Connect with us

Calgary Flames

Mavericks: Within Reach!

KC Inches Closer To Playoff Berth After 9-Game Road Trip

Published

on

When we last checked in with the Flames’ ECHL affiliate, they were on the outside looking in on the Western Conference playoff race. As we take a look this week, they still are out but the Mavs have made up some ground. Kansas City now sits two points out of the fourth and final playoff spot with an exact .500 record on the year to date. They’ re also .500 in their last ten games, which is pretty reasonable considering the tough schedule that it’s been. KC’s recent run has included a stretch of ten games in seventeen nights, including two separate stretches of three games in three nights, and a whopping season-high nine game road trip. Despite getting swept by the powerhouse Americans in four games, the Mavs took three in a row against Tulsa and two-of-three against Utah (including the late third period finish seen below), who are teams they’re directly chasing.

GAME BY GAME:

APR 2nd- KC Mavericks 4 vs Tulsa Oilers 3 –WIN

APR 3rd- KC Mavericks 5 @ Tulsa Oilers 0 –WIN

APR 4th- KC Mavericks 7 @ Tulsa Oilers 1 –WIN

APR 7th- KC Mavericks 2 @ Allen Americans 3 –LOSS

APR 9th- KC Mavericks 3 @ Allen Americans 4 –LOSS

APR 10th- KC Mavericks 3 @ Allen Americans 5 –LOSS

APR 11th- KC Mavericks 3 @ Allen Americans 4 –LOSS

APR 14th- KC Mavericks 5 @ Utah Grizzlies 4 –WIN (OT)

APR 16th- KC Mavericks 2 @ Utah Grizzlies 1 –WIN

APR 17th- KC Mavericks 1 @ Utah Grizzlies 4 –LOSS

THE SQUAD:

Seen with the OT winner above, Mavs’ star forward Brodie Reid has been heavy in the chase for the ECHL scoring title this year! Brodie was named ECHL Player of the Month for January to start the year, and has spent most of his time since leading the points race. He has only recently relinquished the top spot to Wichita’s Anthony Beauregard. Although the Thunder forward now sits with a comfortable sole possession of the lead league, Reid is still in the ECHL top five and has games in hand on everybody ahead of him. In other team scoring notes, Darik Angeli notched a hat trick in the 7-1 win over Tulsa, moving him to 12th in league scoring with 38 points.

In the blue paint, University of Calgary product Matt Greenfield went 3-0 in the three games in three nights against the Tulsa Oilers. After stopping 13 in relief and earning a victory in game one, then posting a 41 save shutout in a 5-0 win, he got the nod again the next night to only allow one goal on thirty one shots in a 7-1 win. It was a stretch good enough to earn him ECHL Goaltender of the Week honours for his second time on the year. Greenfield has roared back into the Mavs’ goalie conversation, with eight games played in the last couple weeks as opposed to Matt Ginn’s three. Ginn was carrying the netminder duties since he was acquired in a trade with Greenville on February 12th, previously sitting first overall in league GAA and SV%. Both keepers are sitting on nearly identical numbers now as the crease competition has been heating up!

UP NEXT:

After that grueling road trip, it’ll be some Home Sweet Home cooking for Kansas City as they return to Cable Dahmer Arena to host the conference leading Wichita Thunder for a three game set. If they can manage to tread water against the Thunder, it’ll set them up for a huge three game set on the road against Rapid City. The Rush are holding down the final playoff spot in the conference, and the Mavs only need to make up two points to catch them. Check back in with Matchsticks & Gasoline to follow the Mavericks on their playoff push!

by MilhouseFirehouse