Mallards take control at home

Published on January 26, 2004 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Quad City Mallards News Release


Moline, IL – With nearly two-thirds of their remaining regular season games on home ice, the Quad City Mallards are beginning to establish their dominance at The MARK of the Quad Cities. The Ducks have gone 4-0-1 and scored an average of 6.2 goals per game in their last five home contests. The Mallards will stretch their current homestand to four games this week. They play host to the Kalamazoo Wings on College Night Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., then will welcome the Rockford IceHogs to The MARK of the Quad Cities for FFA and 4-H Night on Friday at 7:00 p.m. Quad City visits Muskegon on Saturday.

LAST WEEK (2-1-1):

· Wednesday, Jan. 21 – (at) Rockford IceHogs 5, Quad City Mallards 3

· Friday, Jan. 23 – Quad City Mallards 4, (at) Missouri River Otters 2

· Saturday, Jan. 24 – Muskegon Fury 5, (at) Quad City Mallards 4 (shootout)

· Sunday, Jan. 25 – (at) Quad City Mallards 8, Port Huron Beacons 5

THIS WEEK (All times Central):

· College Night

Wednesday, Jan. 28 – 7:00 p.m. – Kalamazoo Wings at Quad City Mallards

· FFA and 4-H Night

Friday, Jan. 30 – 7:00 p.m. – Rockford IceHogs at Quad City Mallards

· Saturday, Jan. 31 – 6:40 p.m. – Quad City Mallards at Muskegon Fury

Standings

At 24-14-3 (.622), with 51 points, the Mallards are in third place in the overall UHL standings and in the Western Conference, nine points behind the first-place Muskegon Fury (28-11-4, 60 points), with two games in hand. Quad City is four points behind second-place Fort Wayne (26-11-3, 55 points), with the Komets holding a game in hand. The Mallards are six points ahead of last season's pace, when through 41 games, they were 19-15-7 (.549), with 45 points.

Franchise Records Tied

· RW Hugo Proulx on Sunday tied the all-time Mallards franchise record with his 29th game-winning goal in regular season play. Glenn Stewart also had 29.

· D Freddy Jobin on Saturday scored his fourth career shorthanded goal in Mallards regular season play, equaling the team record for defensemen set by Brian LaFleur.

All-Rookie Selections?

C Jon Francisco, F Lanny Gare, D Jason Cannon, and F Drew Otten are making strong cases for selection to the UHL All-Rookie Team:

· Among the UHL rookies, Francisco is tied for the lead with 14 goals, five power play goals, a +13 plus/minus rating, and a .184 shooting percentage. He is tied for third with 27 points and nine power play points.

· Gare has played just 26 of the 41 Mallards games after spending time with Hershey (AHL). Still, he is tied for second among UHL rookies with 18 assists and tied for third with 27 points.

· Cannon is tied with Francisco for the rookie lead with a +13 plus/minus rating. Among active rookie defensemen, he is second to Muskegon's Trevor Johnson with 13 points scored.

· Otten has terrorized opposing players with devastating body checks, while contributing offensively with six goals and 12 assists for 18 points. His point total ranks 12th among the league's first-year players.

Personnel

· C Martin Hlinka recalled by Hershey Bears (AHL), a Mallards affiliate, 1/26

· C Patrick Nadeau placed on 10-day injured reserve 1/25 (effective 1/24)

· D Terry Hollinger moved from 10-day to 21-day injured reserve 1/25 (effective 1/7)

· F/D Brad Essex activated from 7-day injured reserve 1/25

· C Charlie Stephens, on recall to Hershey Bears (AHL), a Mallards affiliate, was traded to the Binghamton Senators (AHL) for F Dennis Bonvie 1/23

· F/D Brad Essex placed on 7-day injured reserve 1/19 (effective 1/16)

· D Kerry Toporowski remains on 21-day injured reserve (effective 12/21)

· RW Steve Gibson remains on 21-day injured reserve (effective 12/14)

· LW Rob Voltera remains on recall to Hershey Bears (AHL), a Mallards affiliate (effective 12/2)

· D Louis Robitaille remains on recall to Portland Pirates (AHL), a Mallards affiliate (effective 10/28)

Team Leaders (UHL Ranking)

Goals 26 RW Jason Sessa (tied for fourth)

Assists 20 C Martin Hlinka, D Tom Menicci

Points 39 C Martin Hlinka, RW Jason Sessa

Plus/Minus +13 C Jason Cannon, C Jon Francisco

Penalty Min. 126 F/D Brad Essex

PP Goals 7 C Martin Hlinka

SH Goals 4 RW Jason Sessa, C Jeff Williams (tied for second)

GW Goals 6 RW Jason Sessa (first)

Shots on Goal 143 C Jeff Williams

Shooting Pct. .213 C Martin Hlinka (third)

Wins 19 G Jeff Reynaert (third)

Goals Against 2.78 G Jeff Reynaert (fourth)

Save Pct. .915 G Jeff Reynaert (third)

Future Home Games

· Sunday, Feb. 8, 4:00 p.m. vs. Flint Generals – Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday

· Saturday, Feb. 14, 7:00 p.m. vs. Muskegon Fury

· Sunday, Feb. 15, 4:00 p.m. vs. Adirondack IceHawks – Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday

· Friday, Feb. 20, 7:00 p.m. vs. Adirondack IceHawks – Grab for cash in the Sunset Lakes Resort Cash Machine

· Sunday, Feb. 22, 4:00 p.m. vs. Missouri River Otters – Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday

Hlinka Back to AHL

C Martin Hlinka, tied for the team lead in assists and points as he comes back from missing a season and a half with injury, has returned to the American Hockey League with his Monday callup by the Hershey Bears, a Mallards affiliate. Hlinka played for the Portland Pirates during 2000-01 and 2001-02 before being sidelined by injury. He was a UHL All-Rookie performer with the Mallards in 1999-00 and helped them win the Colonial Cup Championship Series in 2001.

Streaking

· C Martin Hlinka has seven assists in the last three games and 14 points (4g, 10a) in the last nine.

· F Lanny Gare has scored at least one point in six straight games (4g, 5a, 9pts).

· C Jeff Williams has scored at least one point in six straight games (7g, 1a, 8pts).

· RW Hugo Proulx has seven points (2g, 5a) in the last six games.

Last Week's Games

Wednesday, Jan. 21 – (at) Rockford IceHogs 5, Mallards 3

The Mallards played a strong game most of the way, but allowed three goals in a 2:12 span late in the first period. Rockford's Donnie Margettie (three goals, one assist) and Steve Cygan (two goals) accounted for the Rockford scoring. It was the second straight game vs. the IceHogs in which the Mallards allowed a hat trick, after not having given one up all season long. Rookie F's Drew Otten and Lanny Gare and D Tom Menicci scored for Quad City, which outshot the IceHogs, 43-35. RW Jason Sessa left in the first period with an injury and did not return.

Friday, Jan. 23 – Mallards 4, (at) Missouri River Otters 2

The Mallards took a 2-0 lead on the strength of a 17-6 shots edge in the first period, then held off the pesky River Otters. Jeff Williams' rebound goal 3:11 into the game produced a 1-0 advantage. D Tom Menicci scored on a power play for the two-goal lead. After Missouri scored early in the second, Williams got his second goal on a wrist shot from the high slot to make it 3-1. Missouri cut it to 3-2 early in the third, but the Mallards clinched it on a Lanny Gare to Hugo Proulx to Jon Francisco tic-tac-toe play for the final goal with 3:36 left. D Matt Libby and C Martin Hlinka each had two assists. Menicci added an assist for a two-point night.

Saturday, Jan. 24 – Muskegon Fury 5, (at) Mallards 4 (shootout)

The Mallards tied a team season-high with 53 shots on goal and a season-best by holding their opponent to 23 shots. But Quad City was 0-for-10 on the power play, including three 5-on-3 advantages. Muskegon went up 1-0 early in the first period. Then D Matt Libby picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, carried it in front of the net and scored unassisted to tie it at 9:13. Lanny Gare gave the Mallards a 2-1 lead early in the second. The Fury tied it, then Freddy Jobin's shorthanded goal, on a feed from Jason Sessa, gave the Ducks the lead back at 3-2 after two. The Fury scored twice in 2:07 midway through the third to take a 4-3 lead. Jeff Williams scored shorthanded to tie it with 1:38 left when his wide-angle shot caromed off D Garry Toor's skate into the Fury net.

Sunday, Jan. 25 – Port Huron Beacons

The Mallards tied a UHL season-high with five second-period goals. The scoring outburst turned a 1-0 deficit at the start of the period to a 5-3 lead at second intermission. The Mallards stretched it to 7-3 early in the third to seal the victory. C Jeff Williams and RW Hugo Proulx each scored twice. C Martin Hlinka set a team season-high with four assists. Rookie F Lanny Gare had a goal and two assists. D Andy Fermoyle, F Drew Otten, and C Jon Francisco each added two assists, while D's Tom Menicci and Dylan Mills each had a goal, and RW Jason Sessa scored his team-high 26th of the season. Gare and Williams scored shorthanded, giving Quad City four shorthanded goals in the last two games.

This Week's Games (All times Central)

College Night

Wednesday, Jan. 28, 7:00 p.m. – Kalamazoo Wings at Quad City Mallards

Series: The Mallards are 2-3-0 vs. the Wings in 2003-04, with both wins coming in shootouts.

The Wings (19-12-6) have won their last four games as they chase the Mallards for third place in the Western Conference. All-Star G Chad Alban has allowed just seven goals (1.75 per game) with a .936 save percentage in the four victories. Kalamazoo leads the UHL both in shots on goal (34.9 per game) and shots allowed (26.4 per game). Newcomer LW Nick Bootland, obtained after Columbus suspended operations, has scored seven points (2g, 5a) in six games with the Wings. RW Joe Ritson, obtained in a trade with Missouri for Andrew Long, has eight points (2g,6a) in eight games for Kalamazoo. F Jeff Turner leads the team with 26 goals, while RW Marty Flichel and LW Andrew Luciuk are tied for the lead with 23 assists each.

FFA and 4-H Night

Friday, Jan. 30, 7:00 p.m. – Rockford IceHogs at Quad City Mallards

Series: The Mallards are 4-2-2 vs. the IceHogs in 2003-04.

The IceHogs (17-23-2) have been outscored 12-3 in dropping their last two decisions – to Missouri and Kalamazoo – since their 5-3 win over Quad City last Wednesday. They have won two straight over the Mallards, including a 4-2 decision on Jan. 16. Only two players have scored hat tricks against Quad City this season, Rockford's Justin Cardwell on Jan. 16 and the Hogs' Donnie Margettie last Wednesday. D Nathan Lutz, back from an extended stint in the AHL, has earned a +9 plus/minus rating to lead the team. C Steve Cygan is tops with 15 goals, while Margettie leads with 19 assists and 29 points. Ex-Mallards D Bob Nardella has scored 22 points (4g, 18a) in 26 games since signing with Rockford.

Saturday, Jan. 31, 6:40 p.m. – Quad City Mallards at Muskegon Fury

Series: The Mallards are 2-3-1 vs. the Fury in 2003-04.

The Fury (28-11-4) have scored at least five goals in five of the six meetings with the Mallards. Muskegon's standout line has done much of the damage, with RW Robin Bouchard (5g, 5a, 10pts), LW Brant Blackned (4g, 6a, 10pts), and C Todd Robinson (1g, 7a, 8pts) each averaging more than a point per game. Bouchard leads the UHL with 37 goals and 70 points. Robinson leads with 51 assists and is second with 60 points. Blackned is tied for third with 37 assists and 59 points. During the season series, the Mallards have outscored the Fury 10-5 in the first period, but Muskegon has the edge in the second period, 10-7, and in the third, 12-5. Despite going 0-for-10 on the power play in Saturday's 5-4 shootout loss, Quad City has successfully converted 25.7% (9-of-35) opportunities against the Fury this season.

AHL/NHL Update

C Charlie Stephens was traded by the Colorado Avalanche (NHL) organization to the Ottawa Senators (NHL) organization for veteran enforcer Dennis Bonvie, who is now playing for the Hershey Bears (AHL). Stephens scored a goal in his first game with Ottawa's AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators. Here are the stats of the three 2003-04 Mallards players currently on callups to AHL teams:

GP G A PTS +- SHOTS PIM

Charlie Stephens Hershey-Bing. 33 6 9 15 -1 59 21

Rob Voltera Hershey 25 1 1 2 -5 19 30

Louis Robitaille Portland 31 0 2 2 -1 30 67

Former Mallard Jason Ulmer has scored a point in three straight games and now ranks second on the Portland Pirates in assists and points. Cam Severson earned his second career callup to the NHL's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim after leading the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (AHL) in penalty minutes. The stats of ex-Mallards in the AHL and NHL:

GP G A PTS +- SHOTS PIM

Brendan Buckley Wilkes-Barre 41 2 4 6 +3 30 61

Jason Ulmer Portland 45 7 16 23 -6 87 10

Cam Severson Cincinnati 36 7 5 12 -2 66 139

Anaheim 4 0 0 0 -3 1 10

Milestone Watch (regular season play)

· RW Hugo Proulx has 199 goals as a Mallard. Glenn Stewart (218) is the only other Mallard to reach 200. Proulx on Sunday tied Stewart's all-time franchise record of 29 game-winning goals.

· D Freddy Jobin tied Brian LaFleur's career Mallards record for shorthanded goals by a defenseman when he scored his fourth on Saturday. Jobin's next goal will even him with LaFleur for second place all-time with 37 goals by a defenseman. Rick Emmett holds the franchise record with 48.

Player of the Week

C Jeff Williams is the Mallards' nominee for Sher-Wood UHL Player of the Week. He extended his point-scoring streak to six games by scoring five goals and adding an assist for a six-point week in four games. He also compiled a +6 plus/minus rating for the week. He earned an assist and fired eight shots on goal in Wednesday's 5-3 loss at Rockford. He scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, in Friday's 4-2 win at Missouri. Williams scored the game-tying shorthanded goal with 1:38 left in Saturday's 5-4 shootout loss to Muskegon. He wrapped up the week with another two-goal performance in Sunday's 8-5 win over Port Huron.

Goaltender of the Week

G Jeff Reynaert is the Mallards' nominee for UHL Goaltender of the Week. He played three of the four games last week, going 1-1-1 with a 3.34 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage. He made 30 saves while allowing four goals in Wednesday's 5-3 loss at Rockford. He stopped 28-of-30 shots in Friday's 4-2 win at Missouri, and made 19 saves in Saturday's 5-4 shootout loss to Muskegon. Reynaert ranks in the top four in the UHL in wins, saves, minutes, goals-against average, and save percentage.

Tickets on sale now!

Tickets for all Mallards home games are available at The MARK of the Quad Cities box office, at all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (563) 326-1111, and online by following the Tickets link at www.qcmallards.com.

Duck Talk

Scheduled guests on the next Duck Talk, Monday, Feb. 2, are Brad Essex, Lanny Gare, and Freddy Jobin. The weekly radio show is at the Black Bear Lounge, inside The Lodge Hotel, on Utica Ridge Rd. at Spruce Hills Dr. in Bettendorf. Meet the players, get autographs, and ask questions they and Coach Paul Gillis will answer on the live broadcast. Duck Talk airs live on Fox Sports Radio 1230 (WFXN-AM) and on www.qcmallards.com.

On The Air

Hear all Mallards games live on Fox Sports Radio 1230 (WFXN-AM), beginning with the Pre-Game Show 30 minutes before the opening face-off. The live broadcast concludes with the Allstate Insurance Post-Game Show, presented by the Polly McDowell and Del Newton agencies, featuring play-by-play highlights including the Allstate Good Hands Play of the Game. The broadcasts can also be heard through the Mallards web site, www.qcmallards.com.

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from January 26, 2004


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