Post by QC Mike on Jan 17, 2023 23:43:30 GMT -7
The Butchers of Cole Harbour came into the Qualcomm Quonset Hut looking for blood after taking three of four points from the Cremona Titans. This was evident when off the opening face-off, Ryan Donato and Michael Rasmussen were sent off for roughin minors. Connor McDavid used the extra open ice to his advantage to put the visitors ahead less than two minutes into the game and take the home crowd out of it. With Kevin Fiala in the box for slashing, Kris Letang doubled the Butcher's lead at 8:24. Nick Schmaltz pulled one back for ht home side just before the sixteen minute mark as the visitors went into the first intermission up 2-1. Schmaltz evened the score at two just under five minutes into the second but Matthew Tkachuk restored Cole Harbour's lead on a pretty feed from Letang and McDavid. Kevin Fiala squared thing up again just before the halfway point converting on a Cale Makar slap pass. The Q-Men held a slight edge in play but it was Jaden Schwartz being rewarded for his hard work along the boards putting the visitors ahead for the third time. Less than two minutes later an ill advised clearing attempt by Teuvo Teravianen resulted in Jeff Carter putting Cole Harbour up by two. Fiala slid one into a wide open cage after a beautiful set up from Claude Giroux and Elias Lindholm just before the end of the frame to give the home side some life going into the second break only down 5-4. Quad Cities came out pressing in the third and held the edge in play but were unable to generate much in the way of chances. Jack Roslovic scored at the sixteen minute mark to take whatever wind was left in the Q-Men's sails and he added a buzzer beater on the power play to close the game out with the Butchers skating away to the 7-4 win.
Cole Harbour 7 (10 chances on 28 shots) vs Quad Cities 4 (8 chances on 42 shots)
1. Barbashev (CHB) - 4A, 1 chance
2. Hedman (CHB) - 3A, 1 chance on 3 shots
3. Schmaltz (QCQ) - 2G, +1, 2 chances on 4 shots
The rematch back in Cole Harbour was an interesting affair with the home side holding an edge in shots but both sides basically trading chances. Connor McDavid opened the home side's account just under five minutes into the game to inflame the Butcher's fan's passion but Joel Farabee helped still the crowd at 17:36. Even though the Butchers out shot the Q-Men 16-7, the chances were even at threes and the score was tied at 1-1 going into the second. The middle frame was a tight checking affair that only saw eight shots a side. Although the visitors out chanced the Butcher 4-2 it was the home side that struck first in this period. Ivan Barbashev was the beneficiary of a poor clearing attempt from Elais Lindholm at 11:12 but Lindholm made up for it off the ensuing face-off, setting up Kevin Fiala for the equalizer. The score knotted at twos going into the third. McDavid scored less than a minute into the third to put the Butchers up by one but after he was called for diving later in the shift, his comments about how much the ref loved his mother were misconstrued and McDavid picked up an extra ten. From here the third was wide open hockey, both sides combined for 32 shots in the frame without many chances. The goal tending was not up to the challenge. Claude Giroux evened the score at the six minute mark of the third. Ryan Donato put Cole Harbour back ahead at the twelve minute mark. McDavid got out of the box only to see Nazem Kadri even things up again at 15:36. Both sides exchanged a number of shots after that but never threatened either keeper and overtime was required to break the 4-4 deadlock/ The extra frame saw Giroux win the face-off and snap off a wicked wrister that Marc-Andre Fleury fought off. McDavid off the ensuing rush snapped it past Alexander Georgiev sending the home town fans delirious after their 5-4 overtime victory.
Quad Cities 4 (10 chances on 31 shots) vs, Cole Harbour 5 (9 chances on 42 shots)
1. McDavid (CHB) - 3G, 5 chances on 8 shots
2. McAvoy (QCQ) - 2A, 1 shot, 1 BS
3. Fleury (CHB) - 4GA on 10 chances (42 shots), stopped chance in OT to set up winner