By: Allan Westerholt
HUNTERSVILLE, NC (January 25, 2023) – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) announced today that goaltender Eric Levine of the Peoria Rivermen has been named the Warrior Player of the Week for January 16-22.
Levine helped guide the Rivermen to a trio of victories, moving them atop the SPHL standings and extending their winning streak to five games.
For the week Levine posted a 1.00 goals against average and a 0.967 save percentage.
On Thursday, Levine stopped 37 of 38 shots as the Rivermen defeated the Quad City Storm 4-1. The following night, he turned away all 35 shots he faced and led the Rivermen to a 5-0 shutout victory and sweep of the Storm. The shutout is the third of the season for Levine, and the most in the SPHL this season. In Sunday’s matinee, after the Rivermen found themselves down 2-0 early in the second to Vermilion County, Levine shut the door on the Bobcats as the Rivermen scored five unanswered to complete the comeback en route to a 5-2 victory. The victory was Levine’s fourth in a row and third of the week.
Levine leads the Rivermen in victories with 11, posting a 2.60 goals against average which is good for fourth-best amongst netminders. The Wheeling, IL native also carries a 0.908 save percentage, good for seventh-best in the SPHL.
Other nominees for the Warrior Player of the Week were: Michael Gillespie, Birmingham (3g, 1a, gwg), Devin Brink, Macon (3g, +2), Justin MacDonald, Knoxville, (2g, 6a, +3, gwg), Ivan Bondarenko, Pensacola (1g, 5a, +1, ppg), Nick Ford, Roanoke (1g, 2a, +2, shg), Matt Ustaski, Quad City, (4g, 1a, +5, ppg, gwg), Austin Albrecht, Vermilion County, (1g, 5a)
