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Mallards Surge Past Dayton 6-3

January 13, 2012 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. - Brandon Marino scored one goal and added two assists to key a balanced Quad City Mallard attack as the host Mallards defeated the Dayton Gems 6-3 Friday night in front of 5,874 fans- the largest crowd to attend a Mallard home game since March 20, 2010. With the win the Mallards took over sole possession of second place in the Central Hockey League's Turner Conference and reached 20 victories for the season.

"It was an unbelievable crowd and an unbelievable atmosphere," said Mallards coach and general manager David Bell. "That extra man, that crowd, they get you fired up, they get you going. They were huge tonight."

Six different players scored for the Mallards, who ripped off four of the game's last five goals to surge past the Gems. The Mallards produced a pair of goals in just over two minutes late in the second period to take a two-goal lead for a second time on the night after the Gems had battled from behind to even the score at two apiece earlier in the second. Marino gave Quad City a 3-2 lead from the doorstep at the 17 minute mark of the second and Darren McMillan scored from the slot to stretch the gap to 4-2 with just 49 seconds left in the period. Marino's goal put the Mallards in front for good while McMillan's proved to be the game winner. Eric Giosa set up McMillan's decider with a fine solo rush and would go on to finish the evening with three assists.

The Gems pulled back within one a mere minute in nine seconds into the third period when Brett Lutes's wrist shot sailed home through traffic. The Mallards, however, would protect the 4-3 lead deep into the third before putting Dayton away when first, Sean Flanagan banked the puck in off Gems goaltender Larry Sterling at 17:25, and then, Bob Preece fired the puck the length of the ice for an empty goal with just over a minute remaining.

The momentum swung back in the Mallards' direction over the second half of the contest only after the Gems had staged a two-goal rally of their own. Greg Labenski got Dayton on the scoreboard for the first time and narrowed what had been a 2-0 Quad City lead to single goal at 5:59 of the second period with a blast from the top of the left wing circle. David Nimmo then tied the game at 9:24 of the second by scoring a power play goal from the slot.

The Mallards had scored twice in a span of one minute and 42 seconds in the first period to jump out to that 2-0 lead. Jared Brown swooped into the slot to open the scoring at 8:25; at 10:07, Shane Lovdahl doubled the Quad City advantage with a drive from the left point

The Mallards wore special edition Central Hockey League twentieth anniversary jerseys during Friday night's game. A silent auction of those jerseys during Friday evening's tilt benefited the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley and the Central Hockey League Player Assistance Fund.

The Mallards and Gems meet again tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at the i wireless Center. The first 1,000 fans ages 12-and-under through the doors for tomorrow night's game will receive free Mallards youth replica jerseys courtesy of i wireless and Quad Cities YMCA.

Single game tickets for all Mallards regular season home contests- including tomorrow night's game- are now available. Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or tickets@myqcmallards.com for more information about tickets.

Single game tickets are also available at the i wireless Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free. The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period. Individual game tickets are available for $12 in the upper level and $17 in the lower level and $25 for the first row along the glass for adults. Tickets for kids 12 and under are available for $5 off adult rates. In addition, tickets are available to military personnel for $2 off the regular adult rate.



Central Hockey League Stories from January 13, 2012


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