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Penner Gets Shutout as Eagles Take Series Lead

MOLINE, Ill. – The Colorado Eagles defeated the Quad City Mallards, 2-0, in Game 3 of their Turner Conference opening round series, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five match-up. Andrew Penner recorded the ninth playoff shutout in franchise history, stopping 28 shots in a goaltending duel against David Brown.

The Eagles out-shot the Mallards 12-7 in the first period, but neither team was able to get on the scoreboard. Colorado hit a crossbar and a post, while Quad City had its own fair share of good chances.

Colorado dominated the first half of the second stanza on the way to out-shooting the Mallards 18-9 in the period. But still, the Eagles couldn’t get a puck past Brown and hit another post early on. Penner was just as strong at the other end of the ice, denying several chances later in the frame, keeping Quad City off the scoreboard through a second 20 minutes of play.

The Mallards came out strong to start the third period (in which they out-shooting Colorado 12-8), but Penner answered with his best period of the night. As the time clicked off the clock, the game appeared destined to go to overtime — just like the first two games of the series — deadlocked at 0.

But with just 3:21 left, Dan Sullivan poked home a Scott May rebound from the right side of the crease to break the stalemate, and Riley Nelson added his fourth goal of the playoffs into an empty net with 16 seconds left to put the win on ice.

The two teams will meet Wednesday night in Game 4. If the Mallards win, Game 5 will be played at the Budweiser Events Center Saturday, April 9.