Oskroba Returns to Bolster Rivermen Blueline
August 6, 2018 - 04:40 pm
Photo Credit: Dennis Sievers/Peoria Rivermen
Oskroba Returns to Bolster Rivermen Blueline
Fan favorite set to begin sixth Rivermen season
Peoria, IL – The Peoria Rivermen announced Monday that the team has signed defenseman Ben Oskroba to a professional tryout agreement for this October’s training camp. Oskroba, 28, returns to Peoria for his sixth season in a Rivermen uniform, making him the only player to play for Peoria in each season of their SPHL era.
For his pro career, the 6-foot-5, 200-pound Oskroba has seen action in 223 regular-season games, notching 18 goals and 50 assists, adding two goals and two assists in 28 career postseason outings, all with the Rivermen. Last season, Oskroba logged a career-best with eight goals and tied his career high with 19 points, and he added a goal and an assist in seven postseason games as he helped the Rivermen to a third straight President’s Cup Finals.
“We’re happy to get Ben back for another year,” said Rivermen head coach Jean-Guy Trudel. “He’s a big body on defense who knows how to use his long reach to shut down the other team’s forwards in his own end, and he’s a tremendous locker room presence to have around on a day-to-day basis.”
Oskroba’s signing brings Peoria’s training camp roster to ten players, including returners Alec Hagaman, Mike Gurtler, and Dean Yakura (2013-14) as well as newcomers Chris Magi, Mark Petaccio, Ralfs Grinbergs, Olivier Schingh-Gomez, Braeden Ostepchuk, and Aaron Taylor. The Rivermen are expected to open training camp in early October before their Oct. 13 preseason game against the Quad City Storm at Carver Arena.
Group and season tickets for Peoria's 37th season of professional hockey presented by Midwest Orthopaedic Center are on sale at the Toyota Box Office in the Peoria Civic Center, or by phone at the Rivermen office, 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)
