“Sorry we couldn’t do it.” Rivermen disappointed in title loss, express pride for Peoria

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) – So close, and yet so far, for the Peoria Rivermen.

Their quest for a third President’s Cup in five years came up just short Saturday night. After taking a 2-0 series lead, they dropped the final three matchups to the Evansville Thunderbolts; including the decisive Game 5 in Peoria.

The night started off well for the Rivermen with a goal from captain Alec Baer just seven minutes in. But then the nightmare started for goaltender Nick Latinovich.

Statistically, he was by far the best goalie in the SPHL playoffs, and easily top two league-wide in the regular season. But he misplayed a puck off his pad that gifted the Thunderbolts with the equalizer just 39 seconds after Baer’s goal.

Evansville would then put up four more goals in the ensuing 23 minutes of action, leading to Tino to be pulled from the game.

Peoria would make it a one-goal game in the third, but ultimately fell 6-4.

Despite the off-night between the pipes, captain Alec Baer said afterward the team wouldn’t have even been in a position to win the championship without Latinovich or Jack Bostedt.

Our goalies were a big part of that. Both of them, you know…Either of them were in the net, you know, it was a very confident group for us. And, you know, we we kept bringing back pieces, you know, later in the year. And, you know, I think our leadership group, you know, me and then the guys around me do a big part of, you know, bringing guys into the fight.

Alec Baer

Kudos to them. That’s a heck of a hockey team over there. I can’t imagine, you know, what was going through their mind down 0-2 [in the series]. And listen, that’s one of the most epic series that we’ve had. I mean, one of those games where any other game we score four [goals] in the series, you know, it’s good night. But that’s the way hockey is. That’s the way sports are.

Eric Levine, Rivermen Assistant Coach

I don’t think anything that I said made anyone feel better about it. There’s just thanking every guy for going to battle and just telling everyone I love them. To the fans enjoy it, it’s such a great place to play. Like tonight’s crowd showed it. Sorry you couldn’t get it done for them, but being able to play for Peoria, the Riverman, it’s personally it’s brought me a lot, but it’s there’s just so much pride for the city.