Mallards gain momentum

Published on December 4, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2) News Release


LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO --- Entering the eighth week of the United Hockey League (UHL) season, the Quad City Mallards had yet to win consecutive games. They took care of that by winning three in a row and put themselves right back in the mix for a playoff spot.

The Mallards had spent a large portion of the season at the bottom of the UHL standings, but gaining seven of eight possible points in their last four games has vaulted them past three teams and left them just four points behind the Flint Generals for sixth place in the overall standings.

Three of the last four wins by the Mallards have come against teams with winning records (Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, Rockford) and each of those wins was on the road. Sunday's 5-4 shootout loss to Elmira stopped the team's chance of claiming four consecutive wins, but the club showed resilience as they battled back to tie the game with 41 seconds remaining in the third period and send the game to the extra session.

Winger Chad Woollard leads the Quad City squad with 22 points (9g, 13a). Known as a dangerous goal scorer with a hard shot, Woollard has contributed even more this season as a set-up man. Veteran forward Don Parson has provided scoring punch with five goals in the last four games. He leads the team with 13 goals this season and sits just two shy of becoming only the third United States born player at any level of professional hockey to reach 600 goals for his career.

A recent acquisition has also given the Mallards a boost on the offensive end of the ice. Forward Brett Pilkington was picked up in a trade with Kalamazoo. Since being inserted into the Mallards lineup seven games ago, he has tallied eight points (4g, 4a). At one point, he had a four-game goal streak and netted the game-winning goal with 41 seconds remaining in Friday's 4-3 victory vs. Fort Wayne.

Defensively, the Mallards have also developed during their recent stretch. Over their last four victories, the team has allowed just one power play goal in 29 chances by their opponents. Goaltender Jason Tapp has been a major contributor to the team success. He is riding a three-game win streak in which he has compiled a 1.67 goals against average (GAA) and a .954 save percentage (SPCT).

SIZING UP THE UHL - Entering the games on December 1st, this is how the average UHL player size up:

Height (6-0), weight (196 lbs), age (just over 26 years old).

Tallest - Chris McAllister (6-7), Kalamazoo Wings

Shortest - Steve Cygan (5-6), Chicago Hounds

Oldest - Scott Drevitch (41 years, 3 months), Elmira Jackals

Youngest - Milan Maslonka (20 years, 1 month), Elmira Jackals

Oldest team - Fort Wayne Komets (27 years 1 month)

Youngest team - Rockford IceHogs (just over 24 years old)

*Team-by-team totals at the bottom of this release

WHERE ARE THEY FROM - 56.5% of UHL players are natives of Canada. 36.7% were born in the United States. 2.4% are from Slovakia. The remaining 4.4% were born in various countries including: Latvia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Finland, Ukraine, and Uganda.

OH BROTHER - The Fort Wayne Komets signed defenseman Nick Tuzzolino before Friday's contest. His brother Tony was recently signed by the Flint Generals. They are not the only brothers currently playing in the UHL. Port Huron's Josh Elzinga and Kalamazoo's Adam Elzinga both play defense for their respective clubs.

JERSEY SWAP - In keeping with league tradition, UHL clubs will wear their road uniforms during home games in the month of December.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Bloomington PrairieThunder - (0-1-0) - The PrairieThunder have not converted in their last 27 power play opportunities...Despite posting a 2-6-0 record, goaltender Steffan Braunlich ranks seventh among UHL goaltenders with a 3.24 GAA...Forward B.J. Gaustad was called-up to the AHL Iowa Stars for one game over the weekend... Bloomington has scored just a combined seven goals over their past six games...Forward Alex Goupil snapped his six-game scoring drought when he netted a goal in Saturday's 3-1 loss to Quad City.

Chicago Hounds - (1-1-0) - The Hounds have played the fewest games (15) of any team in the league so far this season...Chicago has given up the fewest power plays (124) in the UHL this season. Their penalty kill (84.7%) ranks fifth in the league...The Hounds are 1-1-0 on their current four-game homestand. They are 2-2-0 on home ice this season...Left wing Steve Cygan (3g, 2a) and center John Spoltore (1g, 4a) each have five points in four games vs. Elmira this season.

Elmira Jackals - (1-2-0) - Left wing Scott Wray equaled a league season high when he fired ten shots on goal in Sunday's 5-4 shootout win vs. Quad City...Right wing Yevgeny Lazarev is on a three-game point streak. He also scored his second shootout goal in just his fourth attempt on Sunday...Right wing Brent Cullaton has five assists in his last four games...Goaltender Kris Tebbs made his 12th consecutive start on Sunday. He stopped 3 of 4 in the shootout and has stopped 13 of 16 in the extra session this season.

Flint Generals - (2-1-0) - Center Tony Tuzzolino has eight points (2g, 6a) and a plus-5 rating in his first five games with the Generals...Winger Bobby Reynolds has a point in five of his last six games...The Generals won consecutive home games for the first time this season when they defeated Port Huron on Saturday and Rockford on Sunday...Right wing Mike Kinnie scored his four goals this week on ten shots (.400)...Flint won their first shootout of the season when defenseman Shaun Fisher scored in the fifth round of Saturday's 3-2 shootout win.

Fort Wayne Komets - (1-1-0) - Center Bruce Richardson netted his 100th career goal on Friday. He is riding a three-game point streak...Left wing Daniel Goneau is riding a five-game point streak...Goaltender Kevin St. Pierre recorded his second shutout of the season making 27 saves in the 3-0 win vs. Rockford on Saturday. It was the 23rd shutout of his UHL career, adding to his league record...Defenseman Mario Larocque continues to lead the Komets in scoring with 24 points (9g, 15a)...Rookie defenseman Arthur Kiyaga had a pair of assists in Saturday's win.

Kalamazoo Wings - (2-0-0) - Center Shawn Snider is riding a five-game point streak...Right wing Justin Cross recorded the first "hat trick" (3g) for the club this season during Wednesday's 9-1 win vs. Chicago. Cross ranks tied for second in scoring among UHL rookies...The nine goals by the K-Wings ties a league season high...Kalamazoo has won three straight games on the road...Forward Glenn Detulleo has seven points (1g, 6a) in six games since being acquired in a trade. He is riding a four-game point streak.

Muskegon Fury - (1-1-0) - Saturday's 3-2 loss to Kalamazoo marked the first time the Fury have lost this season when leading after the first period...Muskegon has outscored their opponents 19-6 in the first period on home ice this season...Captain Rustyn Dolyny is riding an eight-game point streak. He is four assists away from 400 for his career...Left wing Dave Noel-Bernier is on a five-game point streak...The Fury are the only UHL team not to have a game end in a shootout this season... Goaltender Clayton Pool is three games shy of 100 for his Fury career.

Port Huron Flags - (0-0-1) - The Flags have gone to three shootouts this season and lost all three, including Saturday's 3-2 shootout loss to Flint...Defenseman Chris Bogas scored his first goal in a Flags uniform on Saturday...Port Huron is 1-3-1 vs. Flint this season...Defenseman Pat Sutton has an even or better plus/minus rating in nine of 11 games he has played this season...Center Ryan Markham has an even or better plus/minus rating in 13 of his 15 games on the year...The Flags play six of their next eight games on home ice.

Quad City Mallards - (2-0-1) - Rookie forward Justin Chwedoruk had his seven-game point streak snapped in Sunday's 5-4 shootout loss to Elmira...Defenseman Andrei Lupandin dished out three assists in Sunday's game. He has seven assists over his last seven games...Forward Blake Stewart registered his first point in a Mallards uniform when he dished out an assist on Sunday...Forward Luke Stauffacher had his three-game point streak snapped on Sunday...Quad City plays their next four games on the road.

Rockford IceHogs - (1-2-0) - The IceHogs were shutout for the first time this season during Saturday's 3-0 loss to Fort Wayne. It also marked the first time the team has not scored at least two goals in a game...The line combination of Kevin Ulanski (4g, 9a), Nicolas Corbeil (5g, 8a), and Kaleb Betts (7g, 5a) have a total of 38 points in ten road games this season...Rockford held their opponents to 2 of 38 (5.3%) on the power play during the week... The IceHogs have been outscored 24-18 in the third period this season including 5-2 this week.

SIZING UP THE UHL

*Team averages as of December 1st

Bloomington PrairieThunder - 6-0, 194 lbs, 26 years 1 month

Chicago Hounds - 5-11 ½, 191 lbs, 27 years 1 month

Elmira Jackals - 6-0 ½, 204 lbs, 26 years 4 months

Flint Generals - 6-0, 189 lbs, 27 years

Fort Wayne Komets - 6-0, 196 lbs, 27 years 1 month

Kalamazoo Wings - 6-0 ¼, 197 lbs, 25 years 10 months

Muskegon Fury - 6-0, 198 lbs, 25 years 7 months

Port Huron Flags - 6-0 ¼, 193 lbs, 25 years 5 months

Quad City Mallards - 6-0 ¼, 194 lbs, 26 years 3 months

Rockford IceHogs - 6-0 ¾, 200 lbs, 24 years

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from December 4, 2006


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