Peoria, IL – Playoff fever is heating up in the SPHL, and nowhere was it more apparent than in Peoria Saturday as the second place Fayetteville Fire Antz visited the fourth place Rivermen.
Thirty-eight minutes of scoreless hockey to start the game, dramatic saves by goalies, great hits, and plenty of pushing and shoving. 
Alec Hagaman did all the scoring and Storm Phaneuf stopped all 24 shots he faced in front of 4,569 excited fans.
Both goalies were doing great work but Phaneuf was spectacular during the first period, turning away several solid chances by Fayetteville in the first ten minutes. He also dodged a bullet on a ricochet off the post in the second period.
Phaneuf, who was cut from the Rivermen after the first week of the season, earned his third shut-out of the campaign and is the likely starter for the upcoming playoffs.
After almost two periods, it looked like the game was going to head into the second intermission a zero – zero tie.
The improving Rivermen special teams unit had other ideas.
The spell was finally broken on a power play when Hagaman threaded the needle and went over the glove of FireAntz goaltender Sean Bonar at 18 minutes exactly of the second period.
Dave Pszenyczny and Michael Colantone notched assists.
Hagaman broke in alone at 12:19 of the third and triple-deked Bonar left before backhanding the puck around the right side for a 2-0 lead.
Connor Horman and Pszenyczny pocketed assists on the goal.
Despite 19 penalties on the night, each team only had two chances with a power play, with the Rivermen scoring once.
Phaneuf’s shut out improves him to 12-5-3 on the season. Bonar played well, but slips to 31-15-1.
The teams conclude their three-game set in Peoria with a 3pm game in Peoria in Sunday as the Rivermen go for the sweep.
Contact the author at Shaun.Bill@ProHockeyNews.com, or follow him on Twitter @SLBatPHN
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