Peoria, IL – It was a wild one Wednesday night in Peoria, as the Huntsville Havoc ground out a classic playoff hockey game against the Peoria Rivermen for a chance to advance to the SPHL Presidents Cup Final. Heavy hits, dramatic stops and plenty of goals as the Rivermen dominated the Havoc, 5-2, in front of a raucous weeknight crowd 
of 1,231 screaming and foot-stomping fans.
The Rivermen take a 1-0 lead to Huntsville Friday night, needing just one win to advance. It should e an exciting game as this one left off with lots of pushing, shoving, and a near melee as the final horn sounded. Much of it never made it onto the score sheet as both referees looked the other way. Only a total of 26 penalty minutes was logged, with a majority of those late in the third period.
The Rivermen controlled the tempo early, spending significant minutes in the offensive zone. When play came down to their defensive zone Sy Nutkevitch and Christian Powers both won battles behind the net to keep control of the puck. Nutkeitch slid the puck out in front of Peoria goaltender Storm Phaneuf and John Clewlow was waiting. He buried it at 7:08 of the first period for the 1-0 Havoc lead.
At 13:55, Havoc goalie Tyler Steel made an amazing stick save, reaching across the crease and play moved behind him to preserve the lead.
Minutes later, Adam Stuart collected the puck at the corner of the net and fired. Steel blocked the shot, but Dion was checked from behind. As the pile moved, the puck trickled over the line to knot the score at 1-1. Dakoa Klecha amd Dave Pszenyczny were tagged for assists on the play at 15:52 of the first period.
Peoria took a 2-1 lead when Cody Dion popped the water bottle off the net at 17:30 of the first period. Pszenyczny and Dan Bremner were credited with assists and the water bottle remained wedge against the boards behind the net for the remainder of the period.
Cody Dion punched another puck across the line at 8:33 of the second period during a brief power play. Pushing in a rebound at the corner until the light went off. Nick Neville and Brandon Greenside assisted on the play that put Peoria up 3-1.
Huntsville added a power play goal of their own at 14:14 of the second period. Tyler French caught Phaneuf way out of the paint and filled the open net. Nutkevitch and Power each added their second assist on the night as the Havoc pulled within a goal, 3-2.
Connor Gorman gave the home team a little space when he broke in and surprised Steel with a slapper from above the circle. Steel was unable to touch it as is sailed low on his stick side. This pushed the score to 4-2 at 18:28 of the middle frame as Greenside tucked away his second helper of the evening.
It was Greenside woo ok a turn as sniper in the third period. On the power play, he launched a shot from outside the faceoff dot that blew past Steel’s stick to give Peoria a three-goal lead, 5-2. Alex Hagaman and Jeff Jones notched points for the assists at 2:06 of the third period.
Steel, who had been solid in first-round action, suffered the loss, stopping just 31 of 36 shots. Phaneuf, who bumped his career playoff record to 3-0, stopped 26 of 28 in the win.
Peoria’s power play unit was the worst in professional hockey at mid-season, was two-for-two tonight. The Havoc scored once in six tries with the man-advantage.
The series now moves to Huntsville on Friday night, where the Havoc are in a must-win situation. Should they force a Game Three, it would be Saturday night, back in Peoria.
Contact the author at Shaun.Bill@ProHockeyNews.com or follow him on Twitter @SLBatPHN
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