By Mackenzie Boivin

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The Riverkings swept the weekend, Feb. 15-16, against the Minnesota Blue Ox. The Riverkings took night one, 4-3, and clinched the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, bringing the first-round playoffs home.

Drake Bradshaw battled hard in the net with the Blue Ox shooting 29 on the night and the Riverkings shooting only 19. Thimo Ey had the first and the last goal of the night, along with Max Moore and Cole Creger. Adam Peterson, Creger, Reymond Fleming, Bradly McDonald, Tanner Dey, and Haralds Jirgens all had assists on the night.

Saturday night saw a 5-2 victory for the Riverkings.  Peterson and Jirgens each scored a goal, with Jesse Edwards snatching an empty netter at the end of the game and Thimo Ey putting in two power-play goals.

Edwards, Jordan Stear, Fleming, Peterson, Jered Stevenson, and goalie Dom Paciocco all had assists on the night.

Paciocco was named the first star of the game, with an outstanding job battling it out in the net, defending 32/34 shots put up by the Blue Ox.

The Riverkings are home for the playoffs Feb. 22-23, and Feb. 24 if needed. They end the season 29-14-1 with 59 points, leaving them only five points away from the top two teams in the Midwest West.