Rivermen Prevail over Huntsville, 6-3, in Back-and-Forth Contest
SPHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Prevail over Huntsville, 6-3, in Back-and-Forth Contest

Published on February 27, 2026 under SPHL (SPHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


PEORIA, IL - The Peoria Rivermen (33-13-1) got back in the win column on Friday night as Peoria defeated the Huntsville Havoc (22-17-6) 6-3 in a back-and-forth contest at Carver Arena. Brandon Stojcevski scored two goals while Daniel Chartrand, Griffen Fox, Tyler Ryder, and Michael McChesney scored for the Rivermen. Nick Latinovich started the game but was pulled early in the first period after facing six shots. Jack Bosted came in relief and made 25 saves on 25 Huntsville shots.

The Rivermen are now 3-0 against the Huntsville Havoc this year and are eager to finish off the season series with the Havoc on Saturday night at 7:15 pm at Carver Arena.

FIRST PERIOD

The Rivermen got off to a hot start with Daniel Chartrand stepping into the high slot of the Huntsville zone and sending a quick shot on net that slid along the ice and past the outstretched pad of Huntsville netminder Brian Wilson. Chartrand's goal came just over two minutes into the contest and put the Rivermen ahead 1-0. Griffen Fox added another goal while on the power play just two minutes later. While on the man-advantage, Fox received a pass from newcomer Tyler Ryder and cut to the top of the left-wing circle. With traffic in front, Fox ripped a shot into the top-right corner of the net to put the Rivermen ahead by a score of 2-0. But then, the Havoc rattled off three unanswered goals in the span of two minutes and three seconds. Quickly, Rivermen Coach Jean-Guy Trudel elected to switch goaltenders, with Jack Bostedt coming in relief for Nick Latinovich. Bostedt made several key saves to settle down the Rivermen, and soon Peoria went back to work offensively. That work paid off in the form of another power play late in the period. Alec Baer had an A+ chance off a rebound but was denied by a spectacular behind-the-back save by Wilson. But great goaltending could only hold back the Rivermen for so long, as later on in the advantage, Tyler Ryder, brother of Rivermen Terry Ryder, skated with the puck to the high slot and sent a hard wrist-shot on the net. With traffic in front, Wilson was powerless to keep Ryder's shot from sailing into the back of the net. Ryder's first goal in professional hockey was a key one as it tied the game up 3-3 heading into the second period.

SECOND PERIOD

Just over five minutes into the second period, the Rivermen found their go-ahead goal as Kylar Fenton curled toward the high slot from the right side and sent a wrist shot toward the net. Brandon Stojcevski was able to get his stick on the shot and deflect the puck into the back of the net to put the Rivermen in front 4-3. Jack Bostedt was cool, calm, and collected in the second, calmly stopping all nine shots the Havoc sent toward him in the second period.

THIRD PERIOD

Peoria added two more goals in the third period as Cole Beilke fired a shot from the left-wing point that was deflected by Stojcevski into the net for his second goal of the game. Then, later on in the period, Michael McChesney and Griffen Fox moved up ice on an odd-man rush. Fox, from the left side of the slot, fired a shot that ricocheted off the inside of the near post but then ricocheted off the body of McChesney, who was skating right toward the outside of the goalmouth and trickled into the net. Jack Bostedt made another nine saves in the third period as he slammed the door shut on the Havoc, helping Peoria to its first win since February 14.

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