
Mallards Game Day
December 12, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release
Mallards Notes
Last Night
Mikhail Stefanovich ripped off his second hat trick in as many games and his third of the season and Danny Battochio made 29 saves as the host Rush defeated the Mallards 5-2. Matt Carey- on the power play- and Sam Warning- shorthanded- provided the Mallard goals.
Tops
Despite last night's loss the Mallards remain three points ahead of the second place Cincinnati Cyclones- who fell 7-3 in Evansville yesterday evening- in the race for the top spot in the ECHL's Midwest Division. The Cyclones have three games in hand on the Mallards.
Streaking
Last night's loss ended the Mallards' five-game winning streak. The defeat was the Mallards' first since they fell 4-1 in Missouri on November 25.
Rough Road
The Mallards fell last night after winning their prior two road games. They are just 2-7-2 in 11 away games since winning their season opener 2-1 on October 16 in Allen.
Home Sweet Home
The Mallards have won eight straight home games and are unbeaten in regulation (10-0-1) in 11 home games since dropping their home opener October 23 against Tulsa. The Mallards are three wins away from the team record set when they won 11 straight UHL games at home between January 25 and February 29, 2004. Their current home regulation unbeaten streak is seven games shy of the club record set when they went 18 home games (15-0-3) without a regulation defeat between January 10 and March 13, 2004. The Mallards' home regulation unbeaten streak is also the longest such run in the ECHL this season while their home winning streak is tied for longest in the league this year.
Perfect 10
The Mallards lead the ECHL in home wins (10).
Daylight
The Mallards last night matched their largest margin of defeat this season after each of their prior four games had been decided by just one goal.
High Five
The Mallards last night matched a season high by giving up five goals in a second straight game.
Uneven
The Mallards were outscored 4-0 at even strength by the Rush last night. Rapid City's Spencer Pommels scored an empty net (and thus 5-on-6) goal with just over a second left in the game after the Rush scored its first four at either 5-on-5 or 4-on-4.
Between the Pipes
Brody Hoffman made 17 saves and allowed four goals while suffering the loss in goal last night. Steve Michalek is on a five-game winning streak during which he has posted a 2.17 goals against average and a .937 save percentage.
Hot Start
Carey last night (on a 5-on-3 advantage) provided his second power play goal and third point in just two games with the Mallards since being assigned by the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild.
Warning Sign
Rookie Warning last night scored the Mallards' third shorthanded goal of the season and the first shorthanded goal of his career. Warning has five points (three goals and two assists) in his last six games and has scored four times (and added two assists) in his last eight games after going without a goal in his first 11 games.
Iron Mike
Mike Monfredo picked up an assist last night and has now recorded five points (one goal and four assists) in his last three games. Monfredo is now tied for second among ECHL defensemen in assists (16), ranks third among blue liners in points (19) and is tied for sixth overall in assists.
G-Man
Guillaume Gelinas notched an assist last night and has now recorded three points (one goal and two assists) in his last two games and six points (one goal and five assists) in his last six games. Gelinas is now tied for seventh among defensemen in points (16).
Helping Hand
Vladimir Nikiforov has collected assists in each of his last three games and five of his last six outings.
Rook
Matt Neal is tied for fourth among ECHL rookies in goals (9) and ranks seventh among rookies in points (18).
Special Teams
The Mallards outscored the Rush 2-0 on special teams last night by going 1-for-6 on the power play and adding Warning's shorthanded goal while killing off all six Rapid City man advantages. The Mallards have scored at least one power play goal in each of their last four games, going 4-for-16 in the process. They have gone 5-for-19 on the power play in their last six games. The Mallards have now survived their opponents' last 17 power plays and 27 of their foes' last 28 advantages. The Mallards rank third (22.4 percent) in the ECHL on power play and seventh in penalty killing (85.6 percent).
Head to Head
The Mallards last night dropped what was the opener of a six-game season series against the Rush. Tonight's game is the final meeting between the two clubs in Rapid City this year. The final four games of the season series will be played at the iWireless Center. All-time the Mallards are 21-12-3 against the Rush and 9-8-2 at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. In addition, the Mallards and Rush met in seven-game first round playoff series each of the last two springs. The Rush came out on top in the opening round of the 2015 ECHL playoffs after the Mallards edged Rapid City in the first round of the 2014 CHL postseason.
Milestones
Anthony Collins last night played his one hundredth career ECHL game. Collins has recorded 98 penalty minutes as a Mallard...Monfredo has 99 career points...Olivier Archambault has played 97 career games.
Ins and Outs
Tanner Eberle (lower body) returned to the Mallards' line-up last night after missing one game... Miles Koules (upper body) returned to the line-up last night after missing three games...Olivier Archambault (upper body), Raphael Bussieres (lower body) and Kevin Gibson (upper body) missed last night's game... Kevin Henderson (upper body) has missed the Mallards' last six games.
Saturday, December 12, 8:05 p.m. CST
Quad City Mallards vs. Rapid City Rush
Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
Watch: ECHL.TV
Listen: Fox Sports Radio 1230
Quad City
13-8-3, 29 points
1st place, Midwest Division
Coach: Terry Ruskowski
Rapid City
12-7-4, 26 points
2nd place, West Division
Coach: Joe Ferras
ECHL Stories from December 12, 2015
- Royals Win Feisty Finale in Florida, 2-1 - Reading Royals
- Veideman Scores Twice, Levine Registers 20-Save Shutout in Eagles 4-0 Win - Colorado Eagles
- Mallards Spoil Teddy Bear Toss - Rapid City Rush
- Mallards Rally in Rapid City - Quad City Mallards
- Nailers Torch Toledo, 6-2 - Wheeling Nailers
- Royals Slip Past Everblades 2-1 on Teddy Bear Toss Night - Florida Everblades
- Devin's Hat Trick Leads Stingrays to 5-1 Win in Return Home - South Carolina Stingrays
- Cyclones Outlast IceMen in High-Scoring Rematch - Evansville IceMen
- Komets Play Grinch with 3-2 Win on Teddy Bear Toss Night - Indy Fuel
- Devin's Hat Trick Leads 'Rays over Swamp Rabbits - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Solar Bears Earn Point in 2-1 OT Loss to Gladiators - Orlando Solar Bears
- The Force is Strong with the Cyclones on Star Wars Night - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Murovich Nets OT Winner in 2-1 Atlanta Victory - Atlanta Gladiators
- Walleye Come up Short in Wheeling 6-2 - Toledo Walleye
- Lundstrom Earns First Pro Shutout as Jackals Blank Admirals, 4-0 - Elmira Jackals
- K-Wings Sweep Beast Behind Martin's Stellar Play - Kalamazoo Wings
- Monarchs Comeback to Win, 4-3, in OT - Manchester Monarchs
- Jackals Blank Admirals on Saturday Night in Elmira - Norfolk Admirals
- Big First Period Lifts Kalamazoo over Brampton - Brampton Beast
- Monarchs Sign Matt Harlow - Manchester Monarchs
- Nailers vs. Walleye Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Transactions - December 12 - ECHL
- Game Notes - December 12 vs Evansville - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Mallards Game Day - Quad City Mallards
- Game Day Capsule: Wichita at Colorado, December 12th - Wichita Thunder
- Faille Recalled from Solar Bears to Marlies - Orlando Solar Bears
- Jackals Search for Sweep against Admirals in Star Wars Weekend Episode II - Elmira Jackals
- Gameday: Adirondack vs. Manchester - Adirondack Thunder
- Late PP Goal Sinks Aces in the SLC Friday - Alaska Aces
- Grizzlies Score Late to Beat Alaska 3-2 - Utah Grizzlies
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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