Mallards Game Day

Published on April 8, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


Playoff Picture

Tonight

The Mallards will clinch a in the ECHL's Kelly Cup playoffs tonight if they win, lose in overtime or lose in a shootout or if the Tulsa Oilers lose their game against the Wichita Thunder.

Mallards Notes

Last Game

Tanner Eberle and Alex Gudbranson scored power play goals 31 seconds apart in the third period to turn a 1-1 deadlock into a 3-1 Mallard lead and Matt Neal provided a shorthanded goal and two assists as the Mallards defeated the host Fort Wayne Komets 4-1 Wednesday night.

The Race

The Mallards are currently in possession of the eighth and final playoff berth in the ECHL's Western Conference, three points ahead of the ninth place Oilers and one point behind the seventh place Cyclones. The Mallards could finish anywhere between sixth and ninth in the conference

Tulsa Tiebreaker

If the Mallards and Oilers finish tied for eighth place, the Mallards will qualify for the playoffs while Tulsa will be eliminated. The Mallards have already clinched the tiebreaker- non-shootout wins- with the Oilers. The Mallards have 34 wins in regulation or overtime while the Oilers have just 28.

Playoff Push

The Mallards have won three straight games and have gone 9-3-0 in their last 12 games. The Oilers have also won three in a row, but only after losing their prior five games and going 4-12-0 in their prior 16 outings. Since February 21 the Mallards have gained 11 points on the Oilers by going 12-6-1 while Tulsa has gone 7-12-0.

Cyclone Warning

The Mallards and Cyclones will meet again tomorrow night to close the regular season. This weekend's series provides the Mallards with the opportunity to pass Cincinnati and claim seventh place in the conference. If the Mallards and Cyclones finish tied the Mallards will win the tiebreaker by virtue of having one more non-shootout win than Cincinnati in that scenario.

Playing Catch-up

After defeating Indy last Thursday, the Cyclones had a seven-point lead over the Mallards. However, back-to-back losses for Cincinnati last Friday against Evansville and last Saturday against Toledo combined with the Mallards' three-game winning streak to narrow the gap to one.

The Grizzly Details

While the Mallards would finish tied with the Utah Grizzlies for sixth place in the conference if the Mallards win their final two regular season games and the Grizzlies lose their last two contests in regulation, the possibility of the Mallards winning a tiebreaker with Utah is remote. In that scenario, if at least one of those two Mallard victories came in the shootout, they would lose the non-shootout wins tiebreaker to the Grizzlies, who have who have won 36 games in regulation or overtime. Even if the Mallards did secure two more non-shootout wins to finish even with Utah in both points and non-shootout victories, the next tiebreaker would be goal differential, a department in which Utah currently has a 20-goal advantage over the Mallards. The Grizzlies have scored 18 more goals (216) than they have allowed (198) while the Mallards have scored two fewer goals (194) than they have given up (196).

Home Sweet Home

By going 21-11-2 on home ice this season, the Mallards have now won more home games than they have in any campaign since they went 22-11-5 in 38 International Hockey League home games (compared to a total 36 home contests this season) in 2009-10. The Mallards have posted a home winning percentage of .647, their highest since 2012-13 when they registered a .651 winning percentage over 33 Central Hockey League home games.

Off the Road

Wednesday's contest was the Mallards' final regular season away game. The Mallards went 15-17-4 on the road.

Between the Pipes

P.J. Musico made 25 saves while earning the win in goal for the Mallards Wednesday night. Brody Hoffman has posted a 1.61 goals against average and a .957 save percentage while going 4-1-0 in his last five starts.

Knight Moves

Jared Knight has scored three goals in his last two games, has notched points in four straight games (3-2-5) and has piled up eight points (three goals and five assists) in his last seven games.

Rook

By recording three points Wednesday, Neal extended his point-scoring streak to four games (1-6-7), took over the team lead in points (49), moved into a tie for eighth among ECHL rookies in points and matched a team season high for points in one game. Neal's shorthanded goal was his team-leading second of the season.

Iron Mike

Mike Monfredo collected an assist Wednesday and is now tied for fifth among ECHL defensemen in assists (29).

Milestones

Vladimir Nikiforov has 299 career points...Mike Monfredo Wednesday played his two hundred seventy-second career game for the Mallards to move past Obi Aduba (271) into seventh place in team history.

Special Teams

The Mallards scored back-to-back power play goals Wednesday after converting just one of their previous 19 advantages. The Mallards have survived 23 of their foes' last 25 power plays and 43 of 46. They rank eighth in the ECHL in penalty killing (85.4 percent) and sixteenth on power play (16.2 percent). Neal scored the Mallards' ninth shorthanded goal Wednesday. The Mallards are now tied for fifth in the ECHL in shorthanded goals.

Head to Head

The Mallards have gone 4-4-1 against the Cyclones this season and have gone 2-2-0 on home ice. All-time, they have gone 4-6-1 against the Cyclones overall and 2-4-0 at home.

Ins and Outs

Darren McMillan and Olivier Archambault missed Wednesday night's game (lower body).

Friday, April 8, 7:05 p.m. CDT

Quad City Mallards vs. Cincinnati Cyclones

iWireless Center

Watch: ECHL.TV

Listen: Fox Sports Radio 1230

Quad City Mallards

36-28-6, 78 points

3rd place, Midwest Division

Coach: Terry Ruskowski

Cincinnati

35-26-9, 79 points

2nd place, Midwest Division

Coach: Matt MacDonald

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