With just three games remaining in their regular season the Rum River Mallards seem to be peaking at the right moment. The team won their fourth game in-a-row on Friday night against the host Rochester Vipers 8-2.

Rum River scores a pair in the opening frame, but a last minute Vipers goal made it 2-1 at first intermission. CJ Hoyt and Akhmed Malsagov were the goal scorers.

Malsagov opened scoring in the second at 7:07 before Matthew Kochanowski and Sam Voss increased the Mallards lead to 5-1. Malsagov would complete the hat trick in the third with Scott Moyer and Peter Meyer also scoring.

“We had a slow start, but really picked it up in the second and third,” said head coach Triston Jensen. “It was great to see some of our role guys step up and bring a new energy to the bench.”

Goaltender Jason Cooke stopped 44 of 46 shots to earn the win. Caleb Harris took the loss for Rochester with 44 saves.

Rum River (24-16-1) remain one point back of fourth place Minnesota Blue Ox (23-14-4) who also won tonight 3-2 over Hudson Havoc.

The Mallards head home to Isanti with two games against the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings (28-10-2) this weekend. They will close out the USPHL season in Rochester on February 21.

“At the end of the day a win is a win and we will take it as we prepare for some tough opponents down the stretch.”