Post by QC Mike on Sept 27, 2022 16:02:40 GMT -7
Quad Cities kicked off their season heading across the pond to Oxford to take on the Rangers. It was quite obviously the first game of the season as both teams were shaking off the rust with plenty of disjointed and broken plays not lending any real flow or excitement to the game. The only chance of the period came when the Rangers coughed up the puck to Michael Rasmussen who buried it Dan Vladar and staked the visitors to a 1-0 lead. The second period saw more coordinated play and pressure from both sides but the game was still rather disjointed. Play had to be stopped approximately five minutes into the frame so that Vladar could be helped to the dressing room to be replaced by Tristan Jarry. Ryan Strome doubled the lead for the Q-Men when his wrister beat Jarry at the fourteen minute mark. Just over a minute later there was another delay as Quad Cities goalie Philip Grubauer had to be assisted off the ice while pitching a shutout to be replaced by Alexander Georgiev. The Quarrymen leading 2-0 after two. The third period saw Barclay Goodrow catch Nick Ritchie with his head down off the opening faceoff necessitating another delay in play. In't not sure whether this hit woke up the Rangers or the jet lag and a number of sticks damaged in transit caught up with the Q-men but Oxford took over in the third. Trevor Moore cut the Quad Cities lead in half at the six minute mark. Oxford's pleas for a penalty shot off the next rush were denied but Kyle Connor tied it up at 7:36 capitalizing on one of the aforementioned broken sticks. Oxford kept up the pressure, limiting the visitors to just three shots for the period but were unable to get anything else past Georgiev as the teams went into overtime. Keving Fials shot off the opening faceoff was easily turned aside and Jake Bean scored on the ensuing rush to give the home side the come from behind 3-2 victory.
Quad Cities 2 (6 of 29) vs Oxford 3 (6 of 34) OT
1. Connor (OXR) - 1 Goal, 7 shots
2. McAvoy (QCQ) - 1 assist. 3 shots, 2 blocks
3. Beane (OXR) - GWG, 1 Goal
The rematch back at the Qualcomm Quonset Hut back in the Quad Cities saw the home side come out firing in an attempt to avenge their loss. Cale Makar opened the scoring for the Q-Men less than a minute into the game and less than a minute later he had double the lead. Quad Cities leading 2-0 before the first shift was over. Unfortunatley, that was about all the home side would have to show the rest of the period, They only generated four more shots while Oxford worked themselves back into the game. First it was former Quarrymen Vinnie Hinostroza with a wonderful individual effort to cut the lead in half at 16:00. Less than a minute later Jesper Kotkaniemi levelled the score at two and thats the way the teams went into th first intermission. The second period saw the home side with a territorial advantage but it was the visitors who were generating the better chances, capitalizing on asublime short handed solo effort by Trevor Moore to put the Rangers up 3-2, which is the way the second ended. The third period saw the Quarrymen lockdown the Rangers and push for the equalizer but Oxford keeper Dan Vladar was holding strong. With Philip Grubauer on the bench for an extra attacker for the last two minutes, Oxford looked to be sneaking out of the building with a sweep when Calude Giroux was able to beat Vladar at 19:42 on a pretty set up from Elias Lindholm and Nick Schmaltz to tie the game and send it to overtime. The Rangers were obviously still reeling from the late goal as even though the Rangers won the faceoff, Lindholm slapped the puck off the Oxford player's stick and beat a startled Vladar three seconds into OT to send the home side fans home delirious with joy.
Oxford 3 (6 of 22) vs Quad Cities 4 (6 of 31) OT
1. Makar (QCQ) - 2 Goals
2. Moore (OXR) - 1 Goal (short handed), 1 Assist
3. Lindholm (QCQ) - GWG, 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Quad Cities is 1-0-1-0
