How Peoria Rivermen tandem scored four goals to rout Evansville in Game 1 of SPHL semifinals

The Evansville Thunderbolts gave free admission to Ford Center for the SPHL playoffs semifinal opener Wednesday.

But the Peoria Rivermen made them pay with a 7-2 victory in Game 1 before 5,291 in Evansville, Ind., as captain Alec Hagaman and veteran winger Jordan Ernst each scored two goals and center Alec Baer notched four assists.

The No. 2-seeded Rivermen can clinch their fifth trip to the SPHL President's Cup Finals since 2016 with a win over No. 8-seeded Evansville in Game 2 of the best-of-3 series on Friday at Carver Arena. Game 3, if needed, is also at Carver Arena on Sunday.

"I thought the whole team played well," Rivermen head coach Jean-Guy Trudel said. "Everybody. Jordan Ernst is just flying on the forecheck. When we put him back at forward he brought so much energy. He adds speed to all of us.

"When everybody does their job, we look good.

"We know Evansville will be much better on Friday. We know there's no quit in them.Hopefully we get the job done again."

SPHL semifinals Game 1 box score: Rivermen 7, Evansville 2

More: 'Shut down everything': Peoria Rivermen ready to open SPHL semifinals series against Evansville

The Rivermen got the job done during a three-goal second period fueled by a momentum-rush of three penalty kills in a span of 6:06, followed by two goals in the final 1:57.

Peoria took a 2-0 lead just 1:41 into the second period when defenseman Cale List walked across the high slot and sent a shot down the chute past goaltender Cole Ceci while big Peoria winger Mitch McPherson screened on the doorstep.

But Peoria faced three straight Evansville power plays late in the second period. The league's No. 1-ranked penalty-kill unit generated two shorthanded walk-in chances on the first one.

Piotrowski blocked three shots and set up Joe Drapluk for a walk-in during the second penalty-kill.

Then Piotrowski was boxed for slashing, objected to the penalty, and was slapped with a 10-minute misconduct.

The Rivermen erased it all anyway, with six blocked shots, three walk-in chances and then an in-your-face goal for 3-0 by rookie Tristan Trudel eight seconds after all the Evansville power plays were done.

Rivermen winger Mike Gelatt held the puck in the left circle, walked toward the slot and then slid a pass to Trudel, who buried it from the right side for 3-0 at 18:03.

Evansville's Jacob Kamps then blasted Rivermen defenseman Chase Spencer and drew a 5-minute major charging penalty while Spencer limped to the locker room.

The Rivermen promptly stuck one in for 4-0 on that extended power play with 27 seconds left in the period when McPherson, parked on the doorstep, deflected a drive up and over Ceci.

Hagaman poured it on with a pair of goals 96 seconds apart midway through the third period for a 6-1 lead.

"They battled us hard all year, so it was nice to get the first game of the series," Hagaman said. "For me, at this point in my life, my age, when you get a chance to be in the playoffs, you go for it. I learned as a young player you might never be there again in your career.

"We've been fortunate here in Peoria, how many times we get to postseason. We just have to go for it, this is the time of year when the big horses come out."

Evansville was awarded a five-on-three power play late in the third period, and cashed in with a goal from Lincoln Hatten to close within 6-2.

The Rivermen earned a five-on-three power play in the final minute and Ernst cranked a one-timer from the top of the right circle that beat Ceci for 7-2.

The Rivermen burst on top, 1-0, at 7:32 of the first period as Piotrowski skated around the defense above the left circle to create a two-on-none walk-in with Ernst.

Ernst finished the play with a perfect redirect inside the right post past Ceci.

Throughout, Peoria remained relatively composed in the face of some penalty calls not expected during a postseason, plus a Peoria goal surprisingly disallowed on a video review.

The Rivermen recovered from all of it and never trailed in the game.

"Our penalty-kill drives us, it makes us better," Trudel said. "The blocked shots, every time we do those little things, it gives us momentum. We killed penalties in the right moments and got to 4-0.

"We got a full period of penalty-killing. So, that was great fun. I guess we're still not sneaky enough in taking all those penalties."

The SPHL semifinals schedule, tickets

The Rivermen lead the best-of-3 series, 1-0.

Game 2 is Friday at Carver Arena in Peoria, where the Rivermen are an SPHL-record 25-1-3 this season and won their last 14 games, and 20 of 21. That one is a 7:15 faceoff.

Game 3, if needed, is a 3:15 p.m. start on Sunday at Carver Arena.

Tickets for the semifinals at Peoria are $27 for glass seating; $22 for Premium lower bowl; $16 for Pilot House, and $15 Upper Bowl.

Individual playoff game tickets are on sale now by calling the Rivermen (676-1040) at their Carver Arena offices, or in person at the Civic Center box office (open only Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.) or 90 minutes prior to game time.

River Readings

The Rivermen opened the game with JM Piotrowski centering Mike Gelatt and Jordan Ernst. … Ernst had 8 shots by the midway point of the game and finished with 10. … Peoria-born captain Alec Hagaman has played 45 Rivermen playoff games. The Rivermen are 13-4 all-time in postseason play when Hagaman scores a goal. They are 14-14 when he does not score. … Hagaman has 18 goals, 20 assists in 45 career playoff games with Peoria. … Evansville goaltender Cole Ceci went 3-3-1 against the Rivermen during the season, with a 2.82 goals-against and a .924 saves rate. … The Rivermen's seven goals were the most allowed in a game by Ceci this season. … The Rivermen spent 16 minutes killing penalties in Game 1. ... No. 5 seed Huntsville beat No. 3 seed Roanoke, 5-2, in Game 1 of their SPHL semifinal series on a 4-goal game by 6-foot-6, 220-pound winger Buster Larsson. ... The Rivermen scoring output of seven goals in a playoff game tied their SPHL era postseason record, done twice before (7-3 over Huntsville in Game 2 of 2017 semifinals; and 7-3 over Roanoke in Game 2 of the 2022 President's Cup Finals). The seven goals in Game 1 at Evansville were the most scored in a playoff road game by Peoria in its SPHL era.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: SPHL playoff semifinals: Rivermen hammer Evansville for Game 1 victory