Mallards Game Day

Published on November 6, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


QUAD CITY MALLARDS VS. CINCINNATI CYCLONES

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 4:05 CT

IWIRELESS CENTER

QUAD CITY

5-3-0, 10 points

tied 4th place, Central Division

Coach: Terry Ruskowski

CINCINNATI

4-5-0, 8 points

4th place, South Division

Coach: Matt MacDonald

WATCH: ECHL.TV

LISTEN: ECHL.TV

Last Night

Alex Petan scored twice and added an assist, Alex Gudbranson broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period and C.J. Motte made 39 saves as the Mallards defeated the host Indy Fuel 4-1.

Rolling

Last night's win was the Mallards' fifth in their last six games. The Mallards rebounded against the Fuel after the Cyclones ended the Mallards' four-game winning streak last Thursday night by defeating the Mallards 4-1 in Cincinnati.

Surge

The Mallards last night took control in the third period by scoring three goals in eight minutes and 45 seconds.

Fuel First

Last night's win was the Mallards' first ever road victory over the Fuel. The Mallards and Fuel had never met before the Mallards went 0-5-0 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum last season.

On the Road

Last night's game was the second in three nights on the road for the Mallards, who have now won three of their last four away games.

Home Sweet Home

The Mallards have won back-to-back home games after dropping their October 14 season opener on home ice against the Fort Wayne Komets.

Red Light District

The Mallards last night matched a team single game season high by scoring four goals and established a new club single period season best by producing three goals in the third. The Mallards broke loose one game after they equaled a team season low when they scored just once in last Thursday's loss in Cincinnati. The Mallards are tied for twenty-first in the ECHL in goals per game. They score 2.5 per contest, the lowest average for any ECHL club with a winning record.

Stingy

The Mallards find themselves tied for third in the ECHL in goals allowed (2.5 per game) after matching a team season best by giving up just one goal last night.

Rubber

The Mallards last night allowed a team single game season high 40 shots and a club single period season high 18 shot in the third. The Mallards had not given up more than 30 shots in a game heading into last night. In contrast, the Mallards set team season lows for shots surrendered in one game (15) and one period (four in the third) in last Thursday's loss in Cincinnati. The Mallards rank fourth in the ECHL in shots allowed (27.8 per game).

First Strike

The Mallards last night scored the game's first goal for the fifth time in their last six outings. They have now won the last five games in which they have scored first.

Central

The Mallards are tied with the Komets for fourth place in the highly competitive Central Division. The Mallards are one point behind the third-place Kalamazoo Wings, four points behind the second-place Toledo Walleye and six points behind the division- and league-leading Tulsa Oilers. While the Komets have played one game less than the Mallards, the Mallards (and the Wings) have a game in hand on the Walleye and two games in hand on the Oilers. The Mallards are two points ahead of the sixth-place Wichita Thunder and five points ahead of the seventh-place Fuel, which is the only club in the division with a losing record.

Big Night

Petan (4-4-8) last night matched team season highs for goals (2) and points (3) in one game. Petan joins linemates Sam Warning (4-5-9) and Justin Kovacs (3-7-10) as the third Mallard this season to score two goals in one game and to record three points in one contest. Petan is also now tied with Warning for the team lead in goals. Kovacs last night recorded an assist- as did Warning- after going without a point for the first time this season in last Thursday's loss in Cincinnati. Petan, Kovacs and Warning have provided the majority (11) of the Mallards' (20) goals this season. All three posted plus/minus ratings of +3 last night and Petan now leads the Mallards in plus/minus on the season (+5).

Gud Timing

Last night's game winner was Gudbranson's first goal of the season and his first point since the Mallards' October 14 opening night loss to Fort Wayne.

Triple

Chris Francis has scored once in each of his last three games. Last night he drove the fourth Mallard goal into an empty next with just one minute and 15 seconds left in the third period.

First

Andrew Panzarella last night recorded his first point as a Mallard by assisting on Petan's first goal.

Between the Pipes

Motte last night set a Mallard single game season high by making 39 saves and a team single period season high by stopping 18 shots in the third. Last night's victory was Motte's third in a row. He has given up just four goals during that winning streak and now ranks seventh in the ECHL in goals against average (1.85) and save percentage (.939).

Power Play

The Mallards rank tenth in the ECHL on the power play (20.0 percent) after going 0-for-4 on the man advantage last night. The Mallards have converted just one of their last 13 power plays.

Penalty Kill

The Mallards have given up three power play goals on nine disadvantages over their last two games. The Fuel went 1-for-3 last night. The Mallards now rank twenty-third in the ECHL in penalty killing (80.0 percent).

Head to Head

The Cyclones last Thursday won the first of their nine meetings with the Mallards this season. Today's game is the first of just three trips the Cyclones will make to the Quad Cities this year. All-time, the Mallards have gone 5-8-1 against Cincinnati, including 3-5-0 at home against the Cyclones. The Mallards last season went 5-5-1 against Cincinnati and posted a 3-3-0 home record against the Cyclones.

Ins and Outs

Forward Michael Parks has missed the Mallards' last two games (lower body injury)...Forward Jack Nevins has missed the Mallards' last six games (lower body injury).

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