Eagles fly past Mallards to advance

MOLINE, Ill. – Despite playing another strong game, the Quad City Mallards were unable to even up the series with the Colorado Eagles on Wednesday night.
The Mallards were eliminated from the playoffs via a 3-2 loss in game four of the Central Hockey League’s Turner Conference quarterfinals.
Scoring the first goal of the game is usually considered a harbinger of good fortune in a hockey game, but not in this series between Colorado and Quad City. In three of the four contests, the first team to score has gone on to lose the game.
In game one, Colorado scored the first three goals before a hungry Mallards squad battled back to take the game to overtime and defeat the Eagles 4-3.
Game two saw the Mallards score the first two goals and yet go on to lose by a score of 5-4 in another overtime thriller.

The only exception was game three, where the only two goals scored were scored by the Eagles.
True to form on Wednesday night, in what turned out to be the series’ deciding game, a poorly executed line change at 1:27 of the first period allowed Joel Gasper of the Mallards a nearly uncontested shot to record the first goal of the game.
Eagles winger Steve Haddon tied the game on a power play goal at 15:11 in the same period to open the Eagles’ scoring.
Scott May put the Eagles ahead by a goal at 4:46 of the middle frame and Kevin Ulanski was awarded a penalty shot after he was dragged down on a clear breakaway chance at 14:47, resulting in Ulanski notching his first goal of the playoffs and giving the visitors from Colorado all the goals they would need to clinch their come-from-behind victory.
A late third period goal by Obi Aduba gave the Mallards renewed hope, but an ill-timed boarding penalty against Quad City took away the extra attacker. The Eagles were able to control the puck on the power play to run out the clock and secure the win.
Kevin Ulanski’s penalty shot goal, which turned out to be the game winner, earned him the first star of the game while Andrew Penner had another stellar game in goal for the Eagles, receiving the second star. The third star of the game was awarded to Gasper who was involved in both Mallards tallies -he scored the first goal and assisted on Aduba’s goal.
With the victory, the Colorado Eagles move on to the semi-final playoff round against the Missouri Mavericks. The starting date for that series is expected to be announced on Thusday.
Contact the author/photographer at terry.sanford@prohockeynews.com