Rivermen Kick Off 2017 Training Camp Wednesday
October 11, 2017 - 09:25 am
Photo Credit: Dennis Sievers/Peoria Rivermen
Rivermen Kick Off 2017 Training Camp Wednesday
18 skaters, 4 goaltenders, expected to take Owens Center ice for first official team practice
Peoria, IL – The Peoria Rivermen have announced the team’s official training camp tryout roster and practice schedule today as the franchise prepares to begin its 36th season of professional hockey in Peoria. The Rivermen are expected to begin practice at 10 AM today at Owens Center in Peoria with a roster of 18 skaters and four goaltenders, with players to be added and removed from that roster throughout the duration of camp until next Wednesday’s SPHL roster deadline, by which point all teams must have their 19-man opening-night roster submitted to the league.
Rivermen training camp will begin with practice today, October 11, at Owens Center, skating from 10 AM until approximately noon. The team will reconvene for on-ice sessions at 10 AM at Owens Center October 12-15. Monday, October 16 and Tuesday, October 17’s practices will be held at Carver Arena in the Peoria Civic Center, with 10 AM skates to be accompanied by evening sessions at 6 PM, also at the Civic Center. The Rivermen will hold their final skate of training camp the morning of October 18th at 10 before the league’s noon roster deadline. All training camp skates are free and open for public attendance. (Full Training Camp Schedule HERE)
Of the 22 players currently signed to Peoria’s training camp roster, nine have played for Peoria over the course of their careers, with seven of those seeing action in a Rivermen sweater last season. Among the returnees are veterans Dave Pszenyczny and Cody Dion, as well as Peoria native Alec Hagaman, fifth-year Rivermen defenseman Ben Oskroba, and second-year forwards Dakota Klecha, Connor Gorman, and Eric Witzel. Winger Mike Curtler returns to Peoria after a one-year retirement, while goaltender Eric Levine, who was with Peoria for stretches in both the 2013-14 and 14-15 campaigns, comes back to the Rivermen following a yearlong stay with the ECHL’s Indy Fuel on a two-way contract with AHL Rockford.
Peoria’s list of frontline newcomers is set to include collegiate standouts Jacob Barber (Wisconson-Stevens Point), Nathan Pelligra (Florida Gulf Coast), Ryan Siiro (Princeton University), and Joseph Widmar (UMass-Amherst), along with incoming forwards Dustin Jesseau (SPHL Mississippi), Cameron Rossman (Czech 3 HC Pelhrimov, 2015-16), and Tom Tracy (Germany4 EHC Zweibrücken).
In Peoria’s defensive corps, Oskroba and Pszenyczny will be joined by first-year pros-to-be Kevin Patterson (Niagara University), Brandon Rumble (Lindenwood University), and Derek Stahl (SUNY-Geneseo). Behind them Levine will join Matt Leon (SUNY-Geneseo), Michael Santaguida (University of Vermont) and Dylan Wells (SPHL Knoxville) in competition for a pair of opening night roster spots.
The Rivermen will open their fifth SPHL regular season Saturday, October 21 at 7:15 in the Ford Center in Evansville, IN against the Thunderbolts, before rematching the ‘Bolts Tuesday morning, October 24 at 10 AM. Peoria will commence its home schedule October 27 & 28 against the expansion Birmingham Bulls, with both games scheduled to begin at 7:15 in Carver Arena. Tickets for both games against Birmingham start at 2 for $20, with more information about single-game, group, and season tickets available by calling the Rivermen at (309)-676-1040.
Single-game, group, and season tickets for Peoria's 36th season of professional hockey, presented by Midwest Orthopaedic Center, are on sale at the Rivermen office in the Peoria Civic Center, located at 201 S.W. Jefferson Street, or over the phone at (309) 676-1040. For the latest Rivermen news and notes, follow online at www.rivermen.net or through Facebook (www.facebook.com/PeoriaRivermen) - Twitter(https://twitter.com/Peoria_Rivermen) – Instagram (https://instagram.com/peo_rivermen)
