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Mallards Sign Pair; Defenseman Kubaliak, Winger Biduke Join Flock

September 6, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. (September 6, 2011) - The Quad City Mallards of the "AA" Central Hockey League today announced they have signed defenseman Martin Kubaliak and left wing Jesse Biduke. Per team policy, no contract terms were announced.

Kubaliak, 26, scored once and totaled 14 points while picking up 111 penalty minutes in 50 games with the Southern Professional Hockey League's Knoxville Ice Bears last season. The 6' 3", 230-pound native of Zvolen, Slovakia, also played five games in the CHL with the Mississippi RiverKings last year.

"Martin is a huge body and has some experience at this level," said Mallards head coach and general manager David Bell. "He plays the game with an edge and makes the opposition pay the price in the corners and in front of the net."

In 303 career games- the majority of which have been played in the SPHL- Kubaliak has scored 21 goals and produced 94 points while piling up 589 penalty minutes. He has topped 100 penalty minutes each of the last two seasons and in four of the last five campaigns.

After spending his first professional season close to home with HKM Zvolen in 2005-06, Kubaliak has played in North America for the last five seasons. He saw his first stateside action in 2006-07 when he suited up for the SPHL's Huntsville Havoc. The following season he got his first taste of the CHL- seeing action with the RiverKings, Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder- and also played for the ECHL's Bakersfield Condors. Kubaliak took the ice for the Havoc for the bulk of the 2008-09 and 2009-10 campaigns with time out for a brief ECHL stint with the Stockton Thunder.

Kubaliak first plied his trade on this side of the Atlantic when he wore the colors of the (major junior) Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers in 2002-03 and 2003-04.

Biduke, 23, returns to the ice for what will be his second pro season after being sidelined all of last year due to a hernia. In 2009-10, the 6' 1", 210-pound Biduke was named SPHL Rookie of the Year after scoring 26 goals and recording 58 points in 51 games with the Fayetteville FireAntz. The Whitby, Ontario, native turned pro after completing a five-year tour of the junior ranks in Ontario and Quebec by playing for both the Quebec Major Junior League's Moncton Wildcats and the Ontario Junior (A) League's Lindsay Muskies in 2008-09.

"Jesse knows he has something to prove after missing a full season," said Bell. "He made a quick transition to pro hockey after being named SPHL Rookie of the Year two years ago, so I'm hopeful he can make that transition again to the CHL."

Kubaliak and Biduke join Obi Aduba, Jared Brown, Justin Chwedoruk, Brad Fogal, Eric Giosa, Joel Gasper, Jason Kostadine, Karl Linden, Brandon Marino, David McKee, Darren McMillan, Bobby Preece, Tyler Sheldrake, John Snowden and Quinn Waller to bring the number of signings announced by the Mallards for the 2011-12 season to 17.

The 2011-12 Mallards will see their first game action when they take the ice at the i wireless Center along with the Bloomington Blaze, Evansville IceMen and Missouri Mavericks for the Icebreaker on Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16. The Mallards will open their second CHL regular season on home ice on Saturday night, October 22 at 7:05 p.m. against the Rapid City Rush. The Flock's 2011-12 schedule features 33 home games, including 25 weekend dates. 2011-12 season tickets are now on sale- season ticket holders receive significant savings and a host of exclusive benefits. Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or tickets@myqcmallards.com for more season ticket information.

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