Inductees Coached by Bob Plager, the Peoria Rivermen not only claimed their second IHL Turner Cup championship, but also set a world professional hockey record with 18 straight wins between Oct. 6, 1990 and Nov. 22, 1990.
The team, a farm club of the St. Louis Blues, finished with a 58-19-5 record and easily won its IHL title with 121 points.
In all, the team set 41 world, professional, league and franchise records while playing before
300,000 fans, making the Rivermen the most watched local team in Peoria sports history.
The Rivermen were led by four standout offensive performances.
David Bruce led the team with 64 goals and 62 assists for 116 points while Nelson Emerson was 36-79--115, Dave Thomlinson 53-54--107, and Michel Mongeau 41-65--106. Bruce was named the league's Most Valuable Player by the Hockey News while Plager was named Coach of the Year.
Emerson was named Rookie of the Year and Mongeau was voted the playoff Most Valuable Player after scoring 26 points in 19 playoff games with 10 goals and 16 assists.
In Cup playoffs, the Rivermen whipped Milwaukee four out of six games, took Phoenix in seven, and toppled Ft. Wayne in six for the final playoff record of 12-7.
Of the 34 players who appeared for Peoria in this historic season, 22 went on to play in the National Hockey League.
Wayne Wiebler Wayne Wiebler has lived an extraordinary life. From an early age, he was interested in motorcycles and in 1951, at the age of 14, he went to work for the local Harley-Davidson dealership he now owns. Also interested in racing, Wayne was a mere 16 when he entered his first motorcycle race. It was a learning experience and learn he did! |