Mallards Announce 2016-17 Schedule

April 28, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. - The Quad City Mallards today announced the team's 72-game schedule for the 2016-17 season- the Mallards' twentieth- which the Mallards will open on Friday night October 14 on home ice against the rival Fort Wayne Komets and during which the Mallards play 29 of their 36 home games on fan-friendly weekend dates.

The season opener is the first of 16 Friday night home games for the Mallards, who will also play eight Saturday night games on home ice and five Sunday afternoon tilts at the iWireless Center. Mallards Friday and Saturday evening home games will face off at 7:05 p.m. while Sunday home contests will start at 4:05 p.m. For the second year in a row, the Mallards' six Wednesday night home games will begin at 6:35 p.m. The Mallards will also play a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day matinee at 1:05 p.m. on Monday, January 16.

"We're pleased to be able to offer our fans a schedule with so many weekend dates and, in particular, so many home games on Fridays, which are typically our most successful nights," said Mallards executive vice president Bob Hoffman. "In addition, since our schedule is weighted strongly toward our nearest geographical rivals, we will be able build on some tremendous existing rivalries and also create some exciting new ones."

Among the fiercest of those existing rivalries is the one between the Mallards and Komets. The Mallards will face the Komets more often- 12 times- than they collide with any other foe. Home-and-home series with Fort Wayne will bookend the Mallards' season. After hosting the Komets to raise the curtain on the campaign, the Mallards will travel to Fort Wayne the following evening, Saturday, October 15, for a rematch with the Komets. The Mallards will finish the regular season by taking on the Komets at the iWireless Center on Friday, April 7 and then visiting Allen County War Memorial Coliseum one night later.

All-time, the Mallards have gone 50-49-11 in 110 meetings with Fort Wayne. The ECHL is the fourth different league in which the two teams have clashed since first meeting in 1999. They previously competed against each other in the United, International and Central Leagues.

In all, the Mallards will play their Midwest Division rivals- the Komets, Cincinnati Cyclones and Indy Fuel- a total of 31 times. The Mallards and Fuel will meet ten times; the Mallards and Cyclones will square off on nine occasions.

Another growing rivalry will reignite when the Mallards are presented with an early opportunity to gain a measure of revenge on the Missouri Mavericks after the Mavericks eliminated the Mallards from the Kelly Cup playoffs last week. On Wednesday, October 26 at the iWireless Center, the Mallards will play the first of ten games against Missouri.

The Mallards will play a total of 17 games against teams from the Central Division- the Mavericks, Wichita Thunder (four), and Tulsa Oilers (three). Like the Mallards, those three clubs moved to the ECHL from the Central Hockey League two years ago along with the Allen Americans- who the Mallards will not play this season- Brampton Beast and Rapid City Rush. The Mallards will head north of the border to play two games against the Beast Thursday, December 1- at the special morning start time of 10:00 a.m.- and Friday, December 2. Those two tilts will be the first between the clubs since April 1, 2015 and will mark the Mallards' first visit to Brampton since February 23, 2015. The Mallards will play the Rush three times and will make a single early season trip to Rapid City for a pair of contests Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22.

The Mallards will face Western Conference opponents 53 times and play 19 games against Eastern Conferences teams. The Mallards will clash the Kalamazoo Wings more often- eight times- than any other Eastern Conference opponent. The Mallards will meet a total of five Eastern Conference foes. They will play two games apiece against the Beast, Elmira Jackals and Toledo Walleye and will do battle with the Wheeling Nailers five times.

The fans of the Quad Cities next season will see both the Walleye and Jackals for the first time. The Walleye, against whom the Mallards' played a single road game this season, make their first ever visit to the iWireless Center on Veterans' Day- Friday, November 11- while the Jackals will take on the Flock for the first time ever (home or away) when they arrive in the Quad Cities on Saturday, February 11.

In all, the Mallards will face 13 of the ECHL's 27 teams. The Mallards will not play any games against teams from the South Division, meet only one representative of the East Division (Elmira) and duel with just two West Division clubs- in addition to their three games against the Rush, the Mallards will host the Alaska Aces in a pair of late-season contests.

The Mallards will be at their busiest while playing play 14 games in both January and March. They will play six times in October, 11 times in November, 12 times in December, 11 times in February and four times in April.

The Mallards will play three games in three nights on seven occasions: November 18 through November 20; December 1 through December 3; January 20 through January 22; January 27 through January 29; February 10 through February 12; February 24 through February 26; and March 17 through March 19.

Holidays will bring plenty of action for the Mallards, beginning with their Veterans' Day tussle with Toledo. The Mallards will play both the night before Thanksgiving- Wednesday, November 23 at Cincinnati- and the night after- Friday, November 25 at home against Indy. The Mallards will play their final game before the ECHL's Christmas break on Friday, December 23 at 7:05 p.m. on home ice against Tulsa. The Mallards will close out 2016 with a New Year's Eve date with the Mavericks in Missouri. The Mallards' Martin Luther King, Jr. Day matinee match-up is with the Oilers. The Mallards are also in action at home on St. Patrick's Day- Friday, March 17- against the Mavericks.

Mallards 2016-17 season tickets are now available. Season ticket holders enjoy significant savings of the walk-up ticket price and receive a host of exclusive benefits. For more season ticket information, fans can contact the Mallards at 309-277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com.

QUAD CITY MALLARDS 2016-17 SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time

Fri., Oct. 14 Fort Wayne 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 15 Fort Wayne 6:30 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 21 Rapid City 8:05 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 22 Rapid City 8:05 p.m.

Wed., Oct. 26 Missouri 6:35 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 29 Tulsa 7:05 p.m.

Thur., Nov. 3 Cincinnati 6:35 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 5 Indy 6:35 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 6 Cincinnati 4:05 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 11 Toledo 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 12 Kalamazoo 6:00 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 18 Fort Wayne 7:00 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 19 Wheeling 7:05 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 20 Wheeling 4:05 p.m.

Wed., Nov. 23 Cincinnati 6:35 p.m.

Fri., Nov. 25 Indy 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 26 Fort Wayne 6:30 p.m.

Thur., Dec. 1 Brampton 10:00 a.m.

Fri., Dec. 2 Brampton 6:15 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 3 Toledo 6:15 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 7 Kalamazoo 6:35 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 9 Cincinnati 6:35 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 10 Cincinnati 6:35 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 17 Indy 6:35 p.m.

Sun., Dec. 18 Kalamazoo 2:00 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 23 Tulsa 7:05 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 28 Indy 6:35 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 30 Missouri 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 31 Missouri 7:05 p.m.

Wed., Jan. 4 Fort Wayne 6:35 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 6 Cincinnati 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 7 Fort Wayne 6:30 p.m.

Wed., Jan. 11 Cincinnati 6:35 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 13 Indy 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 14 Fort Wayne 7:05 p.m.

Mon., Jan. 16 Tulsa 1:05 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 20 Missouri 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 21 Missouri 7:05 p.m.

Sun., Jan. 22 Missouri 4:05 p.m.

Fri., Jan. 27 Wheeling 6:35 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 28 Indy 6:35 p.m.

Sun., Jan. 29 Indy 2:05p.m.

Tue., Jan. 31 Missouri 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 4 Rapid City 7:05 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 10 Kalamazoo 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 11 Elmira 7:05 p.m.

Sun., Feb. 12 Elmira 4:05 p.m.

Tue., Feb. 15 Cincinnati 6:35 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 17 Cincinnati 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 18 Missouri 7:05 p.m.

Wed., Feb. 22 Fort Wayne 6:30 p.m.

Fri., Feb. 24 Kalamazoo 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 25 Kalamazoo 6:00 p.m.

Sun., Feb. 26 Wichita 4:05 p.m.

Wed., Mar. 1 Kalamazoo 6:35 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 3 Fort Wayne 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 4 Indy 7:05 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 10 Wheeling 6:35 p.m.

Sat., Mar 11 Wheeling 6:05 p.m.

Wed., Mar. 15 Kalamazoo 6:35 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 17 Missouri 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Mar. 18 Missouri 7:05 p.m.

Sun., Mar. 19 Indy 2:05 p.m.

03/22/16 Wichita 7:05 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 24 Fort Wayne 7:05 p.m.

Sun., Mar. 26 Wichita 4:05 p.m.

Tue., Mar. 28 Wichita 7:05 p.m.

Fri., Mar. 31 Alaska 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Apr. 1 Alaska 7:05 p.m.

Tue., Apr. 4 Indy 6:05 p.m.

Fri., Apr. 7 Fort Wayne 7:05 p.m.

Sat., Apr. 8 Fort Wayne 6:30 p.m.



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