The Peoria Rivermen are champions of The SPHL for the second time in three years.
The Rivermen captured the President’s Cup on Sunday with a 5-1 win over the Huntsville Havoc in a decisive Game 3 in front of a crowd of 5,902 fans at Carver Arena.
Captain and Peoria native Alec Hagaman joined Meirs Moore with two goals apiece, each with an empty net tally in the final minutes to seal the win. The retiring Hagaman also had one assist in his final game.
The victory capped a weekend home sweep as Peoria faced elimination after dropping Game 1 on Thursday in Alabama. The Rivermen notched a 6-4 win in Game 2 on Saturday, led by three goals from Hagaman.
The SPHL title comes two years after the Rivermen defeated Roanoke in the President’s Cup Final for the team’s fifth overall championship – and first won on home ice since Peoria won the IHL’s Kelly Cup in 2000.