Rivermen Earn Four All-SPHL First Team Selections
April 17, 2025 - SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
PEORIA, IL- The Peoria Rivermen, in conjunction with the SPHL, announced on Thursday that forwards Alec Baer and Jordan Ernst, along with defenseman Zach Wilkie and goaltender Colby Muise, have all earned selections to the 2025 SPHL All-First Team.
Baer, a native of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, is in his first year as captain of the Rivermen. Baer boasted 67 points (23 goals, 44 assists) in his second-most productive season in the SPHL. Baer also finished third in points, eighth in goals, and second in assists this season. Baer also led the league with the two longest point streaks this season (13 games and 12 games, respectively) and the longest assist streak at seven games. Baer averaged 1.46 points per game in the regular season. Baer is in his eigh th season of professional hockey and sixth in the SPHL. The two-time President's Cup championship winner is making his second appearance on the SPHL All-First Team, having previously been selected in 2022, the same year he was named the most valuable player in the SPHL.
Ernst, a native of Mokena, Illinois, is coming off his best season of professional hockey after notching 57 points (37 goals, 20 assists) in 55 games this season for the Rivermen. Ernst, a three-time President's Cup champion, is in his seventh professional season and sixth in the SPHL. He finished the regular season ranking first in goals, fifth in points, first in power-play goals (17), and first in shots-on-goal (239). Ernst also tied an SPHL record with five goals in a single game that he scored on the r oad in Evansville back on January 4. This will be Ernst's first All-SPHL selection.
Wilkie, the veteran defenseman from Villa Park, Illinois, completed his fourth season in the professional ranks and the SPHL. Wilkie led all defensemen in scoring with 56 points (13 goals, 43 assists) and ranked sixth in overall scoring, third in total assists, and first overall in plus-minus with a plus-34 rating. A two-time President's Cup champion, Wilkie is appearing on the All-SPHL First Team for the third consecutive season and has earned his fourth consecutive All-SPHL selection as he was named to t he All-Rookie Team in 2022.
Goaltender Colby Muise, a native of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, came to the Rivermen this season after playing his first year of professional hockey overseas in France last year. Muise made an immediate impact, winning 23 of Peoria's 40 regular-season victories. Muise set the pace for all goaltenders in the SPHL with the best goals-against average (1.68), the best save percentage (.933), and the most shutouts (8) in the league this year. Muise set a new SPHL single-season record for lowest goals-against average this season and tied the single-season shutout record set by former Rivermen and Marksmen netminder Kyle Rank. Muise also establish ed the second-longest scoreless streak by a goaltender at 230 minutes and nine seconds. This will be Muise's first-ever All-SPHL selection.
The Rivermen are on the road as they take on the Evansville Thunderbolts in the President's Cup semifinal round. The face-off for Game Two on Friday night is set for 7:00 pm Central Time. The Rivermen trail the best-of-three series one game to nothing.
SPHL Stories from April 17, 2025
- Ice Flyers Owner Begins Search for New Coaching Staff - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- SPHL Announces Suspension - SPHL
- Three Players Named to All-SPHL Second Team - Huntsville Havoc
- Rivermen Earn Four All-SPHL First Team Selections - Peoria Rivermen
- All-SPHL First and Second Teams Announced - SPHL
- Roanoke's Ford and Alvo Named to All-SPHL Second Team - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- Bulls Hold off Knoxville to Take Game 1 on the Road - Birmingham Bulls
- Thunderbolts Shut out Rivermen 2-0, Take Series Lead Back to Evansville - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Rivermen Shut out by Thunderbolts in Game One of Semifinals - Peoria Rivermen
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
