Lee crashed the net to break a 3-3 deadlock and put the Mallards on top for good at 4:04 of the third. Lee buried the winner just two minutes and four seconds after Mike Ramsey had evened the score for the Mavericks with a wrist shot from the right wing circle. At 7:23 of the third Matt Boyd's wraparound goal provided vital insurance for the Mallards.
The Mallards, who never trailed, got an early jump on the Mavericks by outscoring Missouri 2-1 over a wild two minute and thirty-four second stretch of the first period. Justin Fox's point blank power play goal gave the Mallards a 1-0 lead at 7:39 of the first. One minute and five seconds later, Mike Stinziani's shorthanded wraparound doubled the margin. The Mavericks got on the scoreboard for the first time when Andrew Courtney swept the puck in from the doorstep at the 10:13 mark.
The second period brought more rapid fire scoring. Thomas Frazee's one timer from the slot gave the Mallards a two-goal cushion at 14:52 but the Mavs' Obi Aduba narrowed the gap to 3-2 from the high slot just 14 seconds later.
The Mallards welcomed a total 11,020 fans to their final two regular season home games and have drawn throngs of better than 5,000 to the iWireless Center six times since January.
The Mallards head to Rapid City Friday and Saturday for games one and two of their best-of-seven opening round playoff series against the Rush. The Mallards return home for game three on Wednesday, April 9 at 7:05 p.m. and game four on Friday, April 11 at 7:05 p.m. If a fifth game is necessary, it will be played on Saturday night April 12 at 7:05 p.m. at the iWireless Center. Should a sixth game be required, the series will shift back to Rapid City on Tuesday, April 15. If the series goes to a seventh game, the Rush would host the deciding contest on Wednesday, April 16.
Tickets for Mallards home playoff games can be purchased in person at the iWireless Center box office, online at ticketmaster.com, at Ticketmaster outlets or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000. The ticket office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.
