Hard rowing keeps Rivermen on top

Parity has found its way into the Southern Professional Hockey League, but the league’s lone Midwest entry is keeping its nose in front of the rest of the pack.

Wins in its past five games and points from its past seven have the Rivermen leading the way in in the tight SPHL points race with a 15-5-2 record as of Jan. 5.

The lead however is tenuous as Fayetteville sits just two points back and three more teams — Pensacola, Mississippi and Huntsville are just three points off of the pace.

In the middle of that five-game winning streak was a lengthy Christmas break. The Rivermen wrapped up the pre-Christmas portion of its schedule sweeping a three-game road trip with 4-1 and 7-1 wins at Columbus (GA) against the Cottonmouths Dec. 18-19 and a 3-0 shutout at Huntsville (AL) against the Havoc on Dec. 20.

The team opened the 2016 portion of its schedule on Jan. 2 back at home facing the Havoc again and earning a sweep in a weekend series with 3-2 and 7-2 wins.

Keeping the streak alive could prove difficult as the Rivermen will play its next eight games on the road, not returning home until the final weekend of January.

Offensively, the team is led by Chris Wilson, 30,who came to the Riverkings from the Louisiana IceGators in a trade just before Thanksgiving. With the two team totals, Wilson has 17 points (9g, 8a) in 20 games. Assistant Captain Matt Summers, 29, has 16 points (7g, 9a) in 20 games and Adam Stuart, a 26-year-old forward also has 16 points (6g, 10a) in 20 games.

In goal, Kyle Rank, 28, has been getting a bulk of the work between the pipes, appearing in 16 games with a record of 10-3-1-1 and a .927 Save Percentage. David Jacobson is the other active goaltender, playing in two games so far, both wins and a .929 Save Percentage.