Post by QC Mike on Feb 5, 2022 14:55:59 GMT -7
Bonavista opened their season with a repeat of last year's playoff match up against Quad Cities. Unfortunately, the back and forth excitement of last season's series was not replicated to kick off the game. Both sides combined in a listless affair that saw a total of thirteen shots with one scoring chance between them. The first ending at 0-0. The second period saw an improvement in play as the ice maker in the Bonavista rink was turned on and the slush began to solidify. The teams combining in this frame for nineteen shots and three scoring chances but the score was still knotted at zeroes. The only play of note was Miles Wood catching Clayton Keller with a nifty hip check that left the youngster struggling for the remainder of the game. The third period saw the Bruisers open the scoring on an early power play marker by Reilly Smith. Claude Giroux then coughed up the puck to send Thomas Konecny in on a breakaway only to have Philipp Grubauer shut the door and preserve the one goal defecit. Shortly after Giroux returned to the ice after serving a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct regarding the breakaway, Marcus Foligno doubled the home sides lead. The Bruisers looked to be cruising to an easy win when Quarrymen starting goaltender Philipp Grubauer was injured stopping a dump in at the 52 minute mark. Grubauer's being helped off the ice sparked the Q-Men as less than a minute later James van Riemsdyk tipped one home to cut the Bonaviste lead to 2-1. The Bruisers looked to be holding on but with Alexander Georgiev just pulled for the extra attacker, Elias Lindholm wristed one past Jacob Markstrom to level the score at two and send the game into overtime. Overtime saw oth sides exchange a couple of shots before Elias Lindholm set up Charlie McAvoy on a cross ice feed and McAvoy's snapshot beat Markstorm gave Quad Cities the win and the bonus point.
Quad Cites 3 (7 of 28) vs Bonavista 2 (4 of 24) OT
1. McAvoy (QCQ) - GWG, 1G, 1A
2. Smith (BON) - 1G
3. Lindholm (QCQ) - 1G, 1A
The rematch at the Qualcomm Quonset Hut saw a more lively start than the game in Bonavista. Miles wood opened the scoring at the 8:24 mark when he tipped in the feed from Cale Makar. Less than a minute later however, with Charlie McAvoy off for Delay of Game, Dougie Hamilton evened the score at ones. Then, with Marcus Foligno off for hooking and just under two minutes to play in the first, Hamilton caught Ivan Provorov reaching for the puck. Provorov had to be carted off the ice and did not return. Ryan Nugent Hopkins won the ensuing face-off back to Ryan Strome, deputizing on the point for the injured Provorov. Strome's feed found a wide open Elias Lindholm who buried the chance with less than a minute left to send the home side into the locker rooms with a 2-1 lead and some good emotions after seeing their teammate taken off the ice on a stretcher. The second period was a back and forth affair that saw a flurry of action around the middle of it. Reilly Smith evened the score at 2-2 at the eight minute mark of the frame. Less than two minutes later Elias Lindholm restored the Quarrymen's lead off a Bruiser turnover. Ryan Johansson then tied the game at three just over a minute later before Lindholm completed his hat trick less than two minutes after Johansson had tied it up. James van Riemsdyk scored another power play marker with less than a minute remaining to double the Quad City lead and restore their momentum. The third period saw the home team jump all over the visitors on the opening shift. Joel Farabee and Kevin Fiala scoring less than a minute apart to blow things open and put Quad Cities up 7-3. The Q-Men started to celebrate a little too early and let their guard down, and markers from Shea Theodore and Jason Zucker saw Bonavista back within two just at 7-5 over two minutes later. An ill advised pinch by Hamilton saw Makar sent on a breakaway but Jacob Markstrom held the fort and kept his team in it. The Bruisers continued to push and try and force their way back into the game but a late marker by Kevin Fiala took the wind out of the visitor's sails and Quad Cities held on for the 8-5 win.
Bonavista 5 (8 of 32) vs Quad Cities 8 (10 of 35)
1. Lindholm (QCQ) - 3G
2. Giroux (QCQ) - 3A, +5
3. Cirelli (BON) - 3A
Quad Cities is now 3-1