CHL Kansas City Mavericks

Mavericks Complete Sweep Over Colorado in 4-3 Win

Published on December 18, 2010 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Kansas City Mavericks News Release


LOVELAND, Colo. - The Missouri Mavericks completed a weekend sweep over the Colorado Eagles with a 4-3 win Saturday night at Budweiser Events Center. Mavericks' forward Nick Sirota had a shorthanded goal and two assists and Ryan Jardine unlocked a 3-3 tie with the game-winning goal in the third period as the Mavericks improved to 13-7-3 on the season. Missouri jumped over the Eagles in the Turner Conference standings and sit in second place behind the Rapid City Rush. The Mavericks will return home for a pair of games this week on Tuesday and Thursday nights at Independence Events Center.

"It's an eight-game series against the Eagles this year and we evened out the series with these two wins," said Mavericks' Head Coach Scott Hillman. "Now we have three games left in each building this season. It was a big weekend and our five-on-five play was solid. Another total team effort in both games; all 19 guys contributed."

For the second straight night, the Mavericks jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Nathan O'Nabigon scored his first goal of the season. O'Nabigon took a centering pass from Sirota and redirected the puck past Eagles' goaltender Kyle Jones. The goal came at the 8:18 mark of the period, but the Eagles answered near the end of the period with a power play goal. Kyle Peto's slap shot beat Mavericks' goaltender Robby Nolan at the 17:52 mark to tie the game at one as the teams headed to the first intermission.

Missouri tallied a pair of shorthanded goals for just the second time in team history. The goals were less than one minute apart in the same penalty kill in the first 3:16 of the second period. First, Sirota took a pass from Simon Watson and lifted a wrist shot from a sharp angle over the shoulder of Jones to give Missouri a 2-1 lead. Then Sirota fed Mike Berry on a two-on-one break and Berry netted the puck into the open net to give the Mavericks a two-goal lead. The last time the Mavericks scored two shorthanded goals in a game was January 9, 2010 against the Arizona Sundogs.

Colorado again answered to tie the game before the end of the second period. Dylan Stanley scored at the 11:17 mark when he tapped in a pass from Mike Sgroi from the doorstep. A.J. Hau scored his first professional goal less than a minute later to tie the game, 3-3, with just under eight minutes to play in the period.

The teams entered the third period tied, and neither defense budged as both Colorado and Missouri each had only one shot through the first five minutes. Mavericks' forward Ryan Jardine proved to be the hero on his goal at the 13:21 mark. Jardine looked as though he banked the puck off the back side of Jones to give the Mavericks a 4-3 lead with under seven minutes remaining in the game.

The Eagles didn't lay down and with just over two minutes remaining, the puck trickled past Nolan but Toby Lafrance dove and cleared the puck just before it crossed the goal line. Missouri weathered the final 1:20 of the game with the Eagles' goaltender pulled to preserve the win and sweep the Eagles.

The Mavericks again were scoreless on the power play (0-4) for the fifth straight game, but the Mavericks scored two shorthanded goals. Colorado was 1-for-5 on the power play and outshot the Mavericks 32-22 in the game. The win marked the fourth straight win over Colorado dating back to last season.

Missouri will return home next week for two games on the December 21 and 23 against Evansville and Quad City respectively. Tuesday night is Carlyle Lewis bobble fists night and Thursday is the annual Teddy Bear Toss. Tickets are still available at the Independence Events Center Box Office, by calling (800) 745-3000 or visiting www.TicketMaster.com . Visit www.MissouriMavericks.com for more information.

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Central Hockey League Stories from December 18, 2010


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