03.31.2026 River Hawks Rewind

River Hawk Fans,

The Grand Junction River Hawks and Idaho Falls Spud Kings are set to collide in a 1st Round Dineen Cup Playoff series, and if the regular season told us anything, it’s this...

This series will be tight, physical, and decided by details. Across 9 regular-season meetings, these two teams played one of the most competitive series in the Mountain Division.

And now, it resets.

Watch the game tonight LIVE at Riverside Pub. Puck drops at 7:05 PM!

Season Series - The Real Story

This wasn’t a lopsided matchup, it was a margin-for-error rivalry.

By the Numbers:

• Goals: River Hawks 20 | Idaho Falls 27

• Shots: River Hawks 263 | Idaho Falls 264

• Even Strength Goals: River Hawks 16 | Idaho

  Falls 18

That’s a +1 shot differential over 9 games.That’s +2 goals at even strength.

Translation: 5-on-5 hockey was essentially dead even.

The regular season built the foundation, but this is where it changes. The Grand Junction River Hawks are battle-tested, proven in tight, emotional games, and have learned how to close under pressure. They’re playing their best hockey at exactly the right time!

Series Schedule

Game 1 – Tuesday, March 31 @ Idaho Falls

Game 2 – Wednesday, April 1 @ Idaho Falls

Game 3 – Friday, April 3 @ Grand Junction

Game 4 – Saturday, April 4 @ Grand Junction

Game 5 (if necessary) – Monday, April 6 @ Idaho Falls

Where The Series Was Decided

1. Special Teams Gap

This is the biggest storyline entering the playoffs:

• River Hawks Power Play: 3/26 (~12%)

• River Hawks Penalty Kill: 25/34 (~74%)

In a series where most games were within one goal late, special teams created separation.

2. One Stretch, One Swing

The most recent game (5–1 Idaho Falls win) is a perfect example:

• Shots were even (30–30)

• Game was tight… until

• A 3-goal second period broke it open

That’s the theme of this matchup: One stretch can decide everything.

3. Playoff-Style Identity Already Established

Every game in this series had the same DNA:

• Heavy, physical hockey

• Limited time and space

• Hard areas (inside the dots)

• Momentum swings tied to discipline

This isn’t a transition into playoff hockey…this series has already been playoff hockey all season.

Keys To The Series

For the Grand Junction River Hawks, this series will come down to a few controllable details. Special teams will play a major role, cleaner power play execution and fewer penalty kill breakdowns can quickly swing momentum. Just as important is discipline in emotional moments; staying out of late scrums and unnecessary penalties helps maintain control of the game. Winning individual periods is critical, as one strong stretch can shift an entire game and a series.

Above all, the River Hawks need to lean into their identity: strong defensive habits, consistent reloads, playing inside the dots, and turning forced turnovers into offense.

Focus points:

• Special teams execution

• Emotional discipline

• Win each period

• Defense creating offense​

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Special Surprise!

We will be doing a LIVE auction on Friday April 3, 2026 for a team-signed specialty stitched grey jersey! 

We’re building a new blog-style section on our website to host every Game Day Rewind. Each recap will feature game-specific stats, averages, notes, game flow, and key insights into your River Hawks’ performance. 

Bookmark the Blog — and our home website GrandJunctionRiverHawks.com!

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