Penalty shot and breakaway goal lead Quad City past Evansville in third period.
Records:Â Â Evansville: 22-27-6-2; Quad City: 27-24-4-2
Goalies: QC – Hoffman (W), 14-15-1-0, 29 saves
EVN – Bengtsberg (L), 8-11-4-1, 22 saves
Scoring:
1st Period: 1. EVN – Zay 7 (Rumble, Harrison, 6:08); 2. QC – Archambault 15 (Knackstedt, Warning, 9:02); 3. QC – Neal 16 (Carey, Coldwell, 17:24)
2nd Period: 4. QC – Nikiforov 8 (PP, Pochiro, Monfredo, 6:54); 5. EVN – Duco 9 (PP, Wideman, Rutkowski, 11:28); 6. EVN – Moon 14 (Sims, Leonard, 16:59)
3rd Period: 7. QC – Carey 19 (penalty shot, 8:31); 8. EVN – Rutkowski 5 (Wideman, Zay, 11:42); 9. QC – Pochiro 7 (unassisted, 13:23)
EVANSVILLE, IN – The Quad City Mallards prevailed over the Evansville IceMen 5-4 in a back-and-forth thriller Wednesday at the Ford Center in the fifth of seven meetings this season between the two teams.
The IceMen jumped out to a 1-0 lead, when Chris Rumble threw a puck to the net that ricocheted off of Matthew Zay and in behind Mallards goalie Brody Hoffman6:08 into the game. Quad City then scored two unanswered goals to lead 2-1 after one.
First, Olivier Archambault danced around an Evansville defender and lifted a shot over the blocker of IceMen goaltender Christoffer Bengtsberg. The Mallards then took the lead, when Matt Carey stretched a pass for Matt Neal, who beat Bengtsberg on a breakaway with 2:36 left in the frame.
Quad City opened its lead to 3-1 on a power play in the second period, when Vladimir Nikiforov backhanded a loose puck into the net out of a scramble in the crease. The IceMen pocketed a power play goal of their own, when Mike Duco tipped an Alex Wideman shot from the point past Hoffman. Nathan Moon tied the game for Evansville with 3:01 left in the middle frame, when he stick-handled through a tight space and backhanded a shot into the net while falling to the ice.
Carey broke the 3-3 tie when he was awarded a penalty shot at 8:31 of the third period during an Evansville power play and buried the attempt over Bengtsberg’s blocker. Troy Rutkowski again evened the score at 11:42 on a centering feed from Wideman behind the Mallards’ net. It was Wideman’s third assist of the night. But Quad City’s Zach Pochiro notched the game-winning goal on another breakaway with 6:37 to play in regulation.
Hoffman made 29 saves in the win, while Bengtsberg stopped 22 in the loss. The Mallards moved within one point of eighth place Tulsa in the Western Conference playoff race, while the IceMen remained nine points back. Both teams have 15 games remaining and two more head-to-head meetings, including Sunday’s rematch at the Ford Center at 5:15pm.
Evansville next travels to Indianapolis to start a home-and-home weekend series with the Indy Fuel Friday at 7:35pm EST. The game will be broadcast onwww.evansvilleicemen.com and ECHL TV, with coverage starting at 6:20 CST. The IceMen will then host the Fuel Saturday at 7:15pm at the Ford Center, and wrap up a four-game week with the rematch against the Mallards Sunday.
UPCOMING HOME GAMES
Sat. 3/12 – Indy at Evansville (7:15pm) – Ford Center
                        Baby Races
Sun. 3/13 – Quad City at Evansville (5:15pm) – Ford Center
                        Subway Family Night
Th. 3/17 – Fort Wayne at Evansville (6:15pm) – Ford Center
                        St. Patrick’s Day – Green Ice
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BABY RACES SATURDAY
During the first intermission of Saturday’s IceMen game against the Indy Fuel at 7:15pm, Evansville will feature its first-ever baby races. There will be a crawlers division and walkers division. After the game, Evansville’s NAPA warmup jerseys that have been worn by the players will be autographed and auctioned off at the Ford Center.
FAITH SUNDAYS
Bring any pamphlet or program from your faith service to the Ford Center Ticket Office and receive a $5 discount on tickets anywhere in the building for Sunday home games! There are two remaining Sunday home games: March 13 and 20. All Sunday games are scheduled for 5:15pm.
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POSTGAME SKATE – MARCH 20
IceMen Season Ticket Holders and Blizzard Buddies are welcome to participate in a postgame skate Sunday, March 20 after the IceMen take on the Cincinnati Cyclones at 5:15pm at the Ford Center. Fans are encouraged to bring their own skates if they have them, as a limited number of skates will be provided.
DOMINO’S 4-GAME HAT PACK
Choose any four IceMen home games and get a FREE limited edition IceMen hat and a large 1-topping Domino’s pizza, starting at only $17 per ticket. Call the IceMen front office at 812-421-GOAL (4625) for details.
