MOLINE, Ill. – The Quad City Mallards two-goal lead after the first period carried them to a 5-3 win over the Arizona SundogsFriday night at the iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois. Alex Velischek extended his goal streak to three games after netting a goal in the second period.
Quad City’s Thomas Frazee from Jeff Lee and Nick Grasso scored 4:02 into the opening frame with a quick one-timer. With 2:10 left in the first Frazee scored his second, a shorthanded goal, after Grasso served a too many men bench minor. With the Sundogs down two goals going into the second period the Sundogs found themselves in a tight spot as they fought to even the game. 4:54 into the periodVelischek lifted the puck past the stick side of Mallards goaltender, Ty Rimmer to get on the board. Riley Emmerson and Michael Trebishwere credited with the assists. Six minutes later Gergo Nagy posted another goal for Quad City and 5:04 later Shawn Limpright scored his fourth goal in six games to pull the Sundogs within one goal. Trebish picked up his second point of the night with the assist onLimpright’s goal and Garrett Clarke also tallied an assist.
Arizona saw the game slip away when Quad City scored to more goals in the final period including a power play goal. Justin Fox scored2:24 into the period with helpers from Tyler Yaworski and Vladimir Nikiforov. The Mallards scored their fifth and final goal of the evening while on a 4-on-3 power play when Pender and Yaworski received matching penalties for roughing and Bryan Cameron was assessed a two minute penalty for slashing. With 62 seconds remaining in regulation Cameron tallied Arizona’s third goal with helpers from Baker and Brandon Coccimiglio. The Sundogs hoped to comeback from a three-goal deficit electing to pull their goalie for the extra attacker but couldn’t put anything together.
Sundogs netminder, Andrew Engelage recorded his seventeenth loss this season making 28 saves of the 33 faced. Quad City outshot Arizona 33-32. The Sundogs blanked on the power play receiving three opportunities and the Mallards were 1-2 on their man advantage. The Sundogs and Mallards will meet for the final time in the regular season tomorrow night before the Sundogs wrap up their nine-game road trip.
With Arizona Sundogs team release
Photos courtesy of Rich Guill (Sean Flynn Photography)