Boyer, Mallards Topple Evansville 5-2

Published on March 3, 2012 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. - Jeremy Boyer's natural hat trick propelled the undermanned Quad City Mallards to a 5-2 home win over the Evansville IceMen Saturday night. With the win, the fifth place Mallards- who dressed just thirteen skaters due to injuries- improved to 31-22-2 (64 points) and pulled within two points of fourth place Rapid City in the race for the final Turner Conference playoff spot.

"That was, in the true sense of the word, a team win," said Mallards coach and general manager David Bell. "I just kept throwing guys over the wall and they just kept doing the job. It was awesome- it didn't matter who went over the wall, they all did the job."

Boyer scored the first three goals of the night. He tipped in Justin Hofstetter's drive to give Quad City a 1-0 lead at 11:55 of the first period and then struck twice in 27 seconds early in the second period to stretch the gap to 3-0 and chase Evansville starting goaltender Pier-Olivier Pelletier from the game. Boyer redirected a Darren McMillan shot home at 4:20 of the second before bringing hats flying out of the i wireless Center stands by snapping a wrist shot past Pelletier from the high slot less than half a minute later.

The Mallards were on the power play when Matt Duffy extended the Quad City lead to 4-0 at 10:59 of the second. Duffy finished off a 3-on-1 rush by one timing Mickey Lang's cross-ice pass past Evansville relief netminder Bryan Gillis. The assist was Lang's third of the game.

The IceMen battled back into the game with a pair of second period goals of their own. With Evansville up a man, Todd Robinson buried the puck in goalmouth scramble to get the IceMen on the scoreboard for the first time at 12:52. At 16:24, Brian Bicek's rebound goal cut the gap to 4-2.

Brandon Marino would respond for the Mallards just 23 seconds into the third period. Marino scored his league-leading thirty-sixth goal and his CHL-topping twelfth power play goal from the side of the net to extend the Quad City advantage to 5-2 and stall Evansville comeback hopes. Mallard goaltender David McKee, who finished with 27 saves, would muzzle the IceMen the rest of the way.

The Mallards return to action next Tuesday night in Allen against the Americans before next playing at home next Saturday evening, March 10 at 7:05 p.m. against the Tulsa Oilers. The Mallards will welcome area church and youth groups to the i wireless Center for Faith Night next Saturday evening.

Single game tickets for all Mallards regular season home contests- including next Saturday night's game- are now available. Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or tickets@myqcmallards.com for more information about tickets.

Single game tickets are also available at the i wireless Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free. The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period. Individual game tickets are available for $12 in the upper level and $17 in the lower level and $25 for the first row along the glass for adults. Tickets for kids 12 and under are available for $5 off adult rates. In addition, tickets are available to military personnel for $2 off the regular adult rate.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2012


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