Mallards Weekly Update

Published on November 11, 2009 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Quad City Mallards News Release


QUACK TRACKS

Flock Falls

The Mallards are winless in regulation (0-4-1) in their last five games. Quad City did halt a three game regulation losing streak by earning one point for last Saturday's overtime loss to Muskegon.

Business Picks Up

The Mallards this weekend play three games in three nights for the first time this season. This is the first of back-to-back weekends over which the Flock will play three games in three evenings. The Mallards will play three in three a total of ten times this season.

Red Light District

The Mallards have yet to score more than three goals in a game this season. The Flock surrendered a season high six goals in last Wednesday's loss at Bloomington and again in Sunday's setback in Flint. On the year Quad City scores 2.3 goals per game- fewest in the league- and gives up 3.8 per contest- most in the league.

Flock Firsts

Obi Aduba scored his first goal as a Mallard last Wednesday in Quad City's 6-3 loss at Bloomington. Chris Lipsett picked up his first Quad City point by recording an assist in that game.

Flock Firsts, Take 2

Lipsett scored his first Mallard goal with 14 seconds left in regulation to tie last Saturday's game and force the extra period. Domenic Maiani assisted on Lipsett's game tier, thus picking up his first point in a Quad City uniform while making his Mallard debut.

Triple Threat

Members of the line of Terry Harrison (4-4-8), Mike Zbriger (3-3-6) and Patrick Levesque (2-3-5) have scored four of the Mallards' last five goals and six of the team's last eight. On the season the trio has combined to produce nine of the Mallards' 14 goals and 50 percent (19 of 38) of the points recorded by the team.

Happy Harrison

Harrison was named IHL Player of the Week after piling up six points (three goals, three assists) in three games last week while also posting a plus/minus rating of +3. In total, Harrison either scored or assisted on four of the five goals the Mallards scored in their two games last weekend and played a role in six of the eight goals produced by the Flock over the three tilts it played on the week. Harrison is tied for sixth in the league in goals and leads the Mallards in goals, assists and points. Harrison has recorded two points in four of the Flock's first six outings this season.

Working Overtime

The Mallards last Saturday night went to overtime for the first time this season. It was the Flock's first regular season overtime game since the United Hockey League Mallards fell in a shootout to Flint 5-4 on Friday, April 6, 2007.

Isn't That Special (Teams)?

The Mallards rank last in the league on the power play (7.1 percent), having scored twice on 28 opportunities. Quad City has given up five power play goals (on 16 opponent power plays) over its last three games after not allowing a power play goal in its first three outings.

Connections

Zbriger played for Bloomington in 2006-07. He produced 17 goals and 38 points in 44 games with the PrairieThunder. Travis Granbois joined the Mallards in a trade with Bloomington earlier this month. Granbois scored 13 goals and totaled 38 points in 49 games with the PrairieThunder last season... goaltender Sebastien Laplante and defenseman Jay Holladay both played for the Komets last season. Holladay scored three goals and totaled 15 points in 57 games with Fort Wayne before being traded to Flint late in the 2008-09 campaign. In 16 games with the Komets last year, Laplante went 10-2-2-1 with a 3.13 goals against average, a .891 save percentage and one shutout.

Ins and Outs

Defenseman Matt Burke is out of the lineup after suffering a broken ankle in Sunday's game... Winger Juris Stals returned to the Mallards' lineup last Saturday against Muskegon after injury kept him out of the prior three games...the Mallards signed center Domenic Maiani last Friday...center Jean Desrochers last week announced his retirement.

SCOUTING REPORT

Fort Wayne

The Komets won their only game of last weekend in a shootout last Friday in Flint. Fort Wayne has now put together back-to-back wins and won four of its last five...P.C. Drouin (2-6-8) and Colin Chaulk (1-7-8) both recorded two points- a goal and an assist for Drouin and two assists for Chaulk- last Friday and are tied for the team point scoring lead...last Friday marked the first time this season that the Komets have gone to a shootout...Fort Wayne's Nick Boucher ranks second among IHL goaltenders in goals against average (2.49) and save percentage (.927). As a team, the Komets allow a league low 2.7 goals per game...the Komets are the most penalized team in the league. Fort Wayne players spend an average of 32.9 minutes per game in the box. Brad MacMillan ranks third in the league in penalty minutes (57)...Fort Wayne ranks second in the league on the power play (22.5 percent)...41-year old Konstantin Shafranov (2-4-6) just edges 39-year old defenseman Guy Dupuis for the distinction of being the oldest player on the Fort Wayne roster...seven current Komets- Boucher (three), Chaulk (seven), Drouin (four), Dupuis (thirteen), Shafranov (seven) Kevin Bertram (seven) and David Hukalo (five)- have played for Fort Wayne in at least three different seasons...veteran Komets Coach Al Sims has piloted Fort Wayne to both the Turner Cup and regular season titles each of the last two years and has now steered the club to the Turner Cup a total of three times. Sims is in the third season of his second stint behind the Komets' bench. He capped of his initial four-year run in Fort Wayne by piloting the Komets to the 1993 Turner Cup. Sims spent one season- 1996-97- as head coach of the NHL's San Jose Sharks. As a player, Sims, a defenseman, skated in 476 NHL games with Boston, Hartford and Los Angeles...the Mallards this Friday will visit Fort Wayne for the first time since March 23, 2007 when the Mallards eked out a 7-6 shootout win in Fort Wayne. All-time the Mallards have gone 33-29-7 against the Komets in UHL and IHL play. The Komets won the first meeting of this year's season series, downing the Mallards 3-1 on October 24 at the i wireless Center.

Bloomington

The PrairieThunder's six game unbeaten streak (5-0-0-1) ended Sunday with a 5-2 loss in Muskegon. That setback was Bloomington's first regulation defeat since a 2-1 loss on October 23 at Fort Wayne...The PrairieThunder played three games in three nights last weekend and a total of four games in five evenings beginning last Wednesday- a stretch during which the Thunder went 2-1-1...Bloomington now leads Port Huron by one point in the race for first place. The Lumberjacks have two games in hand on the PrairieThunder...Bloomington's Bill Bagron (7-4-11), Ryan Finnerty (4-7-11), Craig MacDonald (3-8-11) and Jamie Carroll (2-9-11) are tied for fourth in the league in points. Bagron ranks second in goals, just ahead of teammate Jon Booras (6-3-9). Carroll (2-9-11) and teammate Brett Holmberg (0-9-9) are tied for second in assists, just ahead of MacDonald...Bagron recorded a hat trick and an assist last Saturday at Port Huron and collected seven points (four goals, three assists) in four games last week...Bloomington's Andrew Martin was named IHL Goaltender of the Week after going 1-1-0-1, with a 1.81 goals against average and a .947 save percentage last week...The PrairieThunder's Paulo Colaiacovo (5-2-0-0, 3.11, .900) leads the league in wins...Bloomington boasts the league's best power play (23.5 percent)...the Prairie Thunder averages 3.6 goals per game- second most in the league... On home ice Bloomington has converted 9 of 24 man advantages- a 37.5 percent clip...Jarrod Skalde is in his second season behind the Bloomington bench. The former centerman wrapped up a 17-year professional playing career that saw him skate in 115 National Hockey League games with the New Jersey Devils, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers and Philadelphia Flyers by suiting up for ten games with the PrairieThunder in 2007-08...Last Wednesday the PrairieThunder won their first meeting of the season with the Mallards. In 2006-07- Quad City's final UHL season and Bloomington's first year of existence- the Mallards went 8-1-2 against the Thunder.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES

Sunday, November 15, 4:00 p.m.- Mallards vs. Bloomington PrairieThunder

Official Game Puck Giveaway courtesy of Major League Texting; Food Drive; Family Skate with the Mallards; Veterans Day Ticket Discount for Veterans and Active Military; Post-Game Party at Bier Stube

The first 1,000 fans to arrive for the game will receive official Mallards pucks thanks to Major League Texting. In addition, tickets will be discounted $1 for fans who donate a non-perishable food item when purchasing their seat at the i wireless Center box office; food donations will go to the River Bend Food Bank. In honor of Veteran's Day, tickets to Sunday's game are available to active military personnel and veterans for the special discounted price of just $9 when purchased at the i wireless Center box office. Beginning with Sunday's contest, each of the Mallards' ten Sunday games this season will be Family Skate Nights. Fans will be able to lace up their skates and take to the ice with the Mallards following each of those contests. Upon departing the i wireless Center Sunday, Mallards players will head to the Bier Stube in Moline for a post-game event to which all fans are invited.

Sunday, November 22, 4:00 p.m.- Mallards vs. Fort Wayne Komets

Webkinz Giveaway

The first 500 fans ages 12-and-under through the gates for the November 22 game will receive free webkinz plush toys. Each of the Mallards' ten Sunday games this season- including the November 22 game- will be Family Skate Nights. Fans will be able to lace up their skates and take to the ice with the Mallards following each of those contests.

TICKETS

Single Game Tickets

Mallards tickets are available at the i wireless Center box office, Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. through the end of the second period.

Group ICEexperiences

Mallards group packages are fun, easy to plan and memorable and are a perfect fit for business outings, teams, and school groups, family gatherings and just about any other kind of outing. Groups of ten or more receive a discount off the regular walk-up ticket price and are seated together for all the action. The Mallards offer a wide variety of "Group ICExperiences," including packages that provide the chance to sit on the bench or in the penalty box before a game or ride the Zamboni and much more! The Mallards can also help you use a group outing as a fundraiser for your organization. For group ticket and fundraising information contact the Mallards at 309-277-1364.

ON THE AIR

Fans can listen to all the action of Mallards Hockey Presented by Genesis Sports Medicine 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 is also be available at www.myqcmallards.com courtesy of B2 Networks.

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from November 11, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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