Mallards Force Game Seven
Published on April 25, 2005 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Quad City Mallards News Release
Moline, IL â The Mallards and Fury have pushed each other to the brink in splitting the first six games of their Quarterfinal Series. On Tuesday night, the Mallards and Fury will end the 2004-05 edition of their annual rivalry with a Game Seven at L.C. Walker Arena in Muskegon. The Mallards are bidding to become just the second team in UHL history to topple the league's regular season champion in the opening round of the playoffs.
2005 UHL Quarterfinal Playoff Series vs. Muskegon (all times Central)
Game 1-Friday, April 15th Quad City 5 at Muskegon 1
Game 2-Saturday, April 16th Quad City 2 at Muskegon 3
Game 3-Tuesday, April 19th Muskegon 1 at Quad City 2
Game 4-Friday, April 22nd Muskegon 6 at Quad City 3
Game 5-Saturday, April 23rd Quad City 2 at Muskegon 3 OT
Game 6-Sunday, April 24th Muskegon 1 at Quad City 3
Game 7-Tuesday, April 26th at Muskegon 6:30 p.m.
Upcoming Games
· Game Seven-Tuesday, April 26th at L.C. Walker Arena in Muskegon, Michigan
It's winner take all in Game Seven on Tuesday night at Muskegon. The Mallards are 2-1 in Game Sevens in franchise history.
Quad City Playoff History
1995-96 Quarterfinal Flint defeats Quad City 4-0
1996-97 Quarterfinal Quad City defeats Muskegon 3-0
Semifinal Quad City defeats Thunder Bay 4-2
Final Quad City defeats Flint 4-2
1997-98 Quarterfinal Quad City defeats Madison 4-3
Semifinal Quad City defeats Muskegon 4-2
Final Quad City defeats Flint 4-3
1998-99 Quarterfinal Quad City defeats Asheville 4-0
Semifinal Quad City defeats Thunder Bay 4-2
Final Muskegon defeats Quad City 4-2
1999-2000 Quarterfinal Quad City defeats Mohawk Valley 4-1
Semifinal Quad City defeats Fort Wayne 4-1
Final Flint defeats Quad City 4-0
2000-01 Quarterfinal Quad City defeats Muskegon 3-1
Semifinal Quad City defeats Fort Wayne 3-0
Final Quad City defeats Asheville 4-1
2001-02 Quarterfinal Quad City defeats Flint 3-2
Semifinal Muskegon defeats Quad City 4-3
2002-03 Quarterfinal Quad City defeats Rockford 3-0
Semifinal Quad City defeats Muskegon 4-2
Final Fort Wayne defeats Quad City 4-1
2003-04 Quarterfinal Muskegon defeats Quad City 3-0
Duck Talk
Duck Talk will NOT be heard this week as the team travels to Muskegon for Game Seven.
Last Week's Games
Game One
The Mallards beat Muskegon 5-1 in the first game of the series. Goaltender Robert Gherson was spectacular in the opening period as he made four stellar saves (three to deny Jason Lawmaster with Muskegon on the power play and one vs. Brant Blackned at even strength). For the period, Gherson exchanged nine saves with Muskegon's Sylvain Daigle and the period went scoreless. In the second, the Mallards broke through Daigle's wall as Marty Standish scored off a goal-mouth scramble. Less than two minutes later, Frantisek Skladany deposited a turnover into the back of Daigle's net to give the Mallards a 2-0 lead. In the third, Muskegon's Billy Collins scored to cut the Mallards lead to a goal. Muskegon pushed furiously for the equalizer, but could pull no closer before Patrick Nadeau scored to give the Mallards a 3-1 lead. A.J. MacLean's first playoff goal and a Marty Standish power-play goal sealed the win at 5-1.
Game Two
In a hotly contested affair, the Mallards came up one goal short as Muskegon evened the series at one game apiece. The Fury opened the scoring on a power play just 3:07 into the first period. B.J. Gaustad recorded the marker to give the Fury a lead for the first time in the series. Quad City's Jamie Thompson tied the game on a power-play goal ten minutes after Gaustad's tally. The first period ended even at one. In the second, the teams again exchanged goals-this time at even strength. Billy Collins tallied for the second time in the series to give Muskegon a 2-1 lead at the 5:19 mark of the second. Mike Kompon answered 35 seconds later with his first playoff goal. In the third, Muskegon defenseman Kevin Haupt scored on the power play for what would prove to be the game-winning goal. With Muskegon ahead 3-2, the Mallards mounted a feverish comeback late in the third period. Justin Brown hit the crossbar on a 2-on-1 break, and Mike Kompon was robbed by Sylvain Daigle on a goal-mouth scramble to thwart the Mallards best scoring chances. The Fury survived the late scares to even the series at one game each.
Game Three
The Mallards overcame a 1-0 deficit to beat Muskegon 2-1 at The MARK on Tuesday night. After a scoreless first, Scott Hollis opened the scoring for the Fury at the 7:33 mark of the second. The Mallards answered three minutes later on Marty Standish's third goal of the post-season. With just 1:54 left in the second, Jason Deskins scored with the Mallards on a 4-on-3 power play. The goal was Deskins' first playoff marker of the year and the game winner. The third period went scoreless as the Mallards retook the series lead at two games to one. Mallards netminder Robert Gherson stopped 27 shots in the win.
Game Four
Quad City claimed a 3-1 lead through the first half of the game before falling to the Fury 6-3 at The MARK on Friday. The Mallards jumped on top early as Justin Brown scored his first career playoff goal just 67 seconds into the game. Muskegon's B.J. Gaustad evened the match with his second marker of the playoffs at 3:45 of the opening frame. The Mallards would reclaim the lead on a Jamie Thompson power-play goal with 6:47 gone in the first. The goal was Thompson's second tally of the post-season. In the second, the Mallards stretched their lead to 3-1 on a Patrick Nadeau goal. The Fury then staged a comeback that featured five unanswered goals. Billy Collins and Todd Robinson scored to even the game at three before the second intermission. In the third, Scott Hollis gave the Fury the lead with his second goal of the playoffs. Billy Collins added an insurance marker, his fourth goal of the post-season. Hollis scored into an empty net with 1:51 left to seal the Fury victory.
Game Five
The Mallards dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime after holding the lead throughout most of the contest following a Jamie Thompson goal in the first period. After Thompson's goal, the game went scoreless for the next 32:05. In the second, Robert Gherson made 11 saves in the Mallards net including several spectacular saves. The Fury tied the game early in the third on Rustyn Dolyny's first tally of the post-season. With 3:18 left in regulation, Colin Peters scored his first career playoff goal to give the Mallards a 2-1 lead. The Mallards could not hold the lead late in regulation as Muskegon's Jon Insana scored on a screened point shot to tie the game at two with 1:23 left. Just 1:49 into overtime, Muskegon's Colin Embley scored on a goal-mouth scramble to win the game for the Fury. With the victory, the Fury took a 3-2 lead in the series.
Game Six
The pesky Mallards supplied a gritty win on Sunday to force a Game Seven in their Quarterfinal Series vs. Muskegon. The 3-1 victory sets up a final match-up with the Fury on Tuesday at L.C. Walker Arena in Muskegon. In the first period, Patrick Nadeau recorded his third goal of the series to give the Mallards a 1-0 lead. Jamie Thompson and Troy Smith assisted on Nadeau's goal. With 39 seconds left in the opening period, Jeff Nelson scored the lone Muskegon goal of the night on a power play. In the second, Jason Deskins scored what would prove to be the game-winner on a Mallards power-play. Deskins' second goal of the series was assisted by Mike Kompon and Terry Hollinger. In the closing frame, Greg Barber scored his first goal of the post-season to set the final score at 3-1. Barber's tally was scored with the Mallards on a 5-on-3 power play and was assisted by Thompson and Hollinger. Mallards netminder Robert Gherson was spectacular again in earning his third win of the playoffs. Gherson turned aside 35 shots in the win.
Tickets on sale!
If the Mallards beat Muskegon on Tuesday, tickets for all Mallards playoff home games in the semifinal round vs. Fort Wayne will be available at The MARK box office or via phone at (563) 326-1111.
On The Air
Game Seven is on Fox Sports Radio AM 1230 beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The First Capital Financial Pre-Game Show begins at 6:05 p.m. After the game, stay tuned for the Allstate Insurance Del Newton/ Christy Cox post-game show.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from April 25, 2005
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- Fort Wayne's Troy Neumeier named UHL's Best Defenseman - IHL 2
- Trashers advance in playoffs - Danbury Trashers
- Mallards Force Game Seven - Quad City Mallards
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