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Francis Returns to Mallards

November 29, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. - The Quad City Mallards have signed forward Chris Francis to a standard player contract and forward Michael Pontarelli has been released by the Mallards, the team announced today.

Francis, who last season finished tied for the team lead in points while serving as the Mallards' captain, has recuperated from an upper body injury suffered during the offseason to rejoin the club. The 28-year old Las Vegas native set a career high by scoring 27 goals in 63 games last year and added 33 assists to total 60 points.

"Chris has worked extremely hard to overcome this injury so we couldn't be happier for him to have reached the point where he's ready to put on the Mallard jersey again," said Mallards coach Phil Axtell. "Obviously, he played a key role for us last season and we're looking forward to him making an impact once he's back in our lineup."

Francis last season also recorded his three hundredth career point and scored his one hundredth ECHL goal. The 5-foot-9, 189-pound Francis has scored 120 times and notched 180 assists in 441 games over seven professional seasons.

Francis returned to North America with the Mallards last season after spending 2015-16 with Alba Volan Szekesfehervar, a Hungarian club that competes in the predominantly Austrian Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. He scored 12 goals and picked up 17 assists for 29 points in 50 games with Szekesfehervar.

The Mallards are Francis's third ECHL club. He skated for the Alaska Aces in 2014-15 after playing in his hometown with the Las Vegas Wranglers for the prior three and a half seasons. Francis, who helped Las Vegas to a berth in the 2012 Kelly Cup finals, first joined the Wranglers as a rookie in 2010-11 having also spent parts of his first pro campaign with the Fort Wayne Komets- who were then in the Central Hockey League- and the American Hockey League's Springfield Falcons.

Francis turned pro after four Western Hockey League seasons with the Portland Winterhawks, for whom he produced 66 goals, 123 assists and 189 points in 279 career junior games.

Pontarelli played nine games for the Mallards this season without recording a point. The 23-year old Laval, Quebec native broke into the pro ranks in April by playing five games for the Norfolk Admirals immediately after completing his senior season at Union College.

The Mallards return to action Friday night against the Indy Fuel in Indianapolis. The Mallards next play at home Wednesday night, December 20 at 6:35 p.m. against the Fort Wayne Komets. Fans can enjoy $1 10-ounce beers from TaxSlayer Center concession stands during all Mallards Wednesday home games this season.

Tickets for the December 20 contest and all Mallards regular season home games are now on sale at the TaxSlayer Center box office, Ticketmaster toll free charge-by-phone (1-800-745-3000 ) and ticketmaster.com . The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.



ECHL Stories from November 29, 2017


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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