PHN’S Best Shots Of The Game: Rivermen set new SPHL record with 85-point season

PEORIA, IL – The Peoria Rivermen got the second three-goal performance from winger Beau Walker in as many nights and cruised to a 5-1 victory over the Evansville Thunderbolts at Carver Arena Saturday. The win, Peoria’s third in their last four games, improves them to 38-7-9 on the season, setting a new SPHL record with 85 standings points before next weekend’s games against the Macon Mayhem.

The Rivermen opened the scoring for the second straight night when they cashed in on the game’s first power play in the opening period. With Thunderbollts defenseman Wyatt Trumbley in the box for hooking, Rivermen captain Alec Hagaman took a pass from the right-wing corner, and rifled a one-timer from the circle past Thunderbolts netminder Alex Murray for a 1-0 lead at 16:47 of the period. Walker built the Rivermen lead to three by converting a pair of 2-on-1 rushes with teammate Ben Blasko in the second period. 38 seconds into the frame Walker took Blasko’s feed from the right circle and rifled it past Murray, and his one-timer from the left wing at 16:19 of the period made it a 3-0 Peoria lead.

Peoria added to their lead with another goal early in the third period. Peoria winger Austin Vieth took Blasko’s feed from behind the net and snapped it past Murray from atop the crease for a 4-0 score at 1:38 of the final frame. Walker capped his second hat trick in as many nights with a power-play marker just past the midpoint of the third period. With TJ Roche boxed for kneeing, Walker took Nick Neville’s pass in the right circle and blazed a shot past Murray at 10:04 of the period. Thunderbolts winger Jake Howie broke up Stephen Klein’s shutout bid with a power-play tally at 18:08 of the final period for the eventual 5-1 final score. Klein turned aside 23 of 24 shots faced to earn his 21^st victory of the season and improve to 21-5-3 overall.

Notes: Walker recorded his second straight hat trick and has netted seven goals and four assists in his last five games…Blasko notched his fourth career three-assist game and first since February 22 against Macon and has eight points in his last five games…Rivermen enforcer Dennis Sicard fought Evansville’s Nick Wright at the 0:01 mark of the first period…Neville logged two assists for the second straight night…Klein allowed four goals in five outings against Evansville this season.