Rivermen Add Rookie Winger Hunter, Trade Lepine to Pensacola Friday
December 7, 2018 - 01:45 pm
Photo Credit: Dennis Sievers/Peoria Rivermen
Rivermen Add Rookie Winger Hunter, Trade Lepine to Pensacola Friday
First-year pro Hunter spent time with Peoria in preseason
Peoria, IL – The Peoria Rivermen announced today that the team has signed rookie winger Drake Hunter to a full contract. In a separate move, the Rivermen have traded the SPHL rights to center Robert Lepine to the Pensacola Ice Flyers in exchange for future considerations.
Hunter, 25, rejoins the Rivermen after he spent time with Peoria during October’s training camp, skating in Peoria’s October 13 preseason game against Quad City before beginning the regular season with the Federal Hockey League’s Mentor Ice Breakers. With Mentor, Hunter recorded six goals and eight assists in nine games to begin his professional career. Hunter spent the last two seasons at NCAA D-III Hamline University, where he notched five goals and six assists in 48 games.
Lepine departs the Rivermen after he was placed on Team Suspension following Peoria’s November 24 game against the Ice Flyers in Peoria. In his three-game stint with the Rivermen, Lepine failed to record a goal or an assist. In 26 games for Pensacola last season, Lepine tallied six goals and assisted on 16 others before leaving the team to play overseas for the EIHL’s Braehead Clan, where he notched five goals and nine helpers in 22 outings.
The Rivermen are set to return to action at home when they host the Evansville Thunderbolts and Huntsville Havoc this Saturday and Sunday, respectively. December 8 will be Peoria’s Jimmy Buffett Night presented by Easley Winery and Reggae Wines, with special jerseys worn by the Rivermen and auctioned off postgame. Peoria will also hold their annual Teddy Bear Toss December 8, with all stuffed animals thrown on the ice after the first Rivermen goal donated to local charities. Tickets to all of Peoria’s remaining 2018-19 home games are available by calling the team at (309)-676-1040.
Single-game, 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)
