INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI (April 16, 2016)— The Missouri Mavericks defeated the Quad City Mallards 6-3 on Saturday evening at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena, marking their first victory in the ECHL Western Conference Quarterfinals of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
The Missouri Mavericks were presented with the Henry J. Brabham Cup during the second intermission of the game. ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna was on hand to present the regular-season championship trophy to Missouri Mavericks General Manager, Brent Thiessen. The Mavericks finished the 2015-16 regular season with 109 points atop the ECHL and an overall record of 52-15-3-2.
Josh Robinson, who was named the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Year earlier this week, made 38 saves through a full 60 minutes between the pipes for the Mavericks, earning the first playoffs victory with the Mavericks.
Quad City Goalie Brody Hoffman watches the puck enter the net in Saturday’s Missouri Mavericks win over the Mallards / Photo by Jeremiah Griffith (PHN)
Quad City locked in the first goal of the game just 1:49 into play when Matt Carey was credited with a goal that deflected in past Robinson. Missouri had only one shot on goal registered on the scoreboard until the mid-point of the period when Andrew Courtney tied the game, 1-1, with the Mavs second shot of the frame. Bryce Aneloski and Darren Nowick were credited with the assists on the play.
Tyler Barnes boosted the Mavs up 2-1 over the Mallards at 14:16 with a power-play lamp-lighter whenAneloski took a blast from the point that Barnes stuffed to the back of the net past Brody Hoffman in the crease. Quad City answered back with their own power-play goal at 16:47 when once again Carey carried the puck over the goal line to tie the game at 2-2.
Quad City gained the lead just 15 seconds into the second period during another man-advantage situation that carried over from the previous frame. Jordan Knackstedt was credited with the power-play tally that gave the Mallards 3-2 edge.
Then at 3:39 of the frame, Courtney launched a shot past Hoffman that originally went undetected by the officials, but did not escape fan attention. After review, the Mavericks were awarded the game-tying goal with defenseman Jesse Graham claiming the lone assist.
If that Mavs play did not kill the Mallards momentum, the next one did, as Hoffman gloved a high wrist shot fromZach Tolkinen at 16:42, only to have the puck drop from his mitt and bounce between his legs and over the goal line for a Missouri tally. Rocco Carzo and Graham took the helpers on the Mavericks fourth goal of the night.
Missouri held their 4-3 lead through to the tail end of regulation, when an empty net gave even the short-handed Mavericks the opportunity to increase their command of the scoreboard.
Defenseman Chris Owensshot the puck from just inside the neutral zone to the back of the unguarded Mallards net, unassisted, with only 1:35 to play in the period. But it did not end there for the #1 seed in the Western Conference, as Mavs forwardJosh Holmstrom added his name to the score sheet with only nine seconds on the clock with another empty-net tally for a 6-3 final scoreboard.
Carzo and Tolkinen were credited with the assists on Holmstrom’s first post-season goal.
The puck slips across the goal line for a Missouri Mavericks goal / Photo by Jeremiah Griffith (PHN)
The Missouri Mavericks post-season campaign continues this tomorrow evening against the Quad City Mallards at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena with Game 2 on Sunday, Apr. 17 at 4:05p.m. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and in-person at the arena box office. The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive a ‘GO MAVS’ cheer card upon entrance. Doors open at 3:00p.m.
Round 1 will continue in Moline, IL at the iWireless Center on Wednesday, Apr. 20 (6:35p.m.) and Friday, Apr. 22 (7:05p.m.). If necessary, the series will continue on Saturday, Apr. 23 (7:05p.m.) at the iWireless Center for Game 5 and then return to Silverstein Eye Centers Arena on Tuesday, Apr. 26 (7:05p.m.) and Wednesday, Apr. 27 (7:05p.m.) for Game 6 and Game 7.
With Missouri Mavericks release
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