The Missouri Mavericks closed the 2016 portion of their schedule with a 3-2 win over the Quad City Mallards on Saturday night at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. The win sent a sellout crowd of 5,800 home happy and improved the Mavericks’ record to 12-15-5 on the season.
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Spurred on by the energy of the second consectuive home sellout crowd, the Mavericks registered the first six shots of the game, and nine of the first 11, to the delight of the Orange Army. The ninth shot nearly blew the roof off of the building as Reed Seckel buried a breakaway goal behind Quad City’s C.J. Motte for a 1-0 Mavericks lead.
A steal at center and headman pass by Kyle Schempp sent Seckel in all alone en route to his third goal of the season. In the post-goal celebration tempers flared and Jacob Doty picked up a roughing minor. The Mavericks killed off the penalty with just a single shot allowed and built their lead to two moments after coming back to full strength. Doty picked up a loose puck upon exiting the box, beat the Mallards defense wide and wristed his third goal of the season past Motte.
The Mavericks started the second period with the same spark as the first and generated three quality scoring chances on their first four shots. Motte made a handful of sharp saves, however, and allowed for the Mallards to pull within one. Sam Warning broke behind the Mavericks’ defense and slipped a backhander between Josh Robinson’s pads for his 10th goal of the season.
Rocco Carzo came into tonight’s game riding a two-game goal streak and kept that streak alive with a marker just before the second was 10 minutes old. Carzo took a wrist shot from along the goal line just as a penalty to Quad City’s Mike Monfredo expired. Motte made the initial save but Carzo poked the rebound home to restore Missouri’s two-goal lead. Dane Fox and Jesse Graham were credited with assists on Carzo’s tally.
The third period saw the Mavericks and Mallards battle through a scoreless 17:25 of play as the Mavericks battled to maintain their two-goal lead. Robinson stopped the first 10 shots he faced in the frame, but the Mallards went into desperation mode to chip away at the Mavericks’ advantage. Motte was pulled for the extra attacker with just over three minutes left in regulation and the gamble paid off when Michael Parks punched home a rebound with 2:35 to play. A few tense moments ensued when the Mallards kept Motte on the bench for a sixth skater, but the Mavericks’ defense held firm to secure the win.
Robinson earned his sixth win of the season with 32 saves on the night. The Mavericks ended the night 0-for-2 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
Mark your calendar! The Mavericks return home on Friday, Jan. 6 at 7:35 p.m. to face the Wichita Thunder in the “Visit Independence, Visit Wichita” Cup.
