Mallards Sign Rookies Jory and Effinger

Published on September 27, 2012 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. (September 27, 2012) - The Quad City Mallards of the "AA" Central Hockey League today announced they have signed goaltender Kurt Jory and forward Eddie Effinger. Per club policy, no contract terms were announced.

Jory, 25, went 12-13-0 with a 3.28 goals against average and a .871 save percentage in 25 games while serving as team captain for Brock University in Ontario last season. The Brandon, Manitoba native made a remarkable return to the ice with Brock for the 2010-11 season after suffering a severed artery in his neck during a November, 2008 game.

"Kurt's not only a solid goaltender but also a leader and someone who's good in the locker room," said Mallards coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski. "It takes a lot to overcome the kind of injury he had especially because something like that stays with you, so he's shown a strong will and strong mind to overcome that. He just wants a chance to show what he can do on the ice and we're happy to give him that chance."

The 6' 1", 185-pound Jory posted a 2.96 goals against average and a .890 save percentage while going 30-36-0 over three seasons at Brock. His 2010-11 comeback campaign proved so successful that Jory was named the Badgers' Most Valuable Player for the second time after going 12-14-0 in 27 games with a 2.84 goals against average and a .899 save percentage. He first earned team MVP honors in his first year at Brock, a season that saw Jory set a school single season record by turning in a 2.63 goals against average.

Jory enrolled at Brock after spending four seasons in the Canadian junior ranks with the Neepawa Natives of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, the Brandon Wheat Kings of the major junior Western Hockey League and the Langley Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League.

Effinger, 24, last season scored 11 goals and totaled 21 points in 23 games while captaining Amherst College to a New England Small College Athletic Conference title and the school's first ever berth in NCAA Division III Frozen Four.

"Eddie's a promising young player who's coming off a strong college career where he was a key contributor to a winning program," said Ruskowski. "He's also another guy who's shown really good leadership qualities. Good two-way players like him are an important part of any team."

Effinger, a 5' 9", 175-pound Belleville, Illinois, native, scored 38 goals and produced 77 points in 97 games over his four years at Amherst. Last year marked the second time during Effinger's college career that he and the Lord Jeffs claimed both the NESCAC title and an NCAA tournament bid. Amherst also accomplished the feat in 2008-09.

Eddie Effinger also boasts strong hockey bloodlines- he is the younger brother of goaltender Charlie Effinger, who signed with the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets this offseason after competing against the Mallards for the Missouri Mavericks last year.

2012-13 Mallards season tickets as well as the Mallards' new Partial Punch Plan are on sale now. The Mallards offer ticket packages to meet any budget, including youth season tickets now available for as little at $165. The Partial Punch Plan provides flexibility and affordability- each Punch Plan punch card can be redeemed for ten tickets- whether those tickets are for ten different games, all for the same game or anything in between- subject to availability. Partial Punch Plans can be had for as little as $70 for youth 12 and under. For more ticket package information, fans can call the Mallards at 309-277-1364.

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Central Hockey League Stories from September 27, 2012


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