'We want the storybook': Peoria-born captain ready to lead Rivermen title shot in final playoffs
PEORIA — Two games left, maybe three.
Then Alec Hagaman becomes an ex-professional hockey player as life will take him and his family to new things in Wisconsin.
The Peoria Rivermen want to send the only Peoria-born captain in their 42-year franchise history out as a champion. And if they do that, it will happen on the same Carver Arena home ice that Hagaman watched the Rivermen play on as a kid.
"I'm trying not to think about all that," said Hagaman, 34. "I want to win a championship with these guys, I care so much about the guys in this locker room. And I'm trying to avoid thinking about what happened last time. We're here with a chance to be champions. It's everything.
"We want the storybook."
More: Peoria Rivermen goaltender's journey led him to center of SPHL President's Cup Finals
Last time, they lost Game 1 of the series, and you can't do that in the SPHL short series format.
The SPHL has used a best-of-3 series format — with the higher seed opening on the road in Game 1 — seven times in President's Cup Finals history. The winner of Game 1 has won the Cup all seven times.
That time when Huntsville celebrated
That "last time" reference was to the 2017-18 playoffs, when the Rivermen went to the SPHL President's Cup Finals. The best-of-3 series opponent was Huntsville. Hagaman scored a goal in Game 1 — in Peoria — to build a 4-1 lead.
But the Rivermen saw it melt away and the older, calmer Havoc came back to win that game, 6-5, and two games later clinched the Cup in Carver Arena.
That Game 1 in 2018 was played six years ago to the day that Game 1 will be played in Huntsville on Thursday. It was a surreal, empty feeling in Carver Arena as Huntsville celebrated and paraded the Cup, victory screams echoing.
"I'll never forget it," Hagaman said. "We stepped off the gas and it cost us everything. This time, I'd like a storybook ending to be ours. To do it here would be incredible."
The skating of the Cup is perhaps the greatest celebration in sports. It's guaranteed to happen in Carver Arena with Games 2 and 3 this weekend. What is not guaranteed is which team will be holding the Cup.
It hasn't happened with the Cup in the Rivermen's hands in 25 years. The last Rivermen team to win a championship on Carver Arena ice was the 1999-2000 ECHL team that produced a frenzied, dramatic ending with an overtime clincher in Game 6 over Louisiana to parade the Kelly Cup.
That's a quarter-century ago. Alec Hagaman was 9.
This will be his last postseason as a pro. There will no doubt be other veteran Rivermen players who retire as well. So this series feels like a crossroads for the franchise.
"Alec Hagaman is a phenomenal captain," Rivermen all-SPHL defenseman Zach Wilkie said. "I've never heard him talk about anything but his focus on this playoff run.
"We want to send him out as a champion. We want that for him, for all of our older guys who might be retiring. Send them off the way they deserve."
The hockey gods, or something more?
The Rivermen were on the ropes in Game 2 of the best-of-3 semifinals against Evansville, down 2-1 with 5:35 left at Carver Arena. Wilkie's girlfriend, Peoria native Mary-Kate Cain, was sitting in the glass rows directly across from the Rivermen bench.
"I could see her," Wilkie said. "We were down 2-1 and I saw her take out her rosary, and she was praying her rosary. I don't know if it was the hockey gods or something bigger, but we all know what happened after that."
The Rivermen scored three goals in 78 seconds and went on to their fifth SPHL President's Cup Finals.
'A runaway train': How 78 seconds brought an unforgettable comeback and sent the Peoria Rivermen to the SPHL finals
The 2018 championship series
The Rivermen and Havoc faced each other in the SPHL President's Cup Finals in 2017-18. Peoria let a big lead go in Game 1 in Peoria and lost. The Rivermen came back in Game 2 and won at Huntsville. The Havoc clinched the Cup in Game 3 at Carver Arena.
There's virtually no one left from either side in that series.
Hagaman is the only player still active from that series. Rivermen goaltender Eric Levine, now Peoria's assistant coach, was on crutches in that series. Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel is still in his role.
On the Huntsville side of it, no players are still active. Two guys who played big roles on the ice for the Havoc in that series — captain Tyler Piacentini and defenseman Stuart Stefan — both retired at the end of last season. Stefan is now in his rookie year as head coach at Huntsville, and Piacentini is an assistant coach.
"I voted them coach of the year," Trudel said. "That team does everything well, and consistently, and that's a sign of good coaching."
How they match up in 2024
Huntsville right wing Buster Larsson had a four-goal game in the semifinals and is tied with Rivermen center Alec Baer for the SPHL postseason scoring lead with a league-high seven goals and 10 points.
Robbie Fisher and Kyle Clark each have seven points to round out the league's top five scorers.
Goaltender Mike Robinson — who the Rivermen never faced during their seven-game regular-season series — is No. 2 in the playoffs with a 2.28 goals-against and .922 saves rate. Peoria goaltender Nick Latinovich is No. 1 at 1.62 goals-against and .930 saves rate.
Baer leads the Rivermen with 10 points — nine from assists — while Hagaman is third in playoff scoring with 8 points.
"They play fast, really fast, and we're going to have to increase our tempo," Trudel said. "They remind me a little of Tampa Bay, they do everything quick, get physical with you in finishing off their checks, give out a little extra after whistles, backcheck aggressively."
Huntsville won five of the seven games during the season, although lineups for both teams have shifted since then.
They had a memorable clash in a Jan. 13 game at Carver Arena in which 36 penalties for 189 minutes were called. That included 17 penalties related to fights, and five players — including Wilkie and Hagaman — were ejected.
Carver Arena has been a tough place to play for opponents this season. The Rivermen have won 15 straight there and 20 of their last 22.
"We know how important Game 1 is in the league's history with these best-of-3 series," Trudel said. "We know what we need to do. I'm not thinking about the regular season between these two teams. My focus is on the first period Thursday night."
And after that?
"My focus will be on the second period," Trudel said. "Our goal is the same every year, to win a championship. Otherwise, why play in the playoffs? I want everyone around me to experience being champions.
"For some of our older guys, this could be it, could be their last chance."
River Readings
Former Rivermen captain Dave Pszenyczny was fired as head coach of the Quad City Storm on Tuesday. He was under contract through 2025. The Storm had five former Rivermen players on its roster this season and reach the SPHL semifinals. ... The Rivermen, at 26-1-3, have the best home-ice record in professional hockey this season. That lone regulation loss at Carver Arena was to Huntsville, on Jan. 14.
SPHL President's Cup Finals: Huntsville Havoc (5) vs Peoria Rivermen (2)
Home ice: Huntsville, Propst Arena (6,200). Rivermen, Carver Arena (9,919).
Records: Huntsville 30-19-7, 67 pts, 5th in SPHL. Rivermen 37-14-5, 79 pts, 2nd in SPHL.
On home ice: Huntsville 19-6-5. Rivermen 26-1-3.
Season series: Rivermen, 2-3-2.
All-time series: Rivermen, 34-16-6.
Coaches: Huntsville, Stuart Stefan (1st yr, 30-19-7). Rivermen, Jean-Guy Trudel (11th yr, 362-127-62).
President's Cup champions: Huntsville, 2010, 2018, 2019. Rivermen, 2022.
Offense rank: Huntsville 6th (3.29). Rivermen 4th (3.43).
Defense rank: Huntsville 5th (2.96). Rivermen 2nd (2.48).
Power play: Huntsville 8th (16.8%). Rivermen 1st (25.4%).
Penalty kill: Huntsville 6th (.818). Rivermen 1st (.880).
Top scorers: Huntsville, Dylan Stewart (15g, 30a); Buster Larsson (19g, 24a), Phil Elgstam (17g, 24a). Rivermen, Alec Baer (21g, 31a); Alec Hagaman (23g, 27a); JM Piotrowski (20g, 26a).
Goaltending: Huntsville, Mike Robinson, 2.28, 3 shutouts, .925 saves rate in 8 games after joining from Nottingham in Europe. Rivermen, Nick Latinovich, 1st, 27-7-1, 1.93gaa, .916 saves rate, 7 SO.
Watch: Live stream via FloHockey TV.
Computer win probability: Peoria, 57%.
SPHL President's Cup schedule and tickets
Game 1: 7 p.m. Thursday, Huntsville
Game 2: 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Carver Arena, Peoria
Game 3 (if needed): 5:15 p.m. Sunday, Carver Arena, Peoria
Tickets: $28 for glass seating; $23 for premium lower bowl; $17 for Pilot House, and $16 upper bowl. They can be purchased by calling the Rivermen (676-1040) at their Carver Arena offices. The Civic Center box office is open only Friday (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) or 90 minutes before the game.
Watch party: The Rivermen are hosting a watch party for Game 1 of the SPHL Finals at Huntsville. The 7 p.m. game Thursday can be seen at Raber Packing Co., (3000 W. Farmington Rd.) in West Peoria.
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 Finals: Names, numbers, storylines inside Peoria vs Huntsville
