Post by QC Mike on Jan 3, 2023 17:10:29 GMT -7
The Mighty Solar Bears made their annual trip to the Qualcomm Quonset Hut and were evidently the only team that was aware of the actual time of the start of the game. Andrei Burakovsky made it 1-0 for Brooks before the game was ten seconds old. Matt Duchesne doubled their lead on a nice set up by Mortiz Seider and Quinn Hughes just before nine minutes had elapsed. The Quarrymen weren't able to generate much of anything until Sergei Bobrovsky was injured off a Dylan Cozens shot at the fourteen minute mark. During the next shift Quinn Hughes was sent off for roughing and Claude Giroux then scored on ensuing the power play to bring some life back to the Quarrymen and their home town fans. 2-1 after one. The second period saw the Mighty Solar Bears press the Q-Men to stretch their lead but it was Nick Schmaltz leveling the score at two shortly after Moritz Seider had leveled Joel Farabee, necessitating a visit from the training staff. Sam Reinhart restored the Brooks lead on the power play at the ten minute mark with Kevin Fiala off for hooking and and extra skater on the ice for a delayed cross checking call on Elias Lindholm. 3-2 Brooks after two. The third started off like a bolt out of the blue for the visitors. Artturi Lehkonen doing the honours with two goals inside the first minute of the frame to blow it wide open. Mitch Marner and David Perron added tallies before Josh Morrisey pulled one back on th power play with just under seven to give some hope to the team and the crowd. Kirill Kaprizov scored to snuff those forlorn hoopes and Marner's second was just icing on the cake. Brooks skating away to an easy 9-3 victory.
Brooks 9 (15 chances on 52 shots) vs Quad Cities 3 (7 chances on 29 shots)
1. Marner (BMB) - 2G, 1A
2. Hughes (BMB) - 4A
3, Lehkonen (BMB) - 2G
The rematch back at the Brooks Community Centre Arena saw the visitors again holding the edge in play but this time the home side was able to hold on until Sam Reinhart tallied on the power play to open the scoring halfway through the period. Four minutes later K'Andre Miller evened things up for the visitors. Barclay Goodrow then caught David Perron reaching for a pass late in the period and Perron had to be helped to the dressing room but was able to return after the intermission. 1-1 after one. There was a slight delay four minutes into the second period when Fabian Zetterlund had to be rescud from from an accident involving the Community Centre's grease pit but it did little to slow down the visitors. The Quarrymen held the edge in play but it was Zach Whitecloud's time to shine. Whitecloud cleared two pucks from behind Igor Shesterkin and blocked another shot while giving the home side the lead just after the half way mark. Brooks leading 2-1 after two. Quad Cities came out hard in the third, holding Brooks without a shot until almost twelve minutes into the frame. Giroux had to reeive some attention from the training staff with just over two minutes remaining but was able to stay in the game. Quad Cities called their timeout with two minutes left in the game and the faceoff deep in Solar Bear territory. Whatever the coaches drew up seemed to work to perfection as the hobbled Giroux won the draw and Elias Lindholm was able to redirect Charlie McAvoy's pass shot for the tying goal. Ties at twos after regulation. Overtime saw the Q-Men jump out fast but they weren't able to generate any chances both sides trading weak shots until David Perron snuck one past Alexander Georgiev at 3:36 to send the home town fans into the street on a frenzy.
Quad Cities 2 (10 chances on 43 shots) vs Brooks 3 (5 chances on 24 shots) [OT]
1. Shesterkin (BMB) - 2 GAA on 10 chances, 41 saves
2. Whitecloud (BMB) - 1G, 4 blocked shots
3. McAvoy (QCQ) - 1A, 1 blocked shot, 3 shots, +1