Mallards Game Day

Published on December 18, 2016 under ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


QUAD CITY MALLARDS VS. KALAMAZOO WINGS

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2:00 CT

WINGS EVENT CENTER

QUAD CITY

14-8-2, 30 points

4th place, Central Division

Coach: Terry Ruskowski

KALAMAZOO

10-15-2, 22 points

6th place, Central Division

Coach: Nick Bootland

WATCH: ECHL.TV

LISTEN: ECHL.TV

Last Night

Sam Warning scored once and added two assists as the Mallards ripped off six straight goals on the way to a 6-2 victory over the host Indy Fuel.

Streak

The Mallards have won three straight games. 4-3 overtime victories December 9 and December 10 in Cincinnati preceded last night's win.

Fantastic Four?

With a victory today the Mallards would match their longest winning streak of the season. The Mallards won a season-best four straight games between October 21 and October 29.

The Undefeated

The Mallards have matched their longest regulation unbeaten streak of the season by going four games (3-0-1) without a regulation loss.

Upswing

The Mallards have suffered just one regulation loss in their last six games (4-1-1) and just two in their last ten games (7-2-1).

9-to-5

The Mallards saw off the Fuel in regulation last night after each of their prior three games (2-0-1) had gone to overtime.

Tight

The Mallards remain one point behind the third-place Fort Wayne Komets- who defeated the Wheeling Nailers last night- in the Central Division standings. The Komets meet the Orlando Solar Bears today.

Central

Today's game is the second of five straight the Mallards will play against Central Division opponents. The Mallards have gone 7-4-1 against division foes this season.

Rebound

The Mallards have won after allowing the first goal in each of their last two games and have come from behind to win in each of their last three games. Last night's comeback victory was the Mallards' sixth of the season.

Balance

Ten different Mallards recorded points last night. Five Mallards notched at least two points: Warning, Justin Kovacs (1-1-2), Alex Petan (1-1-2), Chris Francis (0-2-2) and Kevin Gibson (0-2-2)

One-Two Punch

The Mallards last night continued their recent habit of scoring rapid-fire goals. Brady Brassart and Michael Parks provided the first two Mallard goals just 29 seconds apart to turn a 1-0 first period deficit into a 2-1 lead. Brassart and Parks nearly matched the speed with which Dylan Labbe and Parks produced back-to-back goals in the Mallards' last game prior to yesterday evening. Labbe and Parks scored a team season-best 22 seconds apart in the third period of the Mallards' overtime win December 10 in Cincinnati. Brassart and Parks last night did combine with Sam Warning to set a Mallard season best by pumping in three goals in just three minutes and 55 seconds. In the Mallards' December 9 victory in Cincinnati, Kovacs and Nolan LaPorte both scored in the comparatively leisurely span of one minute and 12 seconds.

Early

The Mallards last night scored in the first minute of both the second and third periods. Kovacs scored the fourth Mallard goal just 49 seconds into the second period. LaPorte scored the Mallards' sixth a mere 30 seconds into the third.

On the Road

The Mallards today play their fourth straight road game, their eighth away game in their last nine overall and their sixteenth game on the road out of 25 total games. The Mallards have won three straight road tilts- their longest away winning streak of the season. The Mallards last night claimed their tenth away win of the campaign. They boast a better record on the road (10-5-0) than at home (4-3-2).

Home Sweet Home

The Mallards next play at home Wednesday against Fort Wayne. Each of the Mallards' last two home games has gone to the shootout. The Mallards edged Indy 4-3 in a shootout on November 25 at the iWireless Center before falling to Kalamazoo 3-2 in a shootout on December 7.

Red Light District

The Mallards matched a team season high by scoring six times last night. The Mallards are now tied for seventeenth in the ECHL in goal-scoring (3.0 per game). The Mallards lead the ECHL in goals against per game (2.6). The Mallards have allowed three goals or fewer in 20 of their first 24 games and have held foes to two goals or fewer in regulation 13 times.

Streaking

Gibson last night established team season bests by extending his point-scoring streak to seven games (1-8-9) and his assist streak to six games. Those are also the longest such streaks of Gibson's career. In addition, Gibson- who was +3 last night- has posted a plus/minus rating of +12 over his last seven games to climb into a tie for seventh in the ECHL in plus/minus (+15) on the season.

Rook Roll

Rookie LaPorte is on a four-game point-scoring streak (2-3-5) and has recorded 11 points (four goals and seven assists) in his last nine games after notching just five points (one goal and four assists) in his first 14 games.

Warning Sign

By posting his third three-point game of the season last night, Warning lifted his team-leading totals nine goals, 14 assists and 23 points.

Between the Pipes

C.J. Motte, who last night made 27 saves on the way to his tenth victory of the season, has taken over the league lead in goals against average (2.08) and save percentage (.937). Motte is tied for sixth in wins.

Milestones

Mike Monfredo ranks sixth in Mallards history in career games played (296). If he dresses for each of the Mallards' next four games, he will play his three hundredth game for the team on December 30 against Missouri...Chris Francis has scored 99 career goals in 396 career games...Mike Wilson has 198 career regular season assists...Donnie Harris has played 297 career games... Justin Kovacs has played 95 career games.

Special Teams

LaPorte's power play goal 30 seconds into the third period last night ended the Mallards' 0-for-28 man advantage drought. LaPorte's goal was the Mallards first on the power play since Francis scored on the man advantage at 16:08 of the first period of the Mallards' 4-2 win in Cincinnati on November 23. The Mallards last night allowed a shorthanded goal for the second time in as many games and for the fourth time this season when Indy's Brady Ramsay scored during a third period Mallard power play. The Mallards did survive all five Fuel power plays last night. The Mallards rank eighteenth in the ECHL on the power play (15.5 percent) and seventh in penalty killing (85.7 percent).

Head-to-Head

Today's game is the third of eight between the Mallards and Wings this season. The Mallards won the season series opener 2-1 on November 12 in Kalamazoo before earning one point for their December 7 shootout loss to the Wings on home ice. The Mallards have gone 3-2-1 overall against the Wings and 1-1-0 in Kalamazoo since the two clubs renewed their rivalry last season. Prior to last year, the Mallards had not faced Kalamazoo since 2007. The Mallards and Wings competed against each other in the United Hockey League between 2000 and 2007. The Mallards went 24-19-7 in 50 meetings with the Wings over those seven seasons. They went 10-10-2 in Kalamazoo.

Ins and Outs

Forward Nathan Todd was removed from the active roster and placed on the Mallards' suspended list last Thursday... Defenseman Donnie Harris has missed the Mallards' last ten games after being placed on 21-day injured reserve retroactive to November 20 (upper body injury)

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