Peoria Sweeps Macon Following 5-2 Victory
February 19, 2023 - 06:14 pm
PEORIA, IL – After a quiet night on Saturday the Rivermen forwards emerged to lead Peoria to a 5-2 victory on home ice at Carver Arena on Sunday afternoon. Five different scorers led the way for the Rivermen while their defense limited the Mayhem to a season-low of just 10 shots on net.
It took until the halfway point of the first period for the game’s first goal to be had. Unfortunately, it came off of a Macon stick out in front on just their second shot of the game. Fortunately, that was the last Mayhem shot in the first period. Peoria answered back with two quick goals in the span of less than a minute to take a 2-1 lead. The first came off a broken play as the puck was loose in the low slot. JM Piotrowski was able to locate and fire a shot into the back of the net to tie the game at one. Then on the next shift, Joseph Widmar led a three-on-two rush up the middle. Widmar swung a pass to Jordan Ernst on the left-wing side and Ernst sniped a wrist shot in the near top corner to give Peoria the lead.
After a long and contentious second period, the Rivermen were able to extend their lead on the power play in the minimal minutes of the second period. Marcel Godbout, while on a five-on-three advantage, streaked up through center ice and then to the left side dot. Godbout then rifled a shot into the back of the net to put Peoria up 3-1. This was followed up a few minutes later by the Rivermen’s most recent returner. Just as Macon’s last penalty was expiring, Mitch McPherson sent a quick pass into the middle of the ice from the offensive blue line. The pass found Alec Baer with speed up the middle as he split the Mayhem defense. Right in on the goaltender, Baer fired in a quick wrist-shot from in close to extending the Rivermen lead to 4-1 with just 17 seconds to play in the second.
Peoria added on another goal in the early stages of the third period as Cayden Cahill tapped a pass from the side of the net to Joseph Drapluk in front. Drapluk made no mistake in elevating his shot to put the Rivermen up 5-1. Though the Mayhem would get one back in the late stages of the third, it was not enough as the Rivermen skated to a three-game weekend sweep on home ice.
With 62 points on the year, the Rivermen extend their lead on first place in the SPHL standings, they are 11 points ahead of the second-place Knoxville Ice Bears. It will be another three-game set for the Rivermen next weekend as they travel to Quad City on Thursday, February 23 in Quad City. Face-off is set for 6:10 pm.
Photo: Harold Hopkins/Peoria Rivermen
