Mavs Open Postseason With 3-2 Win Over Evansville

The Missouri Mavericks took a 1-0 series lead with a 3-2 victory over the Evansville IceMen in Game One of the Turner Conference Opening Round Wednesday night at Independence Events Center. Ed McGrane totaled two points in the victory with a goal and an assist, Ryan Jardine assisted on two goals and Charlie Effinger made 35 saves in the game, stopping all 16 shots by the IceMen in the third period alone. The Mavs now travel to Indiana for games two and three on Friday and Saturday at Ford Center in downtown Evansville with a 1-0 series lead. The Mavericks will return home for game four of the series next Monday.
Ed McGrane scored the first goal of the 2012 CHL postseason and the first goal of the series eight and a half minutes into regulation. Ryan Jardine and Tristin Llewellyn assisted on the goal. Evansville tied the game three minutes later with a goal from Matt Pierce. Missouri took the lead late in the period when David Pszenyczny took a nice pass from Ed McGrane in the slot and buried it to give the Mavs a 2-1 lead. McGrane and Jardine collected their second points of the game with assists on the goal. Evansville outshot the Mavericks 12-10 in the first period.
Brandon Smith doubled the Mavs lead to two goals on a wrist shot from the left-side hashmarks 5:51 into the second period, beating Evansville goaltender Pier-Olivier Pelletier high on the blocker side. Sebastien Thinel got his name on the scoresheet with an assist on the goal. Evansville drew closer with a goal in the waning moments of the second period on a breakaway goal by Todd Robinson. The Mavs dominated the shot margin in the period, outshooting Evansville 16-9.
The Mavs held off the IceMen in the third period for the win and will take a 1-0 lead into game two Friday night in Evansville. Charlie Effinger stole the show in the third period, stopping all 16 shots by the IceMen in the final 20 minutes of regulation.
The Mavericks now travel to Evansville, Indiana for games two and three of the series before returning home next Monday for game four at Independence Events Center. Tickets for game four are on sale now through MissouriMavericks.com and Ticketmaster.com. All playoff games will be broadcast on MissouriMavericks.com and the Mavericks iOS/Android mobile application.
Single-game tickets for all home playoff games are now on sale. All playoff tickets will be refunded in the event the Mavericks do not play a game in which tickets are purchased.