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Mallards' Marino Named Central Hockey League MVP

March 26, 2012 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. (March 26, 2012) - Quad City Mallards forward Brandon Marino has been named 2011-12 Central Hockey League Most Valuable Player, the Mallards announced today in conjunction with the CHL.

Marino, 25, enjoyed a breakout season during which he led the league with 41 goals and finished second with 90 points. Marino is the first Mallard since Luke Stauffacher (42) in 2006-07 to top 40 goals in a season and the first since Mike Kompon (90) in 2004-05 to reach the 90-point plateau. The 5' 9", 185-pound Riverside, California native also led the league in power play goals (13), ranked fourth in assists (49) and finished tied for fourth in shorthanded goals (3) and game winning goals (7) while also posting a plus/minus rating of +9. Marino was named to the All-CHL Team earlier this month.

"I'm truly honored to receive this award. On a personal level I'm proud of what I accomplished this season and this is just the icing on the cake," said Marino. "I'd like to thank [Mallards] coach [David] Bell for giving me the opportunity to prove what kind of player I could be. I'd really like to thank my teammates- it took all five guys who were on the ice with me every time I was out there and all 20 guys in the locker room to make this possible. A big thank you also goes to the fans of the Quad Cities for their great support during my three years here."

Marino earned 25 of the 50 MVP votes cast by CHL head coaches, team communications departments and media members- nearly twice as many as second place finisher Todd Robinson of Evansville, who received 13 votes.

"I couldn't be happier for Brandon and this recognition," said Bell. "He was able to have a career year yet still play within the structure of our hockey team. He was one of the hardest working and most focused players on a nightly basis, so this result is not all that surprising to me."

This is not the first time Marino has received league-wide recognition for his standout play this season. He was selected to start in January's CHL All-Star Game and was named MVP of the mid-season classic after scoring the winning goal and collecting three assists as the All-Stars defeated the host Arizona Sundogs.

Marino this year produced more goals and points than he had in his previous two seasons combined. He scored ten goals and produced 38 points in 58 games last year after totaling 13 goals and 44 points in his first professional campaign.

Marino was not only hugely productive but also remarkably consistent this season. Playing in all but one of the Mallards' 66 games, he twice recorded points in 13 straight games and went consecutive games without notching a point just once. He collected at least two points in a game 24 times, collected three or more points in 14 tilts and twice matched a team season high and personal career high by piling up four points in a game. He recorded his first career hat trick in the Mallards' 6-5 win over the Rush in Rapid City of February 25.

Due in no small part to Marino's considerable contributions, the Mallards, who went 37-27-2 and totaled 76 points, won more games, picked up more standings points and scored more goals- 230- this season than any Mallard team has since 2006-07. The Mallards, who finished in fifth place in the CHL's Turner Conference, ended the season as the second highest scoring team in the league.

Marino is the first Mallard to earn league MVP honors since the team arrived in the Quad Cities in 1995.

Before joining the Mallards, Marino helped Cinderella story Bemidji State to a berth in the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four. Marino scored seven goals and notched 19 points in 36 games in 2008-09 and rang up 15 goals and 51 points in 116 games over his four years as a Beaver. He played junior hockey for three seasons in the British Columbia and North American leagues before enrolling at BSU.

Mallards 2012-13 season tickets are now available; season tickets packages paid for in full by March 30 will be discounted 15 percent. The Mallards offer ticket packages to meet any budget, including youth season tickets now available for as little at $165. For more season ticket information, fans can call the Mallards at 309-277-1364.

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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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