
Mallards Game Day
October 17, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release
Steve Michalek made 33 saves in his professional debut and Guillaume Gelinas and Logan Nelson both scored as the Mallards claimed a 2-1 opening night victory over the defending ECHL champion Allen Americans.
Opening Night
The Mallards won last night after dropping their prior two season openers and four of their previous five. Last night's victory was the Mallards' first on opening night since a 4-3 overtime win over Tulsa on October 26, 2012. All-time, the Mallards are 10-8-1 in openers.
Road Show
The Mallards begin their second ECHL season with a two-game road trip. The Mallards tonight bid for a second away win in as many nights.
Logan's Run
Nelson has scored nine goals in his last ten regular season games. He scored eight times in what proved to be his final nine games last season before suffering a lower body injury on March 11 that kept him out of the Mallards' final 12 games that campaign.
First
Gelinas scored the Mallards' first goal of the season in his first game with the club.
Miles Away
Rookie Miles Koules last night picked up an assist in his first career game.
Czech-ing In
Collin Valcourt last night recorded his first point in North American professional hockey. Valcourt last season spent his rookie year with Hradec Kralove in the Czech Extraliga.
A-Plus
Matt Neal last night wore the alternate captain's "A" for the first time- in the tenth regular season game of his career. Fourth year Mallard Mike Monfredo serves as the Mallards' other alternate captain while this is Darren McMillan's sixth season as team captain.
Between the Pipes
Rookie Michalek held Allen off the scoreboard for the first 47:39 of last night's game on the way to his first career win. Niklas Lundstrom backed up Michalek last night while Adam Morrison did not dress.
Realignment
The Mallards this season have moved to the new Midwest Division in the ECHL's Western Conference, joining the Cincinnati Cyclones, Evansville IceMen, Fort Wayne Komets and Indy Fuel as part of a league-wide realignment. However, they will play their first six games- and eight of their first ten- against teams with whom they moved from the Central Hockey League to the ECHL a year ago and last season shared the Central Division. The Mallards play their first game against a division foe on November 7 when they visit the Fuel.
Special Teams
The Mallards went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill and 1-for-3 on the power play last night. The Mallards' penalty killing efforts were all the more impressive in light of the fact that the Americans finished second in the league on the power play (21.9 percent) last season.
Head to Head
The Mallards went 7-5-0 against the Thunder overall last season and turned in a 3-2-0 record in Wichita. All-time, the Mallards have gone 13-17-1 against the Thunder and 6-9-0 at INTRUST Bank Arena.
Saturday, October 17, 7:05 p.m.
Quad City Mallards vs. Wichita Thunder
INTRUST Bank Arena
Watch: ECHL.TV
Listen: Fox Sports Radio 1230
Quad City Mallards
1-0-0, 2 points
tied 1st place, Midwest Division
Coach: Terry Ruskowski
Wichita Thunder
1-0-0, 2 points
1st place, Central Division
Coach: Kevin McClelland
Mallard Notes
Last Night
ECHL Stories from October 17, 2015
- Royals Fall in South Carolina in Fifteenth Anniversary Season Opener, 2-1 - Reading Royals
- Wichita Outlasts Mallards 5-4 in Shootout - Quad City Mallards
- Explosive Third Period Enough as Admirals Earn Weekend Split - Norfolk Admirals
- Swamp Rabbits Fall to Orlando in Season Opener - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Atlanta Falls to Florida 6-1 - Atlanta Gladiators
- Third Period Comeback Falls One Goal Short - Wheeling Nailers
- Big Night for Brown and Tifu But Jackals Edge Beast 4-2 - Brampton Beast
- Jackals Tame Beast, 4-2 - Elmira Jackals
- Walleye Fall to Cyclones 5-1 - Toledo Walleye
- Stingrays Notch 2-1 Win over Reading on Opening Night - South Carolina Stingrays
- Thunder Make Several Moves Prior to Home Opener - Wichita Thunder
- Eric Neilson Loaned to St. John's IceCaps - Manchester Monarchs
- ECHL Transactions - October 17 - ECHL
- Game Preview: Tulsa at Allen, 7:05 p.m. - Tulsa Oilers
- Nailers at Admirals Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- Preview: Swamp Rabbits Clash with Solar Bears in Season Opener - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Elmira Eyes Bounce Back against Brampton - Elmira Jackals
- Cyclones Receive Defenseman from Milwaukee - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Game Day: Reading at Stingrays, 7:05 p.m. - South Carolina Stingrays
- Mallards Game Day - Quad City Mallards
- ECHL Today - October 17 - ECHL
- Aces Win Season-Opener 3-1 over Missouri - Alaska Aces
- Missouri Falls Short 3-1 in Season Opener against Alaska - Kansas City Mavericks
- Americans Fall in Season Opener 2-1 - Allen Americans
- Steelheads Rout Rush in Season-Opener - Idaho Steelheads
- Eagles Rally Late, But Fall to Utah in Overtime 4-3 - Colorado Eagles
- Grizzlies Open Season with 4-3 OT Win in Colorado - Utah Grizzlies
- Oilers Fall Short in Opening Night Loss to Thunder - Tulsa Oilers
- Rush Fall to Idaho - Rapid City Rush
- Gladiators Drop Opener 4-3 in OT to Florida - Atlanta Gladiators
- Norfolk Drops Season Opener to Wheeling, 3-0 - Norfolk Admirals
- Bloodoff's Overtime Goal Lifts 'Blades to Opening Night Win - Florida Everblades
- Miller, Shantz Help Thunder Slide Past Tulsa 3-2 - Wichita Thunder
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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