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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to 
3congratulate the Peoria Rivermen hockey team on winning the 
42023 - 2024 SPHL championship; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League) is 
6a professional ice hockey independent minor league based in 
7Huntersville, North Carolina, with teams located primarily in 
8the southeastern United States as well as in Illinois and 
9Indiana; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The Peoria Rivermen's championship win in 2024 
11marks its first championship win on home ice in 25 years; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The Peoria Rivermen beat the Huntsville Havoc 5 
13to 1 before a crowd of 5,902 at Carver Arena who witnessed a 
14once-in-a-generation moment unfold on the ice as Peoria won 
15the SPHL title for the second time in three years; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The 42-year old Peoria Rivermen franchise won the 
17title at Carver Arena on the 25th anniversary of the team's 
18ECHL Kelly Cup championship that marked its last cup win 
19secured on home ice; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The Peoria Rivermen became the first team in SPHL 
 
 
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1history to lose Game 1 of a best-of-three championship series 
2and come back to win the title; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The Peoria Rivermen are also believed to be the 
4first team in pro hockey history to win a championship on home 
5ice at all three levels of the minors, having won once at 
6Carver Arena in the old International Hockey League (class 
7AAA), once in the ECHL (class AA), and now once in the SPHL 
8(class A+); and
 
9    WHEREAS, The Peoria Rivermen last won the SPHL 
10championship title in 2022; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL 
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the 
13Peoria Rivermen hockey team on winning the 2023 - 2024 SPHL 
14championship, marking its second championship win in the SPHL; 
15and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
17presented to the Peoria Rivermen as a symbol of our respect and 
18esteem.