MOLINE, Ill. – Rookie goaltender Christoffer Bengtsberg shined bright in his first start for the Evansville IceMen since November 15, leading the IceMen to a 3-2 victory over the Quad City Mallards Wednesday at the iWireless Center.
After killing the game’s first penalty, Evansville found the scoreboard when Jordan Sims fooled Mallards goalie Brody Hoffmanwith a backhander at 8:51 to give the IceMen a 1-0 lead. Bengtsberg made several key saves in the frame, including a big stop on aSam Warning breakaway.
The Mallards tied the game with 1:34 left in the period, when Olivier Archambault fed a pass to the front from behind the net andMiles Koules shot the one-timer through in through traffic. The IceMen outshot the Mallards 15-10 in the first 20 minutes of play.
Quad City took a 2-1 lead on a delayed IceMen penalty, when Kyle Follmer blasted a one-timer from the point for his first goal of the season at 1:52. Mike Duco snapped a quick shot under the crossbar 1:18 later to tie the game 2-2. It was Duco’s third goal in five games since joining the IceMen.
1:01 after Duco’s goal, Nathan Moon snuck a backhander behind Hoffman to put Evansville back in front. There were 33 combined shots in the second period and both goaltenders made several saves on Grade-A chances. Bengtsberg robbed Raphael Bussierestwice with his two best saves of the season that will end up on the highlight reel. Then Moon hit the post twice on an ensuing rush as the IceMen maintained their 3-2 lead entering the second intermission.
Bengtsberg and the IceMen kept the Mallards off the board in the final stanza to hang on to the 3-2 win. The Swedish goaltender stopped a career-high 34 shots, including several saves that will be replayed for quite some time. Hoffman made 38 stops in the loss.
Evansville hosts the Mallards Thursday on New Years Eve in the rematch at the Ford Center, Game time is set for 7:15pm. There will be postgame fireworks indoors after the game to celebrate the start of 2016.
The IceMen then host Missouri Saturday, January 2 at 7:15pm and Wichita Sunday, January 3 at 5:15pm to wrap up four games in five days.
With Evansville IceMen team release
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