Mavericks Dominant in 5-2 Win Over Blaze

The Missouri Mavericks (29-21-5) ended a three-game winless streak in a 5-2 win over the Bloomington Blaze Tuesday night at Independence Events Center.  Missouri controlled from the drop of the puck as the home team took a 2-0 lead less than two minutes into the game and never looked back.  Mavericks’ forward Kenton Miller had a pair of goals and Ryan Jardine had a goal and two assists as Missouri improved to 7-2-0 against Bloomington this season.  The Mavericks stay home for a game Friday night against Quad City Mallards at Independence Events Center.
Miller got the Mavericks on the board just 1:43 into the opening period when he took a feed from Sebastien Thinel and beat Blaze goaltender Ross MacKinnon.  Just 13 seconds later, Riley Emmerson scored his fifth goal of the season on an assist from Jardine and the Mavericks had a two-goal lead less than two minutes into the game.  Missouri made it 3-0 late in the first period on Jardine’s 10th goal of the season.
The Mavericks dominated the second period and outshot the Blaze 18-7.  Kellan Tochkin’s power play goal at 16:42 made it 4-0 Mavericks before the Blaze finally got on the board when Brett Lutes tapped in the puck at 18:51.
The teams traded goals in the third period.  Miller scored his second goal of the game for the Mavericks on a pinpoint shot from the right circle on assists from Thinel and Tochkin.  Sean O’Connor scored just 20 seconds later for the Blaze to finalize the scoring at 5-2.
Missouri was 1-for-5 on the power play while the Blaze finished 0-for-6.  Mavs’ goaltender Mike Clemente made 27 saves on 29 shots in his league-leading 22nd win of the season.
The Mavericks stay home for a game Friday night against Quad City Mallards at Independence Events Center.