Rivermen Complete Sweep of Macon Following 4-1 Triumph - Will Face Knoxville in Semifinals
SPHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Complete Sweep of Macon Following 4-1 Triumph - Will Face Knoxville in Semifinals

Published on April 11, 2026 under SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


PEORIA, IL - The Peoria Rivermen are on their way to the President's Cup Semifinals as the Rivermen defeated the Macon Mayhem on Saturday night at Carver Arena by a score of 4-1 to sweep the best-of-three first round series two-games-to-none. JM Piotrowski, Mike Gelatt, Kylar Fenton, and Griffen Fox all scored for the Rivermen while goaltender Nick Latinovich made 20 saves.

The Rivermen will take on the Knoxville Ice Bears in the second round of the playoffs. The best-of-five series will commence at Carver Arena on Friday, April 17, at 7:15 pm. Game Two will also be at Carver Arena on Saturday, April 18, at 7:15 pm.

FIRST PERIOD

The Rivermen struck first as JM Piotrowski chased down a dumped-in puck early in the first period. Piotrowski was able to win a foot race before banking a shot from below the goal line off the back of Boyko and into the back of the net to secure his first goal of the playoffs. Peoria had a follow-up goal disallowed a few minutes later due to goaltender interference, and the Rivermen were then tagged for three straight penalties as the first period came to a close. On the third kill, former Rivermen Khaden H enry baked a shot from the side of the net off the back of Rivermen goaltender Nick Latinovich for his first of the playoffs to tie the game up 1-1.

SECOND PERIOD

Peoria outshot Macon 15-5 in the second, with four power plays, but couldn't score. Both goalies kept the score tied heading into the third.

THIRD PERIOD

In the first 30 seconds of the third period, Peoria finally claimed the go-ahead goal as Gunner Moore snapped a wrist shot from the right-wing boards through heavy traffic. Mike Gelatt redirected the puck between Boyko's pads, putting the Rivermen up 2-1. Just over a minute later, Kyler Fenton carried the puck across the blue line and rifled a high-rising wrist shot under the crossbar to make it 3-1. The Rivermen sealed a 4-1 win and a 2-0 series sweep with an empty-net goal late in the third.

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