
Mallards Game Day
April 16, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release
Mallards Notes
Finale
With a 4-3 loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones last Saturday the Mallards finished the regular season in eighth place in the ECHL's Western Conference, one point behind the Cyclones.
Playoff Push
While last Saturday's loss halted the Mallards' four-game winning streak the Mallards did go 10-4-0 over their final 14 regular season games. Between February 21 and the end of the regular season, the Mallards gained nine points on the Tulsa Oilers- who finished ninth in the conference, one point behind the Mallards- by going 13-7-1 while Tulsa went 9-12-0.
Splitsville
The Mallards split a pair of home games with Cincinnati last weekend. A 6-3 win last Friday temporarily propelled the Mallards into seventh place.
Thrilling Third
The Mallards outscored their foes 9-1 in the third period over their final four regular season games.
Even Steven
The Mallards both scored and allowed 203 goals during the regular season.
Home Sweet Home
By going 22-12-2 at home this season, the Mallards 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 36 this season) in 2009-10. The Mallards last won more than 22 home games in 2005-06 when they went 23-13-2 in 38 United Hockey League home games.
Playoff Habit
The Mallards have qualified for the playoffs in each of their first two ECHL seasons and in each of their four seasons under coach Terry Ruskowski. The Mallards reached the CHL postseason in Ruskowski's first two years with the club.
Second Time Around
The Mallards enter the postseason in pursuit of their first ECHL playoff series victory. Last spring, in their first Kelly Cup playoff appearance, the Mallards fell in seven games in round one to the Rapid City Rush.
Victory
The Mallards last won a playoff series when they defeated Rapid City in seven games in the opening round of the 2014 CHL postseason.
On the Road Again
Their match-up with the Mavericks is ninth straight playoff series in which the Mallards' foes have enjoyed home-ice advantage. The Mallards last enjoyed home ice advantage in the best-of-five opening round of the 2003-04 United Hockey League postseason- a series in which they were swept by the Muskegon Fury.
History
The Mallards have lost ten of their last 11 playoff series. Their seven-game opening round conquest of the Rush in 2014 is the Mallards' only postseason series win since defeating Muskegon in six games in the 2003 UHL semi-finals.
Between the Pipes
Brody Hoffman finished the regular season on a three-game winning streak (2.23, .938) and went 5-1-0 (1.68 .953) in his final seven games.
Arch Madness
Olivier Archambault closed the regular season on a four-game point-scoring streak (3-4-7) to finish the campaign as the team leader in points (52).
Red Light District
In Saturday night's finale Matt Carey scored his team-leading twenty-fifth goal in just his forty-ninth game since joining the Mallards in December. Carey finished the regular season by recording seven points (three goals and four assists) in six games.
Rook
While Matt Neal's five-game point-scoring streak (2-7-9) ended Saturday night, Neal did finish the season tied for fifth among ECHL rookies in assists (33) and is tied for seventh among rookies in points (51).
Iron Mike
Mike Monfredo finished tied for fourth among ECHL defensemen in assists (31) and tied for tenth among blue liners in points (37). Monfredo set career highs in both categories.
Perfect Attendance
Alex Gudbranson was the only Mallard to have played in each of the team's 72 regular season games.
First
Trevor Cook scored his first career goal in the second period last Saturday night and added his first career assist minutes later.
Salute
Retiring Mallard captain Darren McMillan played his four hundred fifteenth and final regular season game for the club last Saturday night. McMillan, who first played for the Mallards in 2009 and has captained the team for the last six seasons (since 2010), has produced 20 goals, 89 assists and 109 points as a Mallard. On March 6 against Wichita- the team with whom he started his career in 2005- McMillan became just the third player in franchise history to play 400 games for the Mallards. In his 11 professional seasons McMillan- who turns 36 on April 23- has recorded 39 goals, 181 assists and 220 points in 673 career games.
Milestones
Mike Monfredo played his two hundred seventy-second game for the Mallards April 6 at Fort Wayne to move past Obi Aduba (271) into seventh place in team history. Monfredo finished the season having played 274 games for the club.
Special Teams
The Mallards- who went without a power play Saturday night- converted three of their final five man advantages to finish eighteenth in the ECHL on the power play (16.5 percent). They finished sixth in the league in penalty killing (85.3 percent) after surviving 27 of their foes' final 30 power plays.
Head to Head
The conference quarterfinals bring the first ever playoff meeting between the Mallards and Mavericks. The Mallards went 0-4-1 against the Mavericks this season and went 0-4-0 in Independence. The Mallards lost their only regular season home game against Missouri 4-3 in overtime on November 4. All-time, the Mallards have turned in a 23-27-5 overall record against the Mavericks and have gone 13-16-2 on the road against the Mavs. The Mallards last defeated the Mavericks on March 29, 2015 when the Mallards claimed a 4-3 shootout win in Missouri.
Ins and Outs
Tanner Eberle missed Saturday's game.
Saturday, April 16, 7:05 p.m. CDT
Quad City Mallards vs. Missouri Mavericks
Silverstein Eye Centers Arena
Western Conference Quarterfinals: Game One
Watch: ECHL.TV
Listen: Fox Sports Radio 1230
ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs, Western Conference Quarterfinals
Quad City Mallards vs. Missouri Mavericks
Game One: Saturday, April 16 @ Missouri, 7:05 p.m.
Game Two: Sunday, April 17 @ Missouri, 4:05 p.m.
Game Three: Wednesday, April 20 @ Quad City, 6:35 p.m.
Game Four: Friday, April 22 @ Quad City, 7:05 p.m.
Game Five: Saturday, April 23 @ Quad City, 7:05 p.m.*
Game Six: Tuesday, April 26 @ Missouri, 7:05 p.m.*
Game Seven: Wednesday, April 27 @ Missouri, 7:05 p.m.*
*- if necessary
Quad City Mallards
37-29-6, 80 points
2nd place, Midwest Division
Coach: Terry Ruskowski
Missouri Mavericks
52-15-5, 109 points
1st place, Central Division
Coach: Richard Matvichuk
ECHL Stories from April 16, 2016
- Royals' Comeback Push Falls Short in Toledo, 4-3 - Reading Royals
- Mavericks Down Mallards 6-3 in Game 1 of Kelly Cup Playoffs - Kansas City Mavericks
- Americans Even It Up - Allen Americans
- Mavs Take Game One - Quad City Mallards
- Cincinnati takes 2-0 Series Lead After Tight Affair - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Toledo's strong first period leads to a game two win 4-3 - Toledo Walleye
- Second Period Surge Not Enough for Wings in Game Two - Kalamazoo Wings
- Everblades Tie Series with Game Two Win - Wheeling Nailers
- Thunder Silence Monarchs, 4-2 - Manchester Monarchs
- Stingrays Grab 2-0 Series Lead with 5-2 Victory in Game 2 - South Carolina Stingrays
- Thunder, McClelland Part Ways - Wichita Thunder
- Rapid City in Final Four - Rapid City Rush
- ECHL Transactions - April 16 - ECHL
- Nailers at Everblades Game Day Snap Shot - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Announces Fine, Suspension - ECHL
- Cyclones Game Notes: Kelly Cup Quarterfinals- Game 2 vs Ft. Wayne - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Americans Look to Even the Series with Idaho Tonight - Allen Americans
- Mallards Game Day - Quad City Mallards
- Playoff Game Preview: Game 2- South Carolina at Kalamazoo, 7 p.m. - South Carolina Stingrays
- Monarchs Game Day Capsule - Manchester Monarchs
- ECHL Today - April 16 - ECHL
- Gameday: Adirondack vs. Manchester - Adirondack 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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