Rivermen End 2025 with Overtime Loss to Quad City
SPHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen End 2025 with Overtime Loss to Quad City

Published on December 31, 2025 under SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


MOLINE, IL - The Peoria Rivermen (18-6-1) ended the 2025 calendar year with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Quad City Storm (11-12-2) at Vibrant Arena at the MARK on New Year's Eve. Cory Dennis and Braydon Barker scored for the Rivermen while goaltender Jack Bostedt made 26 saves on 29 shots in the overtime loss.

The Rivermen may have lost their six-game winning streak, but they have still gone seven games with at least a point. Peoria will have a day off before hosting the Knoxville Ice Bears for a three-game series on January 2, 3, and 4. Faceoff for Friday and Saturday's contests is set for 7:15 pm, while Sunday's is set for a 3:15 pm start.

FIRST PERIOD

Peoria struck first off an early power play goal as Alec Baer recovered the puck along the left half-boards. As he curled up to the blue line, he sent a pass across to Mike Gelatt at the right-wing point. Gelatt took a stride toward the net and then sent a quick pass back to the left circle for Cory Dennis, who rifled a wrist-shot blocker side and into the net past goaltender Zayne Steeves to put the Rivermen up 1-0. That lead only lasted seven minutes as Quad City tied the game after a point shot from the left side defenseman Ashton Paul produced a rebound off of Peoria goaltender Jack Bostedt's pad. The rebound was batted into the net by Nathan Berke to tie the game 1-1. Quad City outshot the Rivermen 9-7 in the first period.

SECOND PERIOD

The Rivermen were short-handed to start the second period, but this played to their advantage early in the frame as their famed "power-kill" mentality came to the forefront. After a won draw in their own zone, Garrett Devine corralled the puck in his own end just inside the blue line and skated up on a short-handed, two-on-two rush. As Devine stepped in over the Quad City blue like, he curled to the high slot as Braydon Barker went to the net. Devine sent a hard wrist-shot that was deflected by Barker and i nto the back of the net. The Rivermen ten dominated the remainder of play in the second period, out-shooting the Storm 17-7 in the middle frame, but they continued to be frustrated in their efforts to expand the lead some exceptional saves from Steeves who denied Garret Devine on the back-door play while the Rivermen were on their second power play as well as stymieing Braydon Barker on a late-period breakaway.

THIRD PERIOD

If Peoria dominated the second period, Quad City owned the third period, out-shooting the Rivermen 12-4 in the final frame and at times pinning Peoria in their own zone to the point where it looked like Quad City was on a power-play. With all of that, the tying goal came on the most unusual of plays as Berke stepped in across the Rivermen line and sent a fluttering shot that was sailing wide of the net. The puck then deflected off the chest of Storm forward Sav v a Smi rnov and into the net as Bostedt had vacated that spot in anticipation of a rim-around. Smirnov's goal proved decisive in bringing the game to overtime, where the two rivals would decide a game for the first time this season.

OVERTIME

The extra session lasted just 54 seconds as Quad City forward Devin Sanders sent a long pass from his own zone to Leif Mattson alone at center ice for a breakaway. Mattson beat Bostedt on a backhand-forehand deke to secure the overtime winner and the key two points for Quad City. Both teams ended the game with 29 shots on net.

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