Mallards Weekly Update: January 24

January 24, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


THIS WEEK

Wednesday, January 26, 7:05 p.m.

i wireless Center, Moline, Illinois

Rapid City Rush vs. Quad City Mallards

Friday, January 28, 7:35 p.m.

Swonder Ice Arena, Evansville, Indiana

Quad City Mallards vs. Evansville IceMen

Sunday, January 30, 4:05 p.m.

i wireless Center, Moline, Illinois

Missouri Mavericks vs. Quad City Mallards

Quad City

Rapid City

Evansville

Missouri

22-17-0 (44 points)

19-17-4 (42 points)

14-21-5 (33 points)

20-14-4 (44 points)

Tied 2nd place, Turner Conf.

7th place, Turner Conf.

8th place, Turner Conf.

Tied 2nd place, Turner Conf.

Coach: Frank Anzalone

Coach: Joe Ferras

Coach: Rich Kromm

Coach: Scott Hillman

RECENT ACTION

Quad City

Rapid City

Evansville

Missouri

Mon., Jan. 17

Tue., Jan. 18

Wed., Jan. 19

Mon., Jan. 17

Wic. 3 QC 2

Col. 3 RC 1

Eva. 3 Col. 2

Day. 2 Msr. 1

Fri., Jan. 21

Fri., Jan. 21

Fri., Jan. 21

Wed., Jan. 19

QC 3 Col. 2

RC 6 Eva. 3

RC 6 Eva. 3

Msr. 5 FW 4

Sat., Jan. 22

Sat., Jan. 22

Sat., Jan. 22

Fri., Jan. 21

Col. 2 QC 1

Eva. 4 RC. 2

Eva. 4 RC. 2

Wic. 4 Msr. 3 (SO)

Sat., Jan. 22

Wic.4 Msr. 0

QUACK TRACKS

Tight at the Top

The Mallards are locked in a four-way tie for second place in the Central Hockey League's Turner Conference- with Wichita, Colorado and Missouri- just two points behind conference-leading Bloomington.

The top seven teams in the conference are separated by just four points.

Climbing

While the Mallards did drop two of their three games last week, Quad City is 8-3-0 in its last 11 games.

Home Sweet Home

So far, the Mallards have gone 3-2-0 on a six-game homestand that concludes with Wednesday night's match-up against Rapid City.

Close Calls

The Mallards have played six straight one-goal games, a stretch during which they have gone 4-2-0.

The Mallards have gone 13-8-0 in one-goal contests this season.

The Flock has collected more one-goal victories than any other team in the league.

Only the Dayton Gems and Missouri Mavericks have played as many one-goal games (21) as the Mallards.

Comebacks

The Mallards came from behind in each of their last three wins and six times in their last eight victories.

On the season, the Mallards have trailed at some point in 11 of their 22 victories.

Defensive

The Mallards have given up a league-best average of 2.7 goals per game this season.

In its last six games, the Flock has surrendered just 12 goals.

Kelly Exits

The Mallards today waived forward Paul Kelly.

Kelly scored three goals and totaled four points in 16 games with Quad City.

Who Are Those Masked Men

The Mallards' Adam Russo leads the league in save percentage (.932) and ranks second in goals against average (2.43).

Teammate David Brown is tied for the league lead in shutouts (3), ranks third in save percentage (.925) and ranks fourth in goals against average (2.50).

In addition, Brown is riding a hot streak that has seen him post a 1.52 goals against average and a .955 save percentage while giving up just nine goals in his last six games.

Welcome Back

Right wing Tyler Shelast last Saturday night returned to the lineup from injured reserve (lower body injury) and scored the Mallards' only goal in the Flock's loss to Colorado.

Shelast is the last of the four Mallards who were injured in the Flock's December 23 game at Missouri to return to the lineup and like each of the other three- Mike McLean, Brandon Marino and Adam Russo- he made a significant contribution upon his return.

Marino has collected three assists and posted a plus/minus rating of +3 in four games since reentering the fray, McLean has produced five points in five games since coming back and Russo stopped 79 of the 85 shots he saw in his first two games back.

I Will Survive

The Mallards went 9-3-0 in the twelve games they played without at least one of Marino, McLean, Shelast and Russo.

G-Man

Center Eric Giosa (18-12-30) has now scored seven times and totaled 12 points in his last ten games.

Special Teams

The Mallards have failed to score on their last 22 power plays and have gone 1-for-31 on the advantage over their last six games.

Quad City now ranks eighth in the CHL on the power play (17.9 percent).

Even after allowing a Colorado power play goal last Saturday, the Mallards have given up just two goals on their last 40 penalty kills.

The Flock ranks fourth in penalty killing (84.6 percent).

Ins and Outs

Right wing Tyler Shelast returned from 30-day injured reserve (lower body injury) last Saturday against Colorado...Forward/defenseman Tyler Townsend missed last Saturday's game because of a toe injury.

Rapid City

The Rush is in seventh place in the Turner Conference, but is only four points behind first place Bloomington...The Rush has lost five of its six games since the All-Star break.

Rapid City entered the All-Star break in first place...The Rush last weekend split a pair of home games with Evansville...Ryan Menei (21-29-50) is tied for seventh in the league in goals and points...Danny Battochio (14-15-4, 2.98, .897) is tied for fourth among goaltenders in wins (14) and ranks second in minutes played (1890:48)...Wednesday's game is the fourth and final meeting between the Mallards and Rush this season.

The Flock has won two of the first three.

Quad City came from behind to win the last get together between the two clubs 4-3 on January 14 at the i wireless Center.

Evansville

The IceMen went 2-1-0 on the road last week.

Evansville won 3-2 at Colorado last Wednesday, fell 6-3 to Rapid City last Friday and defeated the Rush 4-2 last Saturday...The IceMen have gone 4-3-0 in their last seven games after going without a win in their prior six outings (0-4-2) and winning just one of 13 games (1-9-3) between December 4 and January 5...Evansville is two points ahead of last place Fort Wayne in the race for the eighth and final Turner Conference playoff spot.

The IceMen have played four more games than the Komets...Evansville ranks second to last in the league in goals allowed per game (3.7)...The IceMen have played eight of their last ten games on the road...Evansville's Nicklas Lindberg (12-35-47) ranks sixth in the CHL in assists and tenth in points...The Mallards have gone 4-3-0 against the IceMen this season.

Missouri

The Mavericks went 1-2-1 last week.

The Mavs lost 2-1 at Dayton last Monday and bounced back to win 5-4 in Fort Wayne last Wednesday before dropping both ends of a home-and-home series with Wichita last weekend.

Missouri did earn one point for last Friday's 4-3 home shootout loss to the Thunder.

Last Saturday Missouri was shutout 4-0 by Wichita...The Mavericks allow just 2.8 goals per game- the third lowest average in the league...Power play goals can sometimes be hard to come by when Missouri takes the ice.

The Mavericks lead the league in penalty killing (85.8 percent) but rank second to last in power play efficiency (14.4 percent)...Missouri last week acquired forward Sean Muncy (14-17-31) from Rio Grande Valley.

Muncy has recorded more points this season than any other player on the Maverick roster.

Nick Sirota (14-16-30) leads the way in points produced in a Missouri uniform this season...Robby Nolan (14-8-3, 2.34, .915) leads CHL netminders in goals against average and is tied for fourth in wins.

The Mallards and Mavericks have split their first four meetings.

The teams last got together on January 1 when Obi Aduba scored with one second left in regulation to give the Mallards a 3-2 win in Independence.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES

Wednesday, January 16- Mallards vs. Rapid City Rush

Games for Goals

Students from participating area schools who have achieved objectives set by their teachers as part of the Mallards' Games for Goals receive two free tickets apiece to Wednesday night's game.

Sunday, January 30- Mallards vs. Missouri Mavericks

Family Day Presented by APAC Customer Services, Inc., and Mix 96

Fans can purchase four tickets, four hot dogs and four soft drinks for the Mallards' final Sunday Family Day of the season for just $34.

Skate with the Mallards

Fans can bring their skates and join all of their favorite players on the ice after Sunday's game.

Post-Game Event

Van's Pizza, Pub & Grill, 3333 N. Harrison, Davenport

After Sunday's game, fans will have the chance to meet all of their favorite Mallards at the team's post-game event at Van's in Davenport.

TICKETS

Single Game Tickets

Tickets for all Mallards regular season home games 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.

Group Tickets

Groups of at least ten can receive savings off the walk-up price and a host of other great group benefits when purchasing Mallards tickets.

Mallard group tickets are a great fit for youth organizations, friends, co-workers, family groups, religious groups, school functions and business events.

For more group ticket information, fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 and tickets@myqcmallards.com.

Mini Plans

Mallard mini plans are also available to meet any budget or schedule.

For more information on ticket packages fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364.

ON THE AIR

Mallards Hockey Presented by Genesis Power Sports Performance

Fans can listen to all the action of Mallards Hockey Presented by Genesis Power Sports Performance this week and throughout the season on 93.9 WYEC-FM and on www.myqcmallards.com.

Coverage starts with the Mallards Pre-Game Show Presented by Genesis Sports Medicine 30 minutes before opening faceoff.

Live pay-per-view video webcasts of Mallards action are also available at www.myqcmallards.com courtesy of CHL-TV.

Between the Pipes

"Between the Pipes," the Mallards' weekly television show, has returned on Mediacom's MC22 channel for the 2010-11 season.

New editions of "Between the Pipes" air each Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. and are rebroadcast several times each week.

Full weekly listings of "Between the Pipes" broadcast times can be found throughout the season on MC22's website, www.mc22.net.

The program features a condensed version of the Mallards' Game of the Week interspersed with interviews with Mallards Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Frank Anzalone and Mallards players, updates on the Mallards' activities in the community and more.



Central Hockey League Stories from January 24, 2011


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