With the Rivermen: The top 25 IHL Rivermen, a player of the week and weird numbers – Peoria Journal Star

PEORIA Spent some time in the wayback machine over the weekend as the Peoria Rivermen honored their 1984-85 Turner Cup championship team as part of their ongoing 40th season celebration.

Retired Rivermen Denis Cyr, Brad Kempthorne and Tony Curtale were on hand at Carver Arena to talk about that International Hockey League team that brought Peoria its first pro hockey championship, and to watch the SPHL Rivermen beat Knoxville in a comeback.

Those are three great guys, all crucial to that title team. Kempthorne and Cyr live in Peoria and are invested in the community. Curtale calls it a second home and is a frequent visitor here.

More: How Rivermen played 'like champions' while 1984-85 title team members looked on

The IHL was a Triple-A league in its final two decades, and the Peoria franchise had some terrific players.

So who would you pick as the best of the best from that IHL era? Here aremy picks for the 25 greatest IHL Rivermen:

Centers: Michel Mongeau (1989-92, 1993-96), Nelson Emerson (1989-91), Ron Hoover (1991-96), Richard Pion (1989-94, 1995-96, Kevin Miehm (1988-95) and Grant Rezansoff (1982-84, 1985-88).

Left wings: Doug Evans (1984-88, 1989-90, 1991-92, 1993-99), Dave Thomlinson (1987-91), Denis Cyr (1984-87), Bob Fleming (1982-87) and Dave Mackey (1991-94).

Right wings: David Bruce (1990-91), Kelly Chase (1988-91), Jim Vesey (1988-91), Steve Tuttle (1990-92, 1994-95) and Brian Shaw (1983-87).

Defensemen: Dominic Lavoie (1987-92), Tony Twist (1988-91), Darren Veitch (1990-91, 1992-96), Rob Robinson (1988-93) and Tony Curtale (1983-87).

Goaltenders: Darrell May (1984-89), Guy Hebert (1989-92) and Curtis Sanford (2000-02, 2005-06), Pat Jablonski (1987-88 to 1991-92).

I'll add two coaches outside the roster: Paul MacLean and Bob Plager. And a builder, for me, was Pat Kelly, from whom I learned the game as a rookie beat writer.

I could name 25 more with ease. Guys like center Ron Handy, defenseman Terry Hollinger, goaltenders Curtis Joseph and Rick Heinz and so many more.

Great players and coaches in a great era of Rivermen hockey.

Rivermen captain Alec Hagaman was named co-winner of the SPHL's Player of the Week honors on Tuesday. Hagaman notched two goals and added three assists as Peoria swept a pair of games from Knoxville.

He posted a Gordie Howe hat trick in Friday's comeback win. On Saturday, he scored the tying goal with 6:11 left to help Peoria to another comeback win.

Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel summed up his team's weekend sweep of Knoxville in a series of five thoughts. His takeaways:

1. "The first periods in both games against Knoxville, it looked like men against the boys, and we were the boys. Then we dominated in the other periods, both games. It's such a weird team."

2. "We have a lot of work to do. A long list of details we need to be more consistent in executing."

3. "We swept a really good team. We don't have everything we want yet on our roster, and we were missing people, but we still beat a top team twice."

Related: How a 3rd-string goaltender who just joined the Rivermen saved a victory

4. "I think we're starting to build depth, and those depth guys are getting involved and contributing. That's a great sign."

5. On facing a 6-on-4as Knoxville earned a power play for the final two minutes of the rematch, but Peoria hung on to win 5-4: "That kill at the end was just great. The warriors on this team are on our PK."

Speaking of players from the past, longtime Rivermen defenseman Ben Oskroba, who retired when the Rivermen opted out of the 2020-21 season, drove up for a visit at Carver Arena during the two Huntsville games in November. His brother-in-law, former Rivermen center Jacob Barber, plays now for the Havoc.

"I wish I was there all the time with these Rivermen guys," Oskroba said. "They send me snap stuff every day. But you know when you are playing that it's going to end some day, and you have to move on to the next thing."

Oskroba works now as a customer service representative for T.R. Hughes Homes in St. Louis.

The Rivermen resume action on Friday with another game at Quad City, then come home to host expansion Vermillion County on Saturday. After that, they are off for Christmas break until Dec. 26.

It's McLean County Sportsmen's Association Night on Saturday, and the Rivermen will wear special camo jerseys that will be auctioned after the game.

That home game is an 8 p.m. start as it is part of a day-night doubleheader at Carver Arena, with Bradley men's basketball first up at 2 p.m.

More: Player from Peoria's ECHL era joins Rivermen Hall of Fame

The Rivermen have points in eight straight games (4-0-4). They have not lost in regulation since a 4-3 decision at Quad City on Nov. 12. ... The Rivermen are 5-0-1 at Carver Arena against teams from south of the Mason-Dixon line, Huntsville, Knoxville and Macon. ... The Rivermen released right wing Joe Deveny last week, after he produced no points in eight games. He signed with Birmingham and scored goals Friday and Saturday. Hockey has a sense of humor sometimes. ... Rivermen goaltender Jack Berry, who was among the elite in the SPHL when he was called-up to the ECHL by Iowa on Dec. 6, will have sat unused for 13 days by the time action in both leagues resumes Friday. Berry sat as a backup in three games at Iowa last week, and last played on Dec. 4 in a Rivermen game at Quad City. It's the downside to call-ups, a hot goaltender sitting for a long stretch now on the bench.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

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With the Rivermen: The top 25 IHL Rivermen, a player of the week and weird numbers - Peoria Journal Star