Rivermen Game Notes: Macon Mayhem (28-16-5) at Peoria Rivermen (33-12-4)
March 23, 2018 - SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
CURSE BREAKERS
The Rivermen come into tonight's game against the Mayhem after earning a 2-1 shootout win in Pensacola last Saturday, marking Peoria's first win in Pensacola since January 31, 2015, a stretch including six regular-season games and one postseason tilt.
THE SERIES SO FAR
Tonight's contest marks the second of three meetings between the Rivermen and Mayhem this season, and the first of two at Carver Arena. The Rivermen captured a 6-3 win in their only trip to Macon this season, February 11. Last season, the Rivermen took three of the four meetings between the two clubs in the regular season, taking a 4-3 win in Macon October 27 before the Mayhem captured a 2-1 shootout victory the following night. The Rivermen then collected a 4- 3 shootout win in Peoria January 14 before topping the Mayhem 5-4 in regulation to round out the series. In the President's Cup Finals last season, the Rivermen fell 2-0 to the Mayhem, dropping a 2-1 regulation decision April 28 before falling 2-1 in Macon April 30.
SCOUTING THE MAYHEM
Macon enters this weekend's games at Carver Arena fourth in the SPHL at 28-16-5 on the season, good for 61 points. With one more win or a Mississippi or Roanoke regulation loss, the Mayhem will clinch a spot in the 2018 President's Cup Playoffs, marking three straight postseason appearances for the Mayhem since joining the SPHL. The Mayhem enter play tonight paced in point production by former Rivermen winger Jake Trask, who has notched team-bests with 23 goals and 36 assists in 47 games played, and his 59 points are two shy of league-leader Berkley Scott. Mayhem center John Siemer has added 43 points (14g, 29a) in 49 games on the season, while winger Caleb Cameron has added 19 goals and 15 assists, skating in 39 games for the Mayhem thus far this season.
PULDE PULLS IT OFF
Last Saturday's Rivermen win in Pensacola included a 39-save performance for Rivermen netminder Mason Pulde, who also turned aside five of six Pensacola shootout attempts to earn his first victory in a starting role since joining the Rivermen in early February. In six games for Peoria this season, the first-year pro has gone 3-0- 1 with a 1.40 goals-against average and a .963 save percentage. Over 88 minutes and 43 seconds of ice time at the Bay Center last week, Pulde allowed just one goal on 46 shots faced, giving him a 0.68 goals-against average and a .978 saves percentage for the weekend.
GO-GO GORMAN
Last Saturday's Rivermen win in Pensacola also saw a third-period game-tying goal scored by Peoria winger Connor Gorman, giving the second-year pro a point or more in each of his last eight appearances, dating back to February 2 at Huntsville. For the season, the Shrewsbury, MA native has tallied 15 goals and 16 assists in 40 games, including contributing seven goals and five helpers to Peoria's power-play unit.
THE DISHIN' MAGICIAN STRIKES AGAIN
Saturday's win in Pensacola also included an assist and the game-winning goal in the shootout for first-year center Joseph Widmar, giving the Northbrook, IL native 10 goals and 25 helpers in 30 games played this season to go with a +15 rating and two game-winning goals.
WHAT'S ON DECK
After tonight's game, the Rivermen will rematch the Mayhem tomorrow night, then conclude the weekend with a 3:05 contest against the Evansville Thunderbolts. The Rivermen will then travel to Roanoke, VA next weekend for a pair of games with the Rail Yard Dawgs before hosting Roanoke April 6 & 7 to wrap up the regular season.
SPHL Stories from March 23, 2018
- Carvalho's Pair Lifts Rivermen over Mayhem Friday - Peoria Rivermen
- Dawgs Storm Back, Beat Havoc in Overtime, 3-2 - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
- RiverKings Gun Down Marksmen, 7-4 - Mississippi RiverKings
- Ice Flyers Get Shot Down in Thunderbolts' Third Period Flurry - Evansville Thunderbolts
- Mayhem Battle Hard, Fall in Overtime to Rivermen - Macon Mayhem
- Ice Flyers Fall to Thunderbolts 4-1 - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- Power Play Struggles Prove Costly for Marksmen - Fayetteville Marksmen
- Weekend Preview: Ice Flyers vs. Evansville ThunderBolts - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- Rivermen Game Notes: Macon Mayhem (28-16-5) at Peoria Rivermen (33-12-4) - Peoria Rivermen
- Mayhem Game Notes: Mayhem at Peoria Rivermen - Macon Mayhem
- Marksmen Sign NHL Bloodline, Doyle and Jeke Added to Roster - Fayetteville Marksmen
- Rail Yard Dawgs Game Notes: Rail Yard Dawgs (22-23-4) at Havoc (27-15-8) - Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
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