Mallards Edge Bloomington 3-2 for Fifth Straight Win

Published on March 10, 2013 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. (March 10, 2013) - Mike Stinziani broke a 2-2 tie with eight and a half minutes left in the third period, Mickey Lang provided a goal and an assist and Neil Conway made 32 saves as the host Quad City Mallards extended their season-best winning streak to five straight games and moved into a seventh place tie by defeating the Bloomington Blaze 3-2 Sunday. With the win the Mallards, who are now deadlocked in the standings with the Arizona Sundogs, also climbed to a season high four games over .500 (28-24-6, 62 points) and opened up an eight point lead over ninth place Bloomington in the race for the final Central Hockey League playoff spots.

Stinziani scored what proved to be the game winning goal from the doorstep- off a feed from Shayne Toporowski- despite being toppled to the ice by a pair of checkers as he steered the puck past Blaze goaltender Ross MacKinnon (32 saves).

That the Mallards were able to protect the lead the rest of the way was due in good part to the efforts of Conway, who stopped all 12 shots he saw in the third period including- after the Blaze had pulled MacKinnon for an extra attacker- two point-blank bids by Jon Booras in the final minute.

The Mallards made their third period lead stick after failing to protect a second period advantage. Quad City bounced back from a 1-0 deficit to move in front for the first time with back-to-back power play goals early in the second. Lang buried a rebound to tie the game 53 seconds into the period; at 3:57 Matt Duffy made it 2-1 from point blank range. That lead lasted only until Matthew Larke evened the score at two from the right wing circle at 6:49 of the second.

The Blaze had produced the only goal of the first period while on the power play when Steve Makway drove the puck home from the left point at 12:23 of the opening frame.

The Mallards return to action Tuesday against the Blaze in Bloomington. The Mallards next take the ice at home Friday at 7:05 p.m. again against the Blaze. Friday is also a $1 Dog, $1 Beer College Night- hot dogs and beer will be available to all fans for just $1 at i wireless Center concession stands during that game. In addition, tickets to Friday's game are available for just $10 to college students with a valid student I.D.

Tickets for Friday's tilt- as well as seats for all remaining Mallards regular season home games- can be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by- phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000. The ticket office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 10, 2013


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