The Peoria Rivermen opened their 45th season on Saturday with an SPHL game at Quad City.
The Rivermen dropped that 2026-27 season opener, 3-2, before 4,296 at Vibrant Arena at the MARK in Moline.
It marked the fifth straight year Peoria has opened its season at Quad City, and the longtime rivals have alternated wins. Peoria won the opener there in 2023-24 and 2025-26. Quad City won it in 2022-23, 2024-25 and now 2026-27.
The rivals were scoreless and tied 9-9 in shots until the final three minutes of the opening period.
Quad City earned the game’s first power play and produced a flurry of shots. With 86 seconds left in the period – and just a few seconds after the power play expired – the Storm took a 1-0 lead when former Rivermen player and now Storm captain Tommy Tsicos jammed a shot on a backdoor play at the right post against veteran goaltender Nick Latinovich.
The Rivermen couldn’t quite come back
The Rivermen tied it on a power play at 3:29 of the second period when rookie right wing Everett Pietila, in his pro debut, cleaned up a rebound in traffic at the right post against 31-year-old, 6-foot-6 Russian goaltender Andrei Filonenko.
But Peoria faded late in the period again, giving up two goals in the final 4:15 to head to the 40-minute break down, 3-1.
Rivermen tie it on a power play at 3:29 of the 2nd period on rookie right wing Everett Pietila's first pro goal, in his pro debut pic.twitter.com/XIzQ3om8vB
— Dave Eminian (@icetimecleve) October 18, 2026
The go-ahead Quad City goal at 15:45 was from Devin Sanders, who put away a puck laying uncovered in the goalmouth after an initial shot hit Latinovich and trickled away.
The lead was pushed to 3-1 with 9.8 seconds left in the period when Finnish winger Eelis Laaksonen skated into the right circle, shifted toward the right hashmarks and flipped a shot through Latinovich for the game-winner.
The Rivermen scratched back to a 3-2 deficit at 9:27 of the third period on a goal from veteran Braydon Barker, whose shot while skating down the backside of the slot was set up on a nice pass out of the left corner by Mike Gelatt.
I love this goal. Rivermen climb back in it with a back side goal from Braydon Barker off a great feed by Mike Gelatt at 9:27 of the third period pic.twitter.com/1ZlZEyvdtI
— Dave Eminian (@icetimecleve) October 18, 2026
Peoria pulled Latinovich for an extra attacker with over two minutes left, but could not tie.
The Rivermen next host expansion Pee Dee in Peoria’s home opener at Carver Arena on Saturday, Oct. 24.
SPHL box score: Quad City 3, Rivermen 2
More: Final roster and an inside look at forwards and defense combinations for Peoria Rivermen
The long Opening Night history of the Rivermen
Peoria Rivermen
ALL-TIME SEASON OPENERS
(Home team in ALL CAPS. Includes IHL, AHL, ECHL and SPHL)
SPHL: 7-4-2
AHL: 3-5-0
ECHL: 5-3-1
IHL: 5-7-1-*1 (real tie)
Total: 20-19-4-(1*) real tie
SPHL
2026-27: QUAD CITY 3, Rivermen 2
2025-26: Rivermen 5, QUAD CITY 1
2024-25: QUAD CITY 3, Rivermen 2 (OT)
2023-24: Rivermen 4, QUAD CITY 1
2022-23: QUAD CITY 6, Rivermen 2
2021-22: RIVERMEN 6, Macon 0
2020-21: DNP (COVID)
2019-20: RIVERMEN 3, Quad City 2 (OT)
2018-19: QUAD CITY 4, Rivermen 3 (OT)
2017-18: Rivermen 5, EVANSVILLE 4 (SO)
2016-17: Huntsville 6, RIVERMEN 1
2015-16: Pensacola 3, RIVERMEN 1
2014-15: RIVERMEN 3, Huntsville 1
2013-14: Rivermen 5, BLOOMINGTON 1
AHL
2012-13: ABBOTSFORD 4, Rivermen 1
2011-12: Milwaukee 4, RIVERMEN 1
2010-11: Manitoba 4, RIVERMEN 3
2009-10: Grand Rapids 3, RIVERMEN 1
2008-09: IOWA 5, Rivermen 3
2007-08: RIVERMEN 4, Milwaukee 2
2006-07: RIVERMEN 4, Omaha 3 (OT)
2005-06: Rivermen 5, IOWA 4
ECHL
2004-05: RIVERMEN 5, Dayton 2
2003-04: Rivermen 4, CINCINNATI 3
2002-03: TOLEDO 4, Rivermen 3
2001-02: Richmond 2, RIVERMEN 0
2000-01: Rivermen 4, DAYTON 3 (SO)
1999-2000: RIVERMEN 4, Arkansas 3
1998-99: Columbus 6, RIVERMEN 5
1997-98: HUNTINGTON 2, Rivermen 1 (SO)
1996-97: Rivermen 7, JOHNSTOWN 2
IHL
1995-96: Kansas City 6, RIVERMEN 4
1994-95: Milwaukee 3, RIVERMEN 2 (SO)
1993-94: RIVERMEN 3, Indianapolis 2
1992-93: Atlanta 6, RIVERMEN 5
1991-92: Rivermen 7, MILWAUKEE 5
1990-91: Kalamazoo 4, RIVERMEN 2
1989-90: Salt Lake 5, RIVERMEN 1
1988-89: RIVERMEN 4, Indianapolis 3
1987-88: RIVERMEN 8, Flint 5
1986-87: SALT LAKE CITY 6, Rivermen 2
1985-86: Milwaukee 7, RIVERMEN 0
1984-85: RIVERMEN 2, Flint 2 (OT) tie
1983-84: PRANCERS 6, Muskegon 4
1982-83: MILWAUKEE 9, Prancers 1
Sources: IHL, ECHL, AHL, SPHL, Journal Star archives, Dave Eminian
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports editor. Reach him via email at deminian@pjstar.com and follow him on X @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: How the Peoria Rivermen lost their 2026-27 SPHL season opener to Quad City