ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Announce 2004-2005 Schedule

May 26, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Peoria, Ill. (May 25, 2004) – The Peoria Rivermen, in conjunction with the ECHL – America's Premier AA Hockey League, announced today the team's 72-game schedule for the 2004-2005 season. It is Peoria's ninth in the ECHL and the 23rd for professional hockey in Central Illinois.

The Rivermen open their season at home at Carver Arena on Friday, October 22 against the archrival Dayton Bombers, a team they face off against 10 times – five at home and five on the road – during the year. It is Peoria's only game of the ECHL's season-opening weekend. The Rivermen also battle the archrival Toledo Storm 10 times – five home contests and five road contests; the teams do battle on Friday, October 29 in Toledo, Ohio in Peoria's second game of the season.

Peoria's home schedule consists of 28 weekend dates – 13 Fridays, 11 Saturdays and four Sundays. Game times for Friday home contests have been pushed back 30 minutes to accommodate the end of the work week and are now 7:30 p.m. For home games Tuesday-Thursday and on Saturday, game times remain 7:00 p.m., and for home games on Sunday, game times remain 3:00 p.m. There are three game time exceptions: Thursday, November 25 (Thanksgiving) – 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, January 15, 2005 – 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, January 29 – 8:00 p.m.

In contrast to 2003-2004, when they played half of their 72-game schedule against close geographic and Northern Division rivals – Dayton (11), Toledo (12) and now-defunct Cincinnati (13), the Rivermen battle Division foes 60 times and play the same opponent no more than 10 times (Dayton & Toledo) not less than seven. Peoria take on the Wheeling Nailers nine times compared to eight matchups last season. The Rivermen face off against the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (four last season), the Johnstown Chiefs (eight last year) and the Reading Royals (six last season) each eight times and play the Trenton Titans on seven occasions.

Peoria gets its first opportunity to avenge their Northern Division Finals loss to the Reading Royals on the road on Tuesday, November 16 at the Sovereign Center.

The Rivermen battle Western Conference opponents, all from the Pacific Division for the second year in a row, 12 times this season as opposed to last season's seven matchups. They battle new opponents in the Fresno Falcons (three times) and the Brabham Cup Champion San Diego Gulls (two times) for the first time ever as part of a six-game Pacific Division road swing beginning on New Year's Eve in Idaho and culminating in Las Vegas with two straight matchups on January 7-8 at the Orleans Arena. Peoria will meet Fresno on Tuesday, January 4 and San Diego the following night – Wednesday, January 5.

During the 2004-2005 season, Peoria also enjoys an ECHL franchise record 11-game, five-opponent home stand, spanning nearly a month from Sunday, February 13 to Tuesday, March 8. Its previous franchise mark for consecutive home games in the ECHL in one season was eight (February 18-March 3, 2001), set during the 2000-2001 season. The 11-game home stand is followed by a season-long, seven-game road trip to Toledo, Wheeling, Reading, Atlantic City and Johnstown from March 11-20.

The busiest months for the Rivermen are February (13 games) and March (16 games) with 29 total games over the stretch, 16 of which will be played at home.

With the 2004-2005 schedule starting nearly a week later, the Rivermen finish up the year with a six-game Eastern road swing that will take them to Trenton, Atlantic City, Reading and Toledo from April 1-8. Peoria will conclude its season at home against the same team against which they started the year – Dayton – on Saturday, April 9.

Season tickets for 2004-2005 are on sale now. Ticket packages start at just $299. The Rivermen are a member of the ECHL, America's Premier "AA" Hockey League.

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ECHL Stories from May 26, 2004


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