Mallards Voted CHL's Hardest Working Team in "Best of Best" Poll

Published on March 15, 2012 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. (March 15, 2012) - The Quad City Mallards have been voted the Central Hockey League's hardest working team in the CHL's "Best of the Best" poll and have also been recognized for their accomplishments in a host of other categories in the annual survey of the league's players, coaches and operations staff, the Mallards announced today in conjunction with the CHL.

Coach David Bell's Mallards have gone 34-24-2 and totaled 70 points this season on the way to taking top honors in the "Hardest Working" category. In addition, the Mallards also saw forward Jared Brown voted the league's best rookie while teammate Eric Giosa was named the most underrated player in the CHL. Brown, in turn, was voted second most underrated. The Mallards' Brandon Marino was voted the second best player in the CHL on the power play while Giosa finished third in that category. Marino was also rated the third fastest skater in the league. Mallard provocateur Jason Kostadine was voted the third-most annoying skater in the CHL.

Brown leads rookies in points (62) and assists (38) and ranks third among first year players in goals (24). Giosa ranks sixth in the league in goals (27), assists (40) and points (67) and ranks second in power play goals (11). Marino is the league leader in power play goals (12) and total goals (38), ranks second in points (84), is tied for second shorthanded goals (3) and ranks fourth in assists (46). Kostadine, who has produced five goals and 17 points this season, is tied for the league lead in penalty minutes (182) and ranks second in major penalties (16).

The accolades directed toward the Mallards were not limited to the playing roster. The team's booster club was ranked second, while the widely-adored Mo Mallard was voted the third best mascot in the league.

A summary of "Best of the Best" poll results, including the top three vote-getters in 50 different categories, can be found in The Examiner of Independence, Missouri. The full listing of top finishers in each category can also be found at centralhockeyleague.com.

The Mallards will retire the number of Mallards great Steve Gibson and celebrate 15 seasons of Mallards hockey and all-time attendance reaching 3.5 million fans with Mallards Milestone Weekend this Friday and Saturday.

Mallards Milestone Weekend will kick off when the Mallards host the Wichita Thunder at 7:05 p.m. Friday night. The first 2,000 fans through the doors for Friday's tilt will receive free Mallards rally towels. After that game, fans will be able to join Mallards alumni on the ice for a post-game skate.

Gibson's number 55 will be raised to the rafters prior to the Mallards' 7:05 p.m. match-up with the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees Saturday evening. A special autograph session featuring Mallard alumni will be held before that game in the i wireless Center lobby from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. In addition, fans attending Saturday night's contest are encouraged to join in a "Green Out for Gibby" by wearing green to that game.

Single game tickets for all three remaining Mallards regular season home contests- including this weekend's games- are 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.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2012


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