Post by QC Mike on Apr 3, 2024 19:09:04 GMT -7
Quad Cities made their way into Houston after clawing back their record to the 500 mark and looking to carry the momentum to a hopeful playoff slot while Houston was looking to recover from the Shamrockville Flu. The energy was evident as Michael Rasmussen and Darnell Nurse got into a shoving match just after the opening face off. Less than a minute later Joel Farabee beat a shocked Jusse Saros on the first shot of the game and the visitors were off to a quick 1-0 lead. The Quarrymen weren't giving up many shots but those they were of a high quality. Alexander Georgiev did his best but eventually those chickens came home to roost. Shortly after turning aside Morgan Geekie's capitalizing on a Barclay Goodrow broken stick Calle Jarnkrok fired one past Georgiev to even things up at ones at 11:12. At 15:36 Farabee took a pretty feed from Rasmussen and buried it past Saros to give the visitors the 2-1 lead that they caried into the intermission. The second period saw Jarnkrok's wrister beating Georgiev to level things at two. The remainder of the second was largely a replay of the first. The visitors holding an edge in shots while the home side had the better chances. Charlie McAvoy on one shift blocked three shots, including two glorious chances to keep his side in it. On the last shift of the period Geekie caught Kevin Fiala a glancing blow that seemed to slow Fiala up a little and then with less than a minute remaining it was a seeing eye shot from the point by Rasmus Anderson that sent the home side into the final frame up 3-2. The third period saw the Q-Mencarry the balance of play but it was Pavel Zacha at 9:36 of the third that prompted a flurry of activity when his shot beat Georgiev to give the home side a two goal bulge. Less than two minutes later Timo Meier caught Fiala with a high hit. Fiala had to be helped from the ice and did not return. Off the ensuing face off, Elias Pettersson sniped one pas a flat footed Quad Cities keeper. Nick Schmaltz recovered a puck from Andersson whose stick broke on the face off play but was unable to do anything with it. Although they fired a number of pucks at Saros, they rarely troubled him, Houston skating to the 5-2 win.
Quad Cities 2 (9 chances on 45 shots) vs Houston (10 chances on 30 shots)
1. Jarnkrok (HSD) - 2G
2. Farabee (QCQ) - 2G
3. Saros (HSD - Win, 2 goals agains on 9 chances from 45 shots
The rematch back at the Quad Cities Qualcomm Quonset Hut saw the home side come out without much fire and never seem to get it going as Kevin Fiala did not return from his injury in the previous match up. The Sun Dogs had total control of the game and it looked like the home side was going to escape even when Morgan Geekie's snap shot at 19:36 sent the visitors into the break up 1-0. The second saw Houston continue to dominate the shot clock but at least the home side were able to generate a few chances. K'andre Miller with the first of these at 3:36 as he blew a back scratcher past Jusse Saros. At 12:48 it was Nazem Kadri redirecting Josh Morissey's slap pass beyond Jusse Saros to give the home side a 2-1 lead. A few minutes later Darnell Nurse denied Shane Pinto a clear chance and the Q-Men went into the intermission up by that 2-1 score. The home side attempted to play the possession game and run out the clock but Pavel Zacha at 7:12 tipped a shot past Georgiev to even things up at two. Both sides were playing tight, trying not to give anything away when Gus Nyquist's shot at 17:12 dribbled through Georgiev and gave the visitors the lead. Although they pulled their goalie, the Quarrymen couldn't generate anything in the last two minutes and the visitors edged the Q-Men 3-2.
Houston 3 (10 chances on 50 shots) vs Quad Cities 2 (6 chances on 27 shots)
1. Nyquist (HSD) - 1G, GWG, 1 chance on 3 shots
2. Georgiev (QCQ) - 3 goals agans on 5 shots (10 chances)
3. Andersson (HSD) - 2A, 1 chance on shots