Devine & McChesney Lift Rivermen to 4-2 Victory Over Quad City
March 9, 2025 - 07:55 pm
PEORIA, IL — Garrett Devine’s first career hat-trick and Michael McChesney’s late game-winner was enough to lift the Rivermen over the Quad City Storm 4-2 on Sunday afternoon at Carver Arena.
Peoria struck quickly just 45 seconds into the contest as Michael McChesney got a shot off from the base of the left-wing circle. The shot produced a rebound in the low slot that was picked up by Garrett Devine who took a stride to his right and back-handed a shot into the back of the net to put the Rivermen up 1-0. After that point, however, the Strom carried the pace of play, finding the equalizing goal five minutes later and ended the first period with four power plays and a shots-on-goal advantage of 19-10.
Unlike the first period, scoring chances were few and far between in the second period. Luckily for the Rivermen, they were able to capitalize a little over three minutes into the second. A turn-around shot from Garrett Devine from the high slot deflected off the shinpad of a Quad City defender and angled into the back of the net for Devine’s first-ever multi-goal game in his professional career and it gave the Rivermen a 2-1 lead going into the third period.
The Storm tied the game up on an early power play in the third period to tie the game up 2-2 and soon after that, both sides began jockeying for position to find the decisive goal. It game with less than three minutes to play. After a face-off in the offensive zone, Devine raced to pressure the Quad City defenseman with the puck, taking it back and ringing it up the wall to a waiting Zach Wilkie at the right point. Wilkie sent a quick pass down low to Carson Batiste in the slot and Baptiste touched a quick pass to Michael McChesney right in front who buried a shot from point-blank range.
McChesney’s goal with under three minutes left led to jubilation at Carver Arena as the Rivermen added on one more goal on an empty-net tally from Devine to secure his first pro hat trick and the Rivermen a 4-2 victory, halting a two-game losing streak to the Storm.
Peoria now sits alone atop the SPHL standings with ten games remaining in the season. They will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee next weekend for a road series with the Ice Bears on Friday and Saturday night at 6:05 pm central time.
PHOTO: Claire Schaffner - Peoria Rivermen
