Mallards Fall In Shootout In Port Huron, Earn One Point

December 29, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Quad City Mallards News Release


Port Huron, Mich. (December 29, 2009) - The Quad City Mallards, proud International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday night fell to the host Port Huron Icehawks 5-4 in a shootout as Brandon Naurato converted the only successful penalty shot. The Mallards, who came from behind on three separate occasions, did earn one point for the shootout loss.

Naurato scored on the Icehawks' first chance of the shootout; the Mallards failed to beat Port Huron goaltender Adam Russo on any of their three penalty shots.

Overtime- and, as it would prove, the shootout- were required after a spectacular individual effort by the Mallards' Juris Stals tied the game at four with just over six minutes left in regulation.

The Mallards came out of the second period down 4-3 after a roller coaster ride through the second started when Derek Patrosso tipped the puck into the Mallard net to snap a 1-1 tie at 3:08. Just over a minute later the Mallards evened the score when Patrick Levesque jammed the puck in from the doorstep. The Mallards were on the power play when Levesque struck again with a wrist shot from the slot to put Quad City on top 3-2 at 7:54. The lead would not last however, as the Icehawks responded with a pair of goals of their own less than a minute apart. Tab Lardner knotted the score at three from close range at 13:44. Just 53 seconds later Nick Linberg buried the go ahead goal from the slot.

The Mallards had earlier recovered to tie the game at one with just 1.2 seconds left in the first period after falling behind when Steve Oleksy deflected the game's first goal home at 8:23 of the first. Justin White buried a rebound to deadlock the contest just before the horn.

The Mallards visit Flint tomorrow before returning home Thursday night- New Year's Eve- for a special early face off at 6:05 p.m. against the Muskegon Lumberjacks. As the Mallards' New Year's Eve game will start just after midnight London time, the Mallards will ring in the New Year in British style Thursday evening. While the evening will carry that English flavor as the Flock puts on the Quad Cities' only British New Years' celebration, one element of Thursday night's festivities will remain all-American as the team will provide free Mallards baseball caps to the first 1,000 fans through the doors.

Tickets for Sunday's game and all remaining regular season Mallards home games are available at the i wireless Center box office, Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. through the end of the second period.



International Hockey League 2 Stories from December 29, 2009


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