Mallards Eliminated from Playoff Contention

March 23, 2012 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. - The Quad City Mallards were eliminated from playoff contention Friday night when the Missouri Mavericks defeated the Bloomington Blaze to clinch the fourth and final Turner Conference playoff berth while the Mallards fell to the host Evansville IceMen 2-1. Pier-Olivier Pelletier made 39 saves and Mark Cody and Matt Pierce both scored first period goals to propel the IceMen past the Mallards, who had already been squeezed out of the postseason picture by the Mavericks by the time the game in Evansville ended. The fifth place Mallards drop to 36-27-2 (74 points) and fall six points behind the fourth place Mavericks with just one game remaining for Quad City.

Cody's tip-in gave Evansville a 1-0 lead at 4:55 of the first. Pierce doubled the lead from the doorstep at 10:12. The Mallards rebounded to get on the scoreboard when Mickey Lang walked into the goalmouth alone to backhand the puck home at 17:03 of the opening frame, but the Mallards were unable to produce an equalizer despite outshooting the IceMen 30-12 over the final two periods and 40-23 on the night.

Brandon Marino (40-49-89) saw his 13-game point scoring streak (11-11-22) come to an end Friday night. Marino, who leads the Central Hockey League in goals, remains one point behind Evansville's Todd Robinson (23-67-90)- who likewise finished the evening pointless- in the league point-scoring race. Marino is one point away from becoming the first Mallard to reach the 90-point plateau since 2004-05.

The Mallards return home to close out the regular season tomorrow evening at 7:05 p.m. against the Bloomington Blaze. The first 1,000 fans through the doors for tomorrow's game will receive free 2011-12 Mallards player card sets. An auction of game-worn Mallards jerseys will immediately follow tomorrow evening's game.

Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or tickets@myqcmallards.com for more information about tickets for tomorrow night's 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 $13 in the upper level and $18 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.



Central Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2012


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