: Ice Bears Force Game Three with 5-1 Win - Knoxville Ice Bears
- Peoria's Jean-Guy Trudel Named SPHL Coach of the Year - SPHL
- Jean-Guy Trudel Named SPHL Coach of the Year - Peoria Rivermen
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