Rivermen Fall 2-1 Sunday As Macon Hoists President’s Cup

Photo Credit: Tim Lester/Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Fall 2-1 Sunday As Macon Hoists President’s Cup

Dion’s second-period tally not enough as former Rivermen Trask notches game winner

Macon, GA – The Peoria Rivermen were held to just one goal for the second consecutive game, and fell to 2-1 to the Macon Mayhem Sunday night. The victory gives the Mayhem the franchise’s first President’s Cup championship, and Macon’s first pro sports title since 1962.

The Mayhem got the scoring started late in the first period. Mayhem winger Dennis Sicard carried the puck into the right wing of the Rivermen zone on a 3-on-2 rush, wound up and fired a shot past Peoria netminder Storm Phaneuf for a 1-0 lead at 16:12 of the first.

The Rivermen tied the game with their first goal of the night early in the second period. With the puck in the right wing of the Macon zone, Rivermen captain Dan Bremner’s shot was denied by Macon goaltender Jordan Ruby, and Peoria winger Cody Dion dunked home the ensuing rebound at the 1:52 mark of the period.

The Mayhem retook the lead for good in the latter stages of the second period. With play ensuing in the Rivermen zone, Mayhem winger Collin MacDonald took a shot that was rejected by Phaneuf. The ensuing rebound came free to Macon winger and former Rivermen Jake Trask, who fired it past Phaneuf for a 2-1 Mayhem lead at 16:11 of the second.

The Mayhem would hold off the Rivermen attack for the entirety of the third period, including an extra-attacker frenzy after Peoria pulled Phaneuf for the extra skater with 1:32 left in regulation. The win gives the Mayhem the first ever pro hockey championship in the city of Macon and the city’s first pro sports title since the Double-A baseball Macon Peaches in 1962.

Phaneuf stopped 32 of 34 shots faced in net, taking the season-ending loss between the pipes. The defeat is Phaneuf’s third in his last four games after he started the postseason a perfect 3-0.

Notes: The Mayhem are just the second number-one seed in the last six seasons to capture the President’s Cup, and the first since Pensacola in 2014…Rivermen winger Connor Gorman finishes the postseason with a league-high six goals and 11 points…Ruby was named postseason MVP after the game…Season tickets for Peoria’s 2017-18 season are available through the Rivermen office at (309)-676-1040, with Early Bird pricing available until Wednesday, May 3

Group, single game, and season tickets for Peoria's 35th 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)