The Peoria Rivermen won Game 2 of the SPHL Finals, defeating Evansville 5-1. They now lead the best-of-5 series 2-0 and aim to clinch the title in the upcoming games.
Key points
Peoria Rivermen won Game 2 of SPHL Finals
Final score was 5-1 against Evansville
Rivermen lead the series 2-0
Next games are in Evansville
Garrett Devine scored the first goal
Peoria RivermenEvansvilleSPHL Finals
PEORIA — The Peoria Rivermen left their fans with a two-game President's Cup Finals lead Friday, and hope to return to them as SPHL champions.
The Rivermen scored 20 seconds after the opening faceoff, weathered an Evansville pushback for a tie, then broke it open with two goals two minutes and 28 seconds apart early in the second period to race off to a 5-1 victory in Game 2 of the championship series before 3,542 at Carver Arena.
Peoria leads the best-of-5 series, 2-0. It shifts to Evansville for Game 3 on Wednesday and Game 4 (if needed) Thursday.
The Rivermen added two empty-net goals in the final two minutes, while the crowd stood throughout chanting, "We want the Cup."
The Rivermen wasted no time getting that big crowd into it, jumping to a 1-0 lead just 20 seconds after the opening faceoff when center Garrett Devine pounced on a rebound at the inside edge of the right circle shifted a stride and ripped it past goaltender Kristian Stead.
Peoria's Garrett Devine (21) celebrates his goal against Evansville in the first period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
Peoria's Garrett Devine (21) celebrates his goal against Evansville in the first period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
Evansville tied it on its first shot of the game at 5:26 when it held the Peoria zone on a failed clearing attempt and Aiden MacIntosh deflected in a shot from above the crease.
Evansville went to a power play two minutes later, but Peoria cleared it. The Thunderbolts kept up the attack, though, as the Rivermen looked a step slow clearing their zone. Peoria went six minutes without a shot.
Braydon Barker earned a scoring attempt on Stead's doorstep to snap that drought at 13:21, and the sequence led to a roughing penalty and Peoria power play. Evansville blocked three shots and erased it.
Rivermen shift into high gear
Q&A
What was the score of Game 2 of the SPHL Finals?
The Peoria Rivermen defeated the Evansville team 5-1 in Game 2 of the SPHL Finals.
How many games have the Peoria Rivermen won in the SPHL Finals?
The Peoria Rivermen have won two games in the SPHL Finals, leading the series 2-0.
When and where will the next games of the SPHL Finals take place?
The next games of the SPHL Finals will take place in Evansville, with Game 3 on Wednesday and Game 4 on Thursday, if necessary.
Who scored the first goal for the Peoria Rivermen in Game 2?
Garrett Devine scored the first goal for the Peoria Rivermen just 20 seconds after the opening faceoff in Game 2.
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Peoria's Braydon Barker (18) gets in close for a point-blank shot on Evansville goaltender Kristian Stead in the first period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
Peoria's Braydon Barker (18) gets in close for a point-blank shot on Evansville goaltender Kristian Stead in the first period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
The Rivermen turned up their motor and skated on high in the opening minutes of the second period and broke open a 3-1 lead.
Peoria winger Mike McChesney, the SPHL goalscoring champion with 33 during the regular-season, skated right-to-left across the hashmarks and flipped a backhander over Stead's stick shoulder and in off the crossbar at 2:45.
Officials took the play to video review and confirmed the goal.
The Rivermen pushed to 3-1 at 5:13 when Barker barreled down the left side of the slot on a two-on-one with Connor Szmul, took a feed and buried it into an open left side of the net.
Szmul made a slick play, as Evansville wing Jordan Simoneau went down at the right hashmarks, and Szmul curled around him and threaded a pass across to Barker.
The Rivermen rode the crowd's energy level to a 12-2 shooting spree in the first 11:30 of the period, nearly scoring twice more.
Peoria erased an Evansville power play in the 12th minute as Griffen Fox and Josh Martin both blocked shots, and defenseman Kylar Fenton saved a goal.
With Nick Latinovich unable to get over in time, Evansville captain Matthew Hobbs had an open left side of the net for a shot from the left circle, but Fenton stood in the goalmouth and blocked it toward the corner.
Evansville earned another power play with 2:45 left when Terry Ryder was sent to the box for tripping. Peoria killed that one off, too, and took a two-goal lead to intermission.
River Readings
Peoria City councilman and former NHLer Denis Cyr, the IHL Playoff MVP for the Rivermen Turner Cup champions in 1984-85, was in attendance. … SPHL commissioner Doug Price was on hand. … About 15 members of the Evansville team staff were in the house. … Rivermen veteran center JM Piotrowski was playing Game 2 on his 31st birthday.
Peoria's Braydon Barker (18) gets in close for a point-blank shot on Evansville goaltender Kristian Stead in the first period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
Peoria's Garrett Devine (21) celebrates his goal against Evansville in the first period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
Peoria's Michael McChesney celebrates his goal against Evansville in the second period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
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Rivermen face Evansville in Game 2 of the SPHL Finals at Carver Arena
Peoria's Braydon Barker (18) gets in close for a point-blank shot on Evansville goaltender Kristian Stead in the first period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
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Rivermen face Evansville in Game 2 of the SPHL Finals at Carver Arena
Peoria's Braydon Barker (18) gets in close for a point-blank shot on Evansville goaltender Kristian Stead in the first period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
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Rivermen face Evansville in Game 2 of the SPHL Finals at Carver Arena
Peoria's Garrett Devine (21) celebrates his goal against Evansville in the first period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
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Rivermen face Evansville in Game 2 of the SPHL Finals at Carver Arena
Peoria's Michael McChesney celebrates his goal against Evansville in the second period of Game 2 of the SPHL President's Cup Finals on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Carver Arena.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star senior writer and 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 deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
