Brooks v Quad Cities

The Mighty Solar Bears lumbered into the the Quad Cities Qualcomm Quonset Hut looking to change the fortunes of their goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky who had been experiencing a string of bad results. Quad Cities were in a similar boat after a string of poor showings by Joonas Korpisalo the Quarrymen were going with Alexander Georgiev. Things didn't look good for the visitors as Jack Quinn regained possession of the puck at the end of the first shift and while waiting for his line mates to change the ice opened like the Red Sea and Quinn walked down the middle of the ice and put a wrister past Bobrovsky to put the home side up by one. Less than two minutes later Moritz Seider slid in front of a Nazim Kadri chance with Bobrovsky stuck behind the net. This seemed to spark the Brooks team As Derek Stepan tipped Vince Dunn's slap pass past Georgiev to even the score at ones after eight minutes. Then, just after the half way point of the period, Kirill Kaprizov was sent off for interference. Cale Makar managed to keep the pick in the zone off the ensuing face off and his feed to Josh Morrissey was one-timed past Bobrosky to give the home side the 2-1 lead which they held until the intermission. For a team trying to restore confidence in their goaltender it didn't look good for the visitors as Mo Seider was the only one able to deny a goal scoring chance. The second frame saw the Q-Men jump quickly to the attack and less than two minutes into the period Claude Giroux doubled the home side's lead. Just before the half way point of the period, Hampus Lindholm's stick broke and that allowed Quad Cities' Dylan Cozens to be set loose. His snap shot beating Bobrovsky and stretching the Quarrymen's lead to 4-1. Then at 15:36 of the second, Will Borgen attempted to assimilate Dylan Demelo into the boards as he pinched down on the play. After a short stoppage Demelo was able to continue to play. With two minutes remaining Giroux got his second of the period on a pretty set up from Makar and Kevin Fiala. 5-1 after two. The two minute mark of the third saw Claude Giroux complete his hat trick and Fiala got his sugar just before the five minute mark. A late consolation goal on the power play for Andrei Kuzmenko gave us the final, 7-2 for the home side.

Brooks 2 (7 chances on 29 shots) v Quad Cities 7 (8 chances on 34 shots)

1. Giroux (QCQ) - 3G, 1A, 2PM, 3 chances on 3 shots

2. Fiala (QCQ) - 1G, 3A, 2PM, 1 chance on 5 shots

3. Morrissey (QCQ) - 1G, 2A, 1 chance on 1 shot

The rematch back at the Brooks Agridome saw Bobrovsky relegated to the bench of the dunk tank for the Carnival fund raiser before the game. The starting face off was delayed twice to accommodate the line of people wanting a shot at goalie Bob as the Carnival raised a record amount for The Ryan Peake Home for Wayward Boys. The giving spirit carried over into the game as less than a minute in Josh Morrissey's stick broke and Kirill Kaprizov was set free on a glorious chance but Alexander Georgiev was able to beat that shot away. Just before the five minute mark, Michael Backlund's stick snapped and James van Riemsdyk was sprung and his forehand -backhand move gave the visitors the 1-0 lead against the run of play. Half way through the frame Justin Holl caught Teuvo Terravainen with a solid hit as Terravainen was trying to cross through the middle of the offensive zone. TT was helped to the bench but didn't miss a shift. Then with less than a minute to go in the first, Morrissey broke another stick but Kaprizov was only able to get a week shot off as the Q-Men escaped with a 1-0 lead after one even though they were out shot 21-6. The second saw the Solar Bears keep up the pressure and come at the Quarrymen in waves and this time Georgiev crumbled while Igor Shestrkin beat back any attempt by Quad Cities to reverse the tide. First it was Kirill Kaprizov at 3:36. Then Andrei Kuzmenko potted one at 8:24 to be followed by Nico Hischier at the twelve minute mark and David Perron at 13:32. To then rub salt in the wounds, as Shane Pinto went to dump the puck in for a line change his stick snapped and Nikita Kucherox broke in on a helpless Georgiev and put it high blocker for the 5-2 lead. The third period saw the visitors come out flatter than the proverbial Shrove pancakes as the trffic was all one way towards the Quad Cities' net. Kirill Kaprizov extended the lead at 2:48 of the third with Kucherov adding another at the half way point of the third. Then at 12:48 of the third, Georgiev stretched to deny Kaprizov his hattie, smothered the puck and didn't get up. Korpisalo came in to finish off the game as Georgiev was helped to the dressing room saying he needed to get some ice for his Molson muscle. The injury delay took the energy out of the game as both sides sedately skated out the clock. Brooks taking the back half of the tie 7-1.

Quad Cities 1 (5 chances on 20 shots) v Brooks 7 (15 chances on 48 shots)

1. Kaprizov (BMS) - 2G

2. Kucherov (BMS) - 2G, 1A

3. Hischier (BMS) - 1G, 1A, 2 chances on 12 shots

Quad Cities is 5-7.