Colorado to Face Missouri in Conference Semifinals, Dates TBD

MOLINE, Ill. – The Colorado Eagles defeated the Quad City Mallards, 3-2, in Game 4 of their best-of-five opening round series, claiming the series and advancing to the next round of the Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup playoffs. The Eagles will face the Missouri Mavericks in the best-of-five Turner Conference Semifinals (game dates TBD).

Colorado again out-shot the Mallards considerably in the opening frame (holding a 16-7 advantage), but it was Quad City that struck first. Just 1:27 in, Joel Gasper took a lead pass from Zac Pearson — taking advantage of a bad Eagles line change — and beat Andrew Penner. Then, at 15:11, Steve Haddon tied the game for Colorado by cleaning up a Kyle Peto rebound from the doorstep on the power play.

The Mallards pushed back with a stronger second period, but it was after one of their best surges that the Eagles took a 2-1 lead. At 4:46, Adam Chorneyko, Daymen Rycroft and Scott May skated 3-on-2 into the Mallards’ zone before May took a drop pass and beat David Brown from high in the right circle. And at 14:47, Kevin Ulanski made it 3-1 when he converted on a penalty shot with a backhand tally from the right side of the crease.

The Eagles withstood a strong final push from Quad City as the Mallards trimmed Colorado’s lead to 3-2 at 13:18 of the third period when Obi Aduba cleaned up a Brandon Marino rebound from the doorstep. But with Brown pulled for an extra attacker in the final minutes, Bob Preece was called for a penalty that put the Eagles on the power play for the last minute of the game and helped them secure the win.

The Eagles’ opponent in the Turner Conference Semifinals will be the Missouri Mavericks who defeated the Tulsa Oilers, three games to two.  Dates and ticket information is yet to be determined, and will be available at www.ColoradoEagles.com when it is confirmed.