Thunderbolts Defeat Rivermen 3-1, Force Game Five in Peoria
SPHL Evansville Thunderbolts

Thunderbolts Defeat Rivermen 3-1, Force Game Five in Peoria

Published on May 8, 2026 under SPHL (SPHL)
Evansville Thunderbolts News Release


Evansville, In.: The Thunderbolts capped off their home ice supremacy in the postseason with a 3-1 victory over the Rivermen on Thursday night at Ford Center, finishing 6-0 at home in these playoffs, and now it will come down to a winner-take-all game five in Peoria on Saturday to determine this year's President's Cup champion.

In a low-shot first period in which Evansville only had four shots on goal while allowing five, the Thunderbolts managed to strike first at 9:17 as Derek Contessa was set up at the net-front from Scott Kirton, also assisted by Caleb Huffman, to give Evansville the opening lead. 1:07 into the second period, Evansville made it a 2-0 game as Tyson Gilmour scored off a cross-ice feed from Aaron Huffnagle and Isaac Chapman. The two-goal lead did not last long, as Michael McChesney scored on a net-front redirection for Peoria to trim the lead to 2-1 at 2:41. Great saves by both Kristian Stead and Nick Latinovich, as well as some divine intervention of two shots hitting the crossbar behind Stead in the third period instead of going in, kept the score at 2-1 Evansville, before Jordan Simoneau added an empty net goal with 45 seconds remaining in the third period, assisted by Matthew Hobbs at 19:15 to make it a 3-1 final score. With the victory, Evansville goes perfect on Ford Center ice in the playoffs two years in a row, 6-0 this year after going 3-0 at Ford Center in Evansville's 2025 run to the Cup. Now the Thunderbolts must bring that mojo on the road in order to return from Peoria with the President's Cup on Saturday night.

Contessa, Gilmour, and Simoneau scored one goal each, while Kristian Stead finished with 26 saves on 27 shots on goal for his 7th win of the playoffs. Game five will be in Peoria on Saturday, May 9th at 7:15pm CT.

Season tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now. Call 812-422-BOLT(2658) or visit our website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.com) for details.

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