MOLINE, IL – Kevin Carr made 36 saves as the Alaska Aces scored early, then fought off a late rally in a 4-3 victory over the Quad City Mallards Friday night at the iWireless Center in Moline.
The win kept Alaska in fourth place in the ECHL Mountain Division, one point ahead of Utah and four ahead of Missouri. The Grizzlies beat Rapid City Friday 5-2 while the Mavericks had the night off.
It was a great start for the Aces in the first period as the Glacier Blue found the back of the net twice. Peter Sivak blasted a shot at 8:22 from the left circle that Mallards goaltender Adam Vay got most of, but not enough of. It leaked through him and into the net for Sivak’s 35th goal of the season. Assists on the goal went to Tyler Shattock and Matt Geurts.
Then at 15:54, Danny Moynihan zipped a wrister through a crowd from the lower right circle for his 22nd goal of the season and a 2-0 Aces lead. Helpers on the tally went to Pavel Laplante and Chase Van Allen.
Alaska outshot Quad City 14-9 in the first period.
Mackenze Stewart gave Alaska a 3-0 lead at 4:53 of the second period with a blast from between the left circle and blueline. The shot hit the tip of Vay’s glove and went in for Stewart’s sixth goal of the season. Shattock and Sivak assisting.
Quad City pushed back at 18:26 with Michael Parks popping in his 28th goal of the season on assists from Chris Francis and Nolan Laporte making it 3-1 Alaska.
Shots after two favored Quad City by a count of 26 to 22.
In the third period at 2:30, Brad Navin snapped a shot under the crossbar and off the center pipe for his 10th goal of the season and a 4-1 Aces lead. Ben Lake got the single assist on what would prove to be the game-winning goal.
Quad City would get goals from Kevin Gibson at 4:33 and Jack Nevins at 7:29 but a late goaltender interference penalty on Sam Warning would hamper the Mallards comeback.
Final shots favored Quad City 39-29. Both the Aces and Mallards went 0-4 on the power play.
The Mallards and Aces will play again Saturday at 4:05pm ADT at the iWireless Center in Moline.
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