Rivermen rematch with Pensacola at Carver Arena tonight. Peoria jumps ahead 1-0 at 6:51 of the 1st on a snipe from Jordan Ernst -- his 35th goal of the season -- on a bad angle from deep in the left corner pic.twitter.com/yPUPuhNURE
— Dave Eminian (@icetimecleve) March 30, 2025
PEORIA — The Peoria Rivermen would love it if Kylar Fenton follows in his father's footsteps.
His father, Eric Fenton, scored one of the iconic goals in the 43-year-history of the Rivermen franchise during their IHL era.
Now the younger Fenton has made his pro debut with the Rivermen, who upgraded him from a tryout contract to a full SPHL deal on Saturday.
He made his pro debut last week in Pensacola, then played his first home game in Carver Arena on Friday and another Saturday, where the Rivermen beat the Ice Flyers, 5-0, before 4,230 to sweep the weekend series.
Rivermen veteran winger/defenseman Jordan Ernst notched his 35th goal in Saturday's win, giving him the most in a single-season for the Peoria franchise in 20 years.
Kylar Fenton, meanwhile, came to Peoria last week after finishing his college career at Gustavus Adolphus College.
The 24-year-old defenseman is the nephew of NHL referee Wes McCauley, and is well-schooled in Peoria's history and tradition from his father, Eric's, time here.
"He gave me a few stories, but I've heard quite a bit from his Peoria, Milwaukee days," Fenton said. "I've heard great things about Carver Arena, the fans. He loved his playing time here, it was a really cool experience."
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Fenton grew up in Milwaukee and played junior hockey, among his stops including the Waywayseecapo Wolverines in 2018-19, the same team for which Rivermen winger Carson Baptiste played three seasons. He went on to play four seasons for Gustavus Adolphus, where he was captain and produced seven goals and 18 assists in 92 career games.
"We won the MIAC championship and then lost first round of the tourney," Fenton said. "I was ready to hang them up. But I got a call (from Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel), and I thought it might be the only opportunity."
Facing the end on April 28, 1996
On April 28, 1996, the Rivermen were not only trying to avoid elimination from the IHL playoffs, but elimination from their IHL era. They were scheduled to move down to the ECHL the next season, so they skated into a series against the Midwest Division champion Milwaukee Admirals trying to extend an era.
Eric Fenton scored the game-winner on a goal both sides called one of the ugliest goals they'd ...
