Post by QC Mike on Dec 2, 2020 17:08:45 GMT -7
The Quarrymen got out of quarantine and opened their season against the Rangers in Oxford. While this ensured the Q-Men were over their jet lag, it did not ensure their energy levels were up to it as the Rangers took advantage of the QC rust and grabbed an early lead through Gabriel Landeskog via a pretty set up from Tyler Myers and Kris Letang. Oxford was looking to extend their lead with Nazim Kadri off for roughing when Barclay Goodrow caught Jake Debrusk with an hellacious hit that put him through the glass and into the empty stands. The glass was replaced. Debrusk was not. While the QC coach was hoping this would fire up his team, all it did was awaken the Rangers. Letang scored on a rifle shot from the hash marks after a Goodrow giveaway to convert the power play while Jeff Petry added another on a wrister from the point through Charlie McAvoy before the shift was over. Oxford held the balance of play for the remainder of the period but Elias Lindholm caught Mike Matheson with a stick to the face that cost Matheson a couple of chiclets after he had fallen while stepping on the puck. After the ensuing face-off, Lindholm was able to capitalize on a goal mouth scramble with just over two minutes left to play in the frame to give the visitors some life as they went into the first intermission trailing 3-1.
The second period saw the Rangers come out and take total control of the game. Quad Cities were unable to generate any sort of chances while Ryan O'Reilly set up Max Pacioretty and Letang for his second on near identical plays on the power play. Oxford going into the second break up 5-1 and the Quarrymen's coach verifying that Bishop actually had the proper equipment on. The third period saw the Quarrymen come out with more determination but an early penalty by Kevin Fiala that was converted by Pierre-Luc Dubois took the wind out of their sails and while they were able to generate a couple of chanceslater in the period, it was all over but the crying as the home town coasted to a 6-1 win and a perfect four for four on the power play.
Quad Cities 1 (4) vs. Oxford 6 (8)
1st Star: Kris Letang (2 G, 1 A, 2 PM)
2nd Star: Tukka Rask 1 GA on 4 chances, 24 Saves
3rd Star: Ryan O'Reilly (4 A)