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Mallards Game Day

January 14, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


QUAD CITY MALLARDS VS. FORT WAYNE KOMETS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 7:05 CT

IWIRELESS CENTER

QUAD CITY

18-15-2, 38 points

4th place, Central Division

Coach: Terry Ruskowski

FORT WAYNE

20-10-4, 44 points

3rd place, Central Division

Coach: Gary Graham

WATCH: ECHL.TV

LISTEN: ECHL.TV

MALLARDS NOTES

Last Night

Alex Guptill scored one goal and added two assists and Jake Hildebrand made 39 saves as the Indy Fuel defeated the host Mallards 6-3. Second period goals 22 seconds apart from Andrew Panzarella and Pavel Jenys sparked comeback hopes for the undermanned Mallards, but they could not complete the rally.

Streak

The Mallards last night set a team record with a sixth straight regulation loss. The Mallards have endured five-game regulation losing streaks three times in team history- most recently when they fell in five consecutive International Hockey League games between January 16 and January 24, 2010.

Unhappy New Year

The Mallards have dropped their first five games of 2017. Their last win was a 3-2 home triumph over the Missouri Mavericks on December 30.

Injury Bug

Due to injuries, the Mallards last night dressed just 17 players- instead of the standard 18- for a third straight game. The Mallards last night were without four players who had suffered injuries in just the club's prior three games as well as longer-term injury absentee Mike Wilson, who has missed 13 games. Three of the Mallards' top five point scorers were sidelined last night: team point-scoring leader Sam Warning, who suffered an upper body injury in Wednesday night's 3-2 loss in Cincinnati; Nolan LaPorte, who has missed the last two games after suffering a lower body injury in last Saturday's 5-1 loss in Fort Wayne; and team goal-scoring leader Michael Parks, who has missed the last three games after suffering an upper body injury in last Friday's 4-0 home loss to Cincinnati. Defenseman Donnie Harris, who suffered an upper body Wednesday night, also missed last night's game. In the absence of Harris and fellow blue liner Wilson, the Mallards went into last night's game with just five defensemen.

Welcome Back

The Mallards last night did welcome team captain Chris Francis back into the lineup after Francis had missed the prior three games with a lower body injury.

Debut

The Mallards only managed to dress 15 skaters last night after signing forward Sebastian Geoffrion yesterday afternoon. Last night saw Geoffrion not only make his Mallard debut but also play his first professional game in 21 months since he skated in a single contest for the Gwinnett (now Atlanta) Gladiators on March 13, 2015. That appearance for the Gladiators was also the only game Geoffrion had played in over two years since he suited for the Missouri Mavericks for the sixteenth and final time on December 20, 2014.

New Faces

Geoffrion last night became the third forward to make his Mallard debut in as many games. John Siemer signed with the Mallards Wednesday and played his first game for the team that evening in Cincinnati. (Siemer was released today after playing a second game for the Mallards last night). Ned Lukacevic made his Mallard debut last Saturday in Fort Wayne after signing with the club December 28.

Six

The Mallards last night allowed a season-high six goals for the third time and for the second time in their last five games. The Fuel last night became the first club other than the Komets to score six against the Mallards this season. Fort Wayne defeated the Mallards 6-2 last Wednesday after opening the season by vanquishing the Mallards by the same score on October 14.

Red Light District

The Mallards have been outscored 27-10 over the course of their six-game losing streak. The Mallards are now tied for ninth in the ECHL in goals against per game (3.0) and rank twenty-second in the ECHL in goal scoring (2.9 per game). The Mallards scored three goals last night after producing two goals or fewer in each of their prior five games. The Mallards have scored no more than three times in each of their last eight games. The Mallards have allowed at least four goals in four of their last five games after surrendering four or more six times in their prior 30 outings.

Double Century

The Mallards last night reached both 100 goals scored and 100 goals allowed this season. They have now scored exactly one hundred times this season. Jenys' second period goal last night brought the Mallards to the century mark. Bryn Chyzyk's first period opener was the one hundredth goal the Mallards have surrendered. They have given up a total of 105 goals.

Rapid-Fire

By scoring 22 seconds apart in the second period last night, Panzarella- who buried the puck at 6:24- and Jenys- who cut the Mallards' deficit to 4-3 at 6:46- matched the team season best for fastest two goals first set by Dylan Labbe (2:15 of the third period) and Parks (2:37), who scored in a span of 22 seconds on December 10 in a 4-3 Mallard overtime win in Cincinnati.

Explosive Fuel

Panzarella and Jenys last night provided those rapid-fire Mallard goals minutes after the Fuel produced a pair in even quicker succession. Indy's Josh Shalla snapped a 1-1 tie 58 seconds into the second period; just 18 seconds later, at the 1:16 mark, Guptill stretched the gap to 3-1. The Fuel would go on to make it three goals in two minutes and 17 seconds when Paul Zanette scored at 3:15 of the second.

Home Sweet Home

The Mallards have lost their last three home games. Last night's loss dropped the Mallards to .500 (7-7-2) on home ice this season. The Mallards tonight play the second game of a four-game homestand.

On the Road

The Mallards have lost their last three away games. The Mallards' road record (11-8-0) is better than their home record.

Third

The Mallards have been outscored 12-1 in the third period over their last five games.

Brady's Bunch

Brady Brassart has picked up assists in each of his last three games and has recorded seven points (two goals and five assists) in his last seven games.

On the Plus Side

Kevin Gibson is tied for sixth in the ECHL in plus/minus rating (+18).

Between the Pipes

C.J. Motte last night allowed a season high five goals and made 28 saves. Motte ranks third in the ECHL in save percentage (.927), ranks fifth in goals against average (2.39) and is tied for ninth in wins (11).

Milestones

Mike Wilson has 198 career regular season assists...Sam Warning has played 99 career games.

Power Play

The Mallards have failed to convert their last 19 power plays and have gone without a power play goal in each of their last six games. Alex Petan scored the Mallards' last power play goal at 3:39 of the third period of the Mallards' December 30 win over Missouri. The Mallards have scored once in their last 28 power plays and have produced two goals on their last 36 advantages. The Mallards rank twenty-first in the ECHL on the power play (13.2 percent).

Penalty Killing

The Mallards have allowed five goals on their opponents' last 17 power plays but did kill off both Indy advantages last night. The Mallards rank fifteenth in the ECHL in penalty killing (83.6 percent).

Head-to-Head

The Mallards have dropped six of their first seven meetings with the Komets this season. The Mallards have gone 0-3-0 at home against Fort Wayne. The two clubs will meet a total of 12 times. All-time, the Mallards have gone 51-55-11 against Fort Wayne

Ins and Outs

The Mallards released forward John Siemer today...The Mallards signed forward Sebastian Geoffrion to a standard player contract yesterday...Forward Chris Francis returned to the Mallards' lineup last night after missing three games (lower body injury)...Forward Sam Warning missed last night's game (upper body injury)...Forward Nolan LaPorte has missed the Mallards' last two games (lower body injury)...Forward Michael Parks has missed the Mallards' last three games (upper body injury)...Defenseman Mike Wilson has missed the Mallards' last 13 games (upper body injury)...The Mallards released goaltender Tanner Milliron Thursday...Goaltender C.J. Motte Wednesday was released from a professional tryout agreement by Charlotte (AHL) and rejoined the Mallards after signing a PTO with Charlotte January 3.

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