Post by QC Mike on Mar 28, 2022 16:32:14 GMT -7
Quad Cities kicked off this tie in Cole Harbour and hoped to recapture some of the magic from their improbable series comeback that helped propel the Q-Men to their only cup victory. The first frame was a fairly choppy affair with Quad Cities unable to generate any chances and newcomer Calvin de Haan committing an egregious giveaway that sent Ryan O'Reilly off to the races on a breakaway 8:24 in to the game. Philip Grubauer bailed out his team mate and turned aside the only other Butchers chance in the frame to allow the visitors to go into the intermission even at naughts. The second period was all about the goal tending. Butchers starting keeper James Reimer was injured stopping a Kevin Fiala wrister putting Marc Andre Fleury between the pipes for the rest of the game. Quad Cities doubled up on shots versus the home town team (10-5) and the chances were even at three apiece but Cole Harbour went into the second intermission up 3-0 on goals by Victor Hedman, Matthew Takchuk, and Max Pacioretty. Abt hopes of the Quarrymen digging out of the hole they found themselves in were extinguished less than a minute into the thirs when Tkachuk added his second of the game and stretched the lead to 4-0. Claude Giroux did his best to try and get his team back into the game, generating 7 of the 12 Q-Men shots in the period but his goal just after the nine minute mark was the only blemish on the Butchers record. T J Oshie adding a late insurance marker to give the home team the 5-1 victory.
Quad Cities 1 (4 on 29) vs Cole Harbour 5 (9 on 24)
1, Tkachuk- 2G, GWG, 2PM
2. McDavid- 2A. 2 PM
3. Fleury- Win, 28 saves, 1 GAA on 4 chances
The rematch back at the Qualcomm Quad Cities Quonset Hut saw was a fairly even affair with both sides taking pot shots at each other when Max Pacioretty's snap shot beat Grunbauer off of an innocent looking entry play to quiet the home fans. The wind was further taken out of the home sides' sails when Pacioretty scored a power play marker just as the second of consecutive penalties was about to be killed off with just over two minutes to go. The Butchers going into the second up 2-0. Victor Hedman unloaded a howitzer into the back of the net less than a minute into the frame - Ivan Provorov ensuring that his goalie didn't see the incoming puck until he was picking it out of the net. Nick Bjugsteadextended the Butchers lead at the stroke of twelve on the game clock and the visitors went into the final intermission up 4-0. Off the opening faceoff in the third, Pacioretty sent Kris Letang in alone to make it 5-0 before Jeff Carter added a power play marker on a bench minor at 5:36 to make it six. James van Riemsdyk broke the shutout bid on the power play with about two and half minutes to go in the game. Fleury was so upset at losing the shutout that he had to be replaced by someone in a Reimer jersey with a little more than a minute to play but it was all over but for the shouting, Cole Harbour cruising to a 6-1 victory.
Cole Harbour 6 (10 on 41) vs Quad Cities 1 (4 on 23)
1. Pacioretty- 2G, 2A, GWG
2. Fleury- Win, 22 saves, 1 GAA on 4 chances
3. Hedman- 1G, 2A. 2 PM
Quad Cities is now 5-4-1 for 11 pts.