Mallards Outgun Bloomington 6-4 in Preseason Tilt

October 9, 2010 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. - The host Quad City Mallards of the "AA" Central Hockey League scored four power play goals and Quad City's Patrik Levesque and Joel Gasper provided one goal and one assist apiece as the Mallards dropped the Bloomington PrairieThunder 6-4 in preseason action Saturday night.

Levesque's power play goal at 17:19 of the second period gave the Mallards a 5-3 lead and would prove to be the game winner.

Darren McMillan struck just 25 seconds into the third period to extend the lead to 6-3. While Bill Bagron's unassisted goal just over three minutes later narrowed the gap to two, the PrairieThunder would get no closer.

The Mallards spent better than 55 minutes of the 60 minute contest in the lead. Phil Axtell's point blank power play goal put Quad City on top 1-0 at 4:21 of the first period and the Mallards never relinquished the advantage. The Flock was again on the power play when Eric Giosa's blast stretched the margin to 2-0 at 14:00 of the first. Aaron Dawson got Bloomington on the scoreboard one minute and forty-one seconds later. However, Tyler Townsend's man advantage goal 64 seconds into the second period would re-establish the Mallards' two goal cushion.

Bloomington again responded when Brett Holmberg buried a power play goal at 9:33 of the second to make the score 3-2. 20 seconds later Gasper would reply in turn. The Mallards' second year forward potted Quad City's first even strength goal unassisted.

At 12:30 of the second Bloomington cut the Mallard lead to a single goal for a third time when Jamie Lovell scored on the advantage to make it 4-3, but Levesque's goal just under five minutes later would stand up as the decider at the end of the evening.

The Mallards will raise the curtain on their first CHL regular season on home ice Saturday, October 16, at 7:05 p.m. against the Odessa Jackalopes. Opening night, presented by Edwards Creative, 97X and News 8, will feature not only the Mallards in action on the ice, but also a pregame Fan Fest outside the i wireless Center beginning at 4:30 p.m. Fans attending pregame festivities will be treated to a concert by Tom Petty tribute band Free Fallin as well as a beer garden, food, games, kids' activities and autographed prize giveaways. In addition, all fans attending the opener will receive a free Mallards schedule poster courtesy of Edwards Creative, 97X and News 8. Admission to Fan Fest is free with the purchase of a ticket to the opener.

Tickets for each of the Mallards' 33 regular season home games- including the opener- are available in person at the i wireless Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000. The ticket office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days other than Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until the end of the first period. On Sundays on which the Mallards play at home the ticket office will be open from 1:00 p.m. until the end of the first period. Individual game tickets are available for $10 in the upper level and $15 in the lower level.

Mallards season tickets and mini plans are also still available to meet any budget or schedule. For more information on ticket packages for the upcoming season, fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364.



Central Hockey League Stories from October 9, 2010


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