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SPHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Blank Thunderbolts 3-0

February 7, 2025 - SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


EVANSVILLE, IN- Goaltender Ricky Gonzalez pitched his first SPHL shutout and forward Michael McChesney notched three points as the Rivermen defeated the Evansville Thunderbolts 3-0 at the Ford Center on Friday night. The win was Peoria's seventh consecutive and eighth in nine games. Renat Dadadzhanov, Carson Baptiste, and Michael McChesney scored for the Rivermen.

Both sides had quality chances in the first period, including two power plays for Peoria. But both Gonzalez and goaltender Cole Ceci for Evansville made several high-quality saves to keep the game scores through the first period.

Peoria wasted no time in the second period to take the lead. While on the power play, defenseman Renat Dadadzhanov got the puck in the high slot just inside the blue line. Dadadzhanov rifled a shot on net that Ceci was able to partially stop but was helpless to stop the puck from sliding in past the goal line. Up 1-0, the Rivermen struck again a few minutes later as Michael McChesney, who set up Dadadzhanov's goal, made a pass from below the goal line right to the low slot. Forward Carlos Fornaris got a shot off but it produced a rebound that defected back over for Carson Baptiste. The young rookie made no mistake as he elevated the shot into the top shelf to extend Peoria's lead to 2-0.

McChesney picked up his third point of the night on an empty-net goal in the late stages of the third to cap off a three-point night. Ricky Gonzalez made 13 saves in the third period and 23 saves overall to record his first-ever SPHL shutout and his third straight win in a Rivermen uniform. Peoria maintained their hold on first place in the SPHL standings and has picked up seven wins in a row. The Rivermen will look for the three-game weekend sweep on home ice at Carver Arena on Saturday night as the Rivermen will host the Evansville Thunderbolts for the final time in the regular season. Face-off for Saturday's game is set for 7:15 pm.

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