Eight Is The Magic Number For Fayetteville After Trip To The Quad Cities

Fayetteville’s points streak was extended to eight games this weekend. Marksmen Captain Connor Fries led Fayetteville to the Quad Cities and came back with an extension of the SPHL’s longest point streak of the season

The Marksmen kicked off game one of the two game set against the Storm. It took Connor Fries just 23 seconds to take a pass from Brendon Michaelian to back of the net. Just as quickly as the scoring for both teams came, it left. Ten minutes after the opening salvo for Fayetteville as Tyler Kobryn netted the 2nd Marksmen goal at 10:24 in the first. Not to be outdone, the Storm struck back with two of their own within 86 seconds of each other.

Before the first period was over, Fayetteville would belt in two more including Anthony Yurkins’s (1) first professional goal. Not willing to let the first frame go into the books quietly Cam “Sure Can” Cook made the most of a busted play in the Quad City zone and made things 4-2 for the Marksmen

In the 2nd, the Marksmen gave up the first powerplay goal allowed since October 27 against Macon when the penalty kill went 6/7 (a span of over four games). Grant “Mc”Loven shot one off a Quad City defenseman to make things 5-3 with under 3 minutes left. It was Loven again a sixty-three seconds later. With help from Michaelian and a rebound off a Tyler Kobryn shot, Loven bounced one in to make things 6-3.

In the 3rd, the Marksmen and Storm traded goals within 26 seconds of each other to make a 6-5 game. Max “Bang Bang Maxwell’s Silver” Johnson would hammer home the game winner for Fayetteville as he trailed a offensive zone attack by Fayetteville.

Even with the high scoring game Marksmen goalie Conor O’Brien finished the game with 41 saves, including 17 in the third period and the Marksmen held on to the 7-6 decision to win their sixth straight game.

Before the Marksmen could extend their point streak to eight games, they had to face a Quad City team that would likely want revenge for the 7-6 loss the night before. And it was revenge they got.

While it wasn’t a repeat of the night before (scoring within the opening minute) The Storm jumped out to a 1-0 lead just two minutes and 9 seconds into the game. Not deterred, Anthony Yurkins scored his second of the weekend off the back boards to tie things up 1-1.

Max Johnson nailed his second goal and that was how the second frame ended. The Marksmen would carry the 2-1 lead all the way through into the third period, despite being outshot 23-16.

Ryan Kenny turned aside 21 shots though the Storm would get one to knot things up before the end of regulation.

Although Fayetteville held possession for much of overtime, Quad City capitalize on a delayed penalty to score its game-winning goal with under 10 seconds remaining in the extra frame.

Ryan Kenny would save 46 shots in his third start of the season.

Even with the loss, the Marksmen make the magic number eight as they take their streak home to face the Knoxville Ice Bears at Crown Coliseum in a 10:00 am “School Day” game on Wednesday