Peoria’s Season Ends in 6-4 Loss to Evansville for President’s Cup Crown
May 9, 2026 - 11:15 pm
PEORIA, IL – In the 19th meeting of the season between the Rivermen and the Evansville Thunderbolts, Peoria fell 6-4 to the now repeat President’s Cup Champions in front of 5400+ at Carver Arena on Saturday night. Alec Baer, Jordan Ernst, and Mike Gelatt all scored for the Peoria Rivermen, while Rivermen goaltenders Nick Latinovich and Jack Bostedt made 11 and 13 saves, respectively, in the loss.
Peoria’s season comes to a close in Game Five of the President’s Cup Finals. Evansville now becomes the fourth team in SPHL history to win back-to-back championships.
FIRST PERIOD
The Rivermen started off strong in the first period with a key first goal midway through the contest. Jordan Ernst lifted the puck out from his own zone, and it bounced across the right side for Alec Baer. Baer then stepped in over the line, made a nice deke to get around an Evansville defenseman, and rifled a wrist shot high glove past Evansville goaltender Kristian Stead. But less than a minute later, an innocent-looking dump-in by the bolts was mis-handled by Rivermen goaltender Nick Latinovich, and it produced a juicy rebound in front that the Thunderbolts capitalized on to tie the game quickly. After that point, it was all Evansville in the first period, who ended up out-shooting the Rivermen 12-5 through the first period of play. The Thunderbolts found a go-ahead goal late in the first from a centering feed from behind the net to take a 2-1 lead. For the third consecutive game, the Rivermen trailed 2-1.
SECOND PERIOD
Peoria got the tying tally as Jordan Ernst corralled a pass at the top of the left-wing circle. Ernst faked a slapshot before firing a low, hard shot that beat Stead to his right. Tied up 2-2, the Rivermen looked to gain momentum in the contest. But less than two minutes later, the Thunderbolts pounced on a Rivermen mistake in their own zone and took the lead right back off a centering feed in front of the net. That goal sparked an avalanche of offense by Evansville, which led to two more goals, chased Rivermen goaltender Latinovich, and gave Evansville a 5-2 lead after two periods.
THIRD PERIOD
Not willing to go quietly into the post-season, Peoria pressed hard in the third and was the better team for the vast majority of that period. Mike Gelatt started the comeback effort after a point-shot for Jordan Ernst ricocheted off the end-boards and right to Gelatt, who was waiting at the side of the net for a rebound that came right to him before putting it into an open net. Jordan Ernst added another goal late in the third period while on the power play as he received a pass to the high slot from Baer before hammering a slap shot that beat Stead to his left side. All of a sudden, the game was within one with just over five minutes to go. For a brief moment, the Rivermen had the Thunderbolts on the ropes and were one more push, one more goal away from forcing overtime and erasing the three-goal deficit. But like they did all game long, the Thunderbolts stiffened up and pinned the Rivermen in their own zone. The constant pressure resulted in a Thunderbolts goal from the short side with just under two minutes to go, snuffing out any chance for a Rivermen comeback attempt.
Photo: Claire Schaffner - Peoria Rivermen
