Rivermen Fall to Ice Bears, 3-1
SPHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Fall to Ice Bears, 3-1

Published on December 12, 2025 under SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


PEORIA, IL - It was not the Jolly scene the Rivermen intended on Friday night as Peoria (10-8-0) fell to the Knoxville Ice Bears (10-6-1) by a score of 3-1 at Carver Arena in Peoria's first home game in December. Garrett Devine was the lone goal scorer for the Rivermen, while netminder Jack Bostedt made 25 saves in the loss.

Peoria returns to home ice tomorrow, Saturday, December 13, at 7:15 pm for the annual Teddy Bear Toss, benefiting the Peoria Salvation Army. The Rivermen will wear National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation jerseys sponsored by Ogborn Plumbing, and the first 1,000 fans will receive a Rivermen face mask from Vanilla Sugar Face and Body.

FIRST PERIOD

Peoria came out fast, jetting out to an early shots on goal advantage that put the Ice Bears back on their heels. However, a solid goaltender by Knoxville netminder Stephen Mundinger kept Peoria at bay throughout most of the period. A late goal by Knoxville forward Ryan Orgel in the high slot put them ahead by 1-0 despite Peoria winning the shots-on-goal battle 12-3 in the first period.

SECOND PERIOD

Knoxville surged early in the second, extending their lead less than three minutes into the period. Later, they added a third goal after the Ice Bears capitalized on a late Rivermen line change while playing four-on-four, racing up the ice on an odd-man rush. Jared Westcott's shot deflected off Jack Bostedt's glove and into the net, making it 3-0 Ice Bears.

THIRD PERIOD

The third period saw the Rivermen and the Ice Bears trade scoring chances for most of the frame. Peoria got on the board in the final two minutes of the contest thanks to Garrett Devine. As the Rivermen pulled their goaltender, Devine received a pass from Baer in the neutral zone. Devine skated up the right-wing boards and cut to the top of the circle as soon as he stepped in over the Knoxville blue line. Devine then unleashed a hard wrist-shot that ripped past Mundinger's glove on the short side and into t he back of the net. Devine's fourth goal of the year ensured the Rivermen would not be shut out on home ice, though the goal came too late to help Peoria's comeback efforts, and the Rivermen fell 3-1 to the Ice Bears in the opening game of the weekend series.

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