Peoria Rivermen playoff series postponed because of severe weather in Florida

PEORIA — The Peoria Rivermen and Pensacola Ice Flyers will have to wait a little longer to open their SPHL quarterfinals playoff series in Florida.

Game 1 of the best-of-3 series was postponed one day because of a severe weather forecast for the Pensacola, Florida, area. The game now is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Thursday at Pensacola Bay Center.

New Peoria Rivermen playoff schedule

Because of the weather, all games in the series have been pushed back by a day, including the weekend games ar Carver Arena in Peoria. Game 2 now will be a 7:15 p.m. Saturday start at Carver Arena. Game 3, if needed, will be a 5:15 p.m. start on Sunday at Carver.

PLAYOFF PREVIEW: What to know as the Peoria Rivermen start SPHL playoff journey

Fans holding tickets for what was originally Game 2 on Friday in Peoria can use them for Game 2 on the new Saturday date. Tickets for what was originally Saturday's Game 3, will now be honored on Sunday. Contact the Rivermen front office at (309) 676-1040 for more information.

Florida storms and tornadoes

The storm front heading toward Pensacola has already produced tornadoes in Texas and Louisiana. The Pensacola News Journal says a National Weather Service forecast warns of destructive straight-line winds with gusts up to 80 mph possible, and 2 to 4 inches of rain expected, with the possibility of 6 to 8 inches in some areas.

Thunderstorms could reach northwest Florida by 1 p.m., with severe weather lasting through midnight. There is also the possibility of quarter-sized hail, and severe flooding could happen in Pensacola.

River Readings

No. 6 seed Quad City upset defending champion No. 3 seed Roanoke 3-2 in overtime Tuesday in Game 1 of their SPHL Quarterfinal series. Former Rivermen center Hayden Hulton notched the game-winner at 2:53 of sudden-death.

PLAYOFF ROSTER: Rivermen reveal final roster ahead of 2024 SPHL playoffs

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. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Rivermen playoff series postponed because of severe weather in Florida