Peoria Rivermen answer the bell in SPHL game with 9 combined goals, 8 combined ejections
The Rivermen got two-goal games from Will Redick and Connor Szmul to beat Pee Dee in an SPHL game that saw 8 players ejected. Video of brawl inside.
On Friday at Carver Arena, the Peoria Rivermen faced off against expansion team Pee Dee IceCats in an SPHL game. This was the fourth time these teams had faced each other in a span of just 14 days, and unfortunately, it was one game and one day too many. Prior to the match, the Rivermen made their first trade of the 2026-27 SPHL season, acquiring defenseman Carter Poulin from defending champion Evansville for future considerations.
The Rivermen dominated the match, scoring a combined 9 goals and managing 8 combined player ejections. Connor Szmul and Will Redick each netted two goals for Peoria, while Mike McChesney scored the game-winning goal. Carson Jones added three assists to the Rivermen's effort. The Rivermen's goaltender, Parker Rutherford, was a standout performer, stopping 12 shots in the first 34 minutes and contributing to Peoria's impressive performance.
The tension escalated in the third period, resulting in ten fighting penalties and nine game misconducts, including two ejections for Peoria's Daniel Chartrand. The match ended with a score of 7-2 in favor of the Rivermen, who finished the game at 3-1-1 and fifth place in the standings.
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