Mallards Weekly Update

January 31, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


THIS WEEK

Friday, February 4, 7:05 p.m.

i wireless Center, Moline, Illinois

Bloomington PrairieThunder vs. Quad City Mallards

Saturday, February 5, 7:05 p.m.

i wireless Center, Moline, Illinois

Dayton Gems vs. Quad City Mallards

Quad City

Bloomington

Dayton

23-18-1 (47 points)

24-14-2 (50 points)

20-17-4 (44 points)

5th place, Turner Conf.

3rd place, Turner Conf.

7th place, Turner Conf.

Coach: Frank Anzalone

Coach: Jason Christie

Coach: Brian Gratz

RECENT ACTION

Quad City

Bloomington

Dayton

Wed., Jan. 26

Tue., Jan. 25

Fri., Jan. 28

RC 6 QC 2

Blm. 5 Mis. 4

Wic. 5 Day. 3

Fri., Jan. 28

Fri., Jan. 28

Sat., Jan. 29

QC 5 Eva. 1

Mis. 5 Blm. 0

Eva. 5 Day. 4 (SO)

Sun., Jan. 30

Sat., Jan. 29

Sun., Jan. 30

Msr. 2 QC 1 (SO)

Blm. 4 Mis. 3 (OT)

Wic. 4 Day. 3

QUACK TRACKS

Postponed

The Mallards' game against the PrairieThunder in Bloomington scheduled for tomorrow night has been postponed until Monday, February 21 at 7:05 p.m. due to expected inclement winter weather.

Mixed Bag

While the Mallards have gone 1-2-1 in their last four games, Quad City has posted a 9-4-1 record in its last 14 outings.

Tight at the Top

The Mallards are in fifth place in the Central Hockey League's Turner Conference.

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

On the Road

The Mallards have won six straight road games.

Quad City has not lost away from home since falling 2-0 to the Mavericks in Missouri on December 23.

Home Sweet Home

The Mallards are winless in their last three home games (0-2-1) and have gone 1-3-1 in their last five games at the i wireless Center.

Close Calls

Seven of the Mallards' last nine games have been decided by one goal.

The Flock has gone 4-3-0 in those seven games.

The Mallards have gone 13-8-1 in one-goal contests this season.

Quad City leads the league in one-goal victories.

Not So Close

The Mallards' 6-2 loss to Rapid City last Wednesday was Quad City's most lopsided defeat of the season.

Last Friday night the Mallards matched their largest margin of victory this season by defeating the IceMen in Evansville 5-1.

Comebacks

The Mallards came from behind in each of their last four wins and seven times in their last nine victories.

On the season, the Mallards have trailed at some point in 12 of their 23 victories.

Slow Starts

The Mallards have given up the first goal in each of their last eight games.

Quad City has gone 4-3-1 in those eight contests.

Defensive

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

The Flock has surrendered two goals or fewer in four of its last five games.

Brown Out

Goaltender David Brown was superb in the month of January.

Brown posted a 1.37 goals against average and a .958 save percentage while giving up just 11 goals in eight January starts.

He finished the month with a 5-2-1 record.

Brown now leads the CHL in goals against average (2.37) and is tied for the league lead in save percentage (.928)- with teammate Adam Russo- and shutouts (3).

G-Man

Eric Giosa (22-12-34) scored four times in two games last weekend.

Giosa recorded his second hat trick of the season last Friday at Evansville and followed up by scoring yesterday against Missouri.

Giosa has scored the Mallards' last three goals.

He provided the final two goals of last Friday's game before scoring the only Quad City goal against the Mavericks.

Giosa has also now scored nine goals (and added three assists) in his last nine games.

He has notched 17 points (11 goals and six assists) in his last 13 games.

Welcome Back

Mike McLean (14-22-36) has eight points (three goals and five assists) in eight games since returning from injured reserve January 14.

McLean and Obi Aduba (13-23-36) are tied for the team lead in points.

Special Teams

Tyler Shelast's power play goal in the second period of last Friday's Mallard win at Evansville ended the Flock's 0-for-29 man advantage drought.

Quad City now ranks tenth in the CHL on the power play (17.3 percent).

The Mallards have killed off 18 of their last 19 shorthanded situations and have given up just three goals on their last 56 penalty kills.

The Flock ranks third in penalty killing (85.4 percent).

Firsts

After making his Mallard debut last Friday against Evansville, left wing Joe Blaznek recorded his first Quad City point- an assist- Sunday in the Mallards' shootout loss to Missouri.

Ins and Outs

Center/right wing Joel Gasper was granted leave by the CHL Saturday...Defenseman Shane Lovdahl returned to the active roster Sunday after being granted leave by the CHL last Thursday and missing last Friday night's game...Center

Eric Giosa (upper body) returned to action last Friday night after missing the Mallards' game last Wednesday night against Rapid City...Left wing Joe Blaznek made his Mallard debut last Friday night after being acquired in a trade with Bossier-Shreveport last Tuesday...The Mallards last Monday waived forward Paul Kelly.

Bloomington

While the PrairieThunder is in third place in the Turner Conference, two points behind co-leaders Colorado and Rapid City, Bloomington does boast the best winning percentage in the conference (.625)...Bloomington last week took two of three games from the RiverKings in Mississippi...The PrairieThunder has won four of its last five games and has suffered just one regulation loss in its last seven games (5-1-1)...Bloomington gives up just 2.9 goals per game- the third best average in the league...The Thunder ranks second to last in goal-scoring (2.9 goals per game)...Jason Dale (13-26-39) is the PrairieThunder's top point producer...Marco Emond (19-9-1, 2.69, .903) is tied for the lead among goaltenders in wins...The Mallards have won four of their first six meetings with the PrairieThunder.

Dayton

The Gems are winless (0-3-1) in their last four games...Dayton has gone 9-11-3 in its last 23 games after starting the season 11-6-1...Jeff Jakaitis has been in goal in 11 of Dayton's last 12 games and 19 of the Gems' last 21.

Jakaitis (16-15-3, 2.64, .925) leads the league in minutes played (2043:04), ranks third in save percentage, ranks fifth in goals against average and is tied for fifth in wins... The Gems give up an average of three goals per game- the fourth best mark in the league...Mike Vaskivuo (18-22-40) leads Dayton in goals and points...Former Mallard forward Chris Lipsett (8-13-21) is on injured reserve...Brandon Naurato (9-10-19), who scored seven goals and notched 13 points in nine games after signing with the Gems in December, was activated from injured reserve yesterday after missing nearly a month...The Mallards have won two of their first three meetings with the Gems.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES

Friday, February 4- Mallards vs. Bloomington PrairieThunder

Mallards Adult Replica Jersey Giveaway Presented by Q106.5 and WQAD News 8

The first 1,000 fans ages 18 and over through the doors for the Mallards' game against Bloomington will receive free Mallards black adult replica jerseys courtesy of Q106.5 and WQAD News 8.

Saturday, February 5- Mallards vs. Dayton Gems

Mallards Youth Cap Giveaway Presented by WLLR and WQAD News 8

The first 1,000 fans ages 12 and under arriving for the Flock's game against Dayton will receive free Mallards youth ball caps

courtesy of WLLR and WQAD News 8

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 31, 2011


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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