Post by QC Mike on Jul 12, 2022 16:15:10 GMT -7
Quad Cities went into the series decided underdogs. If Cremona had swept them they would have been a lottery team. the obverse result meant the Q-Men were on the road to Shamrockville. The Quarrymen in a surprise move started Alexander Georgiev. The first period was an even fought affair with the only chances being Jakub Silfverburg on a quick wrister and Cale Makar stripping Jason Robertson for the breakway only to be stoned by Connor Helleybuck. Nil-Nil going into the first intermission. The second period saw Shamrockville slowly take control of the flow of the game. Just after the eleven minute mark Jamie Oleksiak was the first to get his name into the official record when he beat Georgiev with a slapper after a cross ice feed to give the home side the lead. Two minutes later Jason Spezza doubled the Patriots lead going into the intermission up 2-0.Kevin Fiala pulled one back for the Q-Men just before the half way point of the third but were never really to sustain any pressure and Jason Robertson restored the two goal lead at 15:12 and late markers from Spezza and Jakub Vrana sealed the dealas the Patriots coasted to a 5-1 win.
Quad Cities 1 (5 on 29) vs Shamrockville 5 (9 on 30)
1. Spezza (BEP) - 2G
2. Helleybuck (BEP) - Win, 1GAA on 5 chances
3. Oleksiak (BEP) - 1G
The second game in Shamrockville saw Joonas Korpisalo put in a rare appearance to see if he could again catch some lighting in a bottle. It looked like an inspired move as the Patriots came out flying and stiffled the Quad Cities squad, outshooting them 18-2 and out chancing them 3-0 but Korpisalo stood firm and the teams went into the break goose eggs. Starting the second, RNH was still in the penalty box serving a bench minor when Jakub Vrana on a wonderful individual effort beat Korpisalo and gave the side the lead. just over a minute later however, Ivan Provoroc one timed the cross ice feed from Charlie McAvoy to beat Alex Nedjelkovic and even the score at ones. Just before the five minute mark Philip Danault's wrister snuck under the crossbar and restored the Patriots lead. Ten minutes later with Alex Formenton off for interference, RNH redirected McAvoy's slap pass to tie things up again. With just under three minutes remaining in the second, Jamie Oleksiak put the Patriots back in front when his one timer evaded a flustered Korpisalo. Howver, leass than a minnute later Kevin Fiala snap a wrister past Goalie Ned and the two sides went into the break tied at threes. Just over two minutes in Vrana scored his second on a sweet set up from Tom Wilson. Quad Cities weren't able to generate much of anything and Wilson added an insurance marker with just over two minutes to go.Then with Korpisalo on the bench for an extra skater and a little less than two minutes left in the third, Jamie Oleksiak kicked a puck going into the Shamrockville net out of the way with Nedjelkovic cleanly beaten. The Q-Men were unable to generate any other threats and Shamrockville held on for the 5-3 win.
Quad Cities 3 (3 on 18) vs Shamrockville 5 (8 on 41)
1. Vrana (BEP) - 2G, GWG
2, Oleksiak (BEP) - 1G, 1A, 1 hard shot blocked
3. McAvoy (QCQ) - 2A
Game three back in the Quad Cities Qualcomm Quonset Hut saw Korpisalo take the ice as starter again for the Quarrymen in the hope that the magic could be rekindled. All they found was ashes. Less than a minute into the game Rudolf Balcers gave the visitors the lead, Before the shift was over Marco Sturm had doubled the lead. The Q-Men weren't able to generate anything but were still in the game until with less than two minutes left in the period Joel Erikssen-Ek and then Philip Danault tallied for Belast and sent the visitors into the rest break with a 4-0 lead after creating 5 chances to Quad Cities 5 shots with no chances. Philip grubauer made his first appearance of the playoffs to start the second and while the team played slightly better in front of him, the results were not much different. Tom Wilson at the four minute mark and then Val Nichuskin at the six minute mark extending the lead to 6-0 going into the third. Quad Cities opened the third trying everything in their power to generate some chances and they were wildly successful, just not in the way they had hoped. By the 10:48 mark, three blind breakout passes by the Q-Men up the middle had been deposited by Grubauer to increase the visitors lead to 9-0 even after stoning Jakob Vrana on a penalty shot at the six minute mark. Late markers by Charlie McAvoy and RNH prevented the home side from being shutout but the home fans went home doubly disappointed as their team was soundly beaten and booed off the ice and their chants of "We want TEN" directed at the Patriots players went unanswered. Shamrockville 9-2.
Shamrockville 9 (15 on 37) vs Quad Cities 2 (5 on 28)
1. Wilson (BEP) - 2G
2. Robertson (BEP) - 1G, 1A
3. Makela (BEP) - 3A
Shamrockville leads the series 3-0.
