Oxford vs Quad Cities

The Quarrymen opened their season hosting the defending cup champions Oxford Rangers who were looking for their first win of the season. The Q-Men came out strong and carried the majority of the play. They were rewarded for their pressure when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins converted the cross ice feed from Charlie McAvoy just before the half way point of the first. The home side going into the intermission up 1-0. The second period saw the Q-Men double their lead three seconds in when Giroux's shoot-in caught Tukka Rask still settling in and not yet tracking the play (league officials are reviewing the official timing and whether or not a whistle dog distracted the starting of the clock). Josh Anderson got that goal back at the two minute mark  to halve the lead and give the visitors some momentum. That momentum was taken back when the Q-Men successfully killed of a short 5 on 3 before James van Riemsdyk restored the two goal lead, tipping Charlie McAvoy's area pass past Rask. A couple of minutes later, Owen Tippett sent Timo Meier in on a breakaway and his deke left Philip Grubauer flopping like a fish as the Rangers cut the lead to one again. 3-2 after two. The third saw Ryan O'reilly tie the game at threes just over a minute into the third when he tipped in a Jeff Petry shot to silence the Qualcomm Quonset Hut crowd who were fearing another late collapse. However, with Meier in the box for hooking RNH deflected Cale Makar's wrister into the top corner to restore the Quad Cities lead and bring some life back into the Hut. Off the ensuing face off, Josh Anderson caught Joel Farabee with his head down and knocked him into the popcorn maker. Farabee had to be helped to the dressing room to be treated for butter burns. Anderson just after the half way point of the frame snapped the puck past Grubauer to once again tie the score. The Q-Men pressed to take the lead and forced O'Reilly to take penalty with less than a minute left in the game. Tukka Rask stoned Elias Lindholm in the dying seconds to preserve the tie and force overtime. Off the overtime openeing face off, Charlie McAvoy intercepted the Rangers win and blasted a slapper past a surprised Rask twelve seconds in to give the home side the win 5-4.

Oxford 4 (8 of 31) vs Quad Cities 5 (11 of 40)

1. McAvoy - GWG, 1 G, 2 A

2. Anderson - 2 G

3. RNH - 2 G

The rematch in Oxford saw both sides start tentatively but an early penalty to Nick Schmaltz gave the Rangers some early life. Ryan O'Reilly shovelling the puck in to give the home side an early 1-0 lead. A couple of minutes later Ryan Strome converted on the feed from Calude Giroux to even the score at ones. The tentative play continued until the 14:48 mark when Max Pacioretty scored off the rush restore the Rangers' lead and send them into the intermission up 2-1. The second period saw Schmaltz in the penalty box again when Trevor Moore capitalized for Oxford at 4:48 to double the lead. Less than a minute later Moore turned provider as he set up Johan Larsson to stretch the lead to three. Quad Cities seemed uninterested in the game and offered very little in the way of push back as Pierre-Luc Dubois potted another with just over five minutes remaining in the period. 5-2 after two for Oxford with the visitors being outshot 19-12 and out chanced 6-2. Nito Neidereiter had tried to pick a fight after the buzzer to end the second and was assessed a UC penalty so the Quarrymen would start the third on the power play. Quad Cities were unable to generate anything on the PP but just as the penalty was bout to expire the Rangers coughed up the puck and JVR was able convert and pull one back for the visitors. This seemed to inspire the Q-Men who proceeded to rip off a run of glorious chances in a row but Tristan Jarry stood tall and blunted the attack. Quad Cities carried the play but goals by Jeff Petry and Ryan O'Reilly on either side of the fifteen minute mark sealed the deal and gave the home side the 7-2 win.

Quad Cities 2 (7 of 29) vs Oxford 7 (8 of 28)

1. Jarry - 2 of 29 (7 chances)

2. O'Reilly - 2 G, 2 A

3. McNabb - 1 A, solid defensive game