Mallards Weekly Update

Published on October 22, 2012 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


QUACK TRACKS

Behind the Bench

While Mallards coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski will step behind the Mallards' bench for the first time Friday night in Tulsa, Ruskowski is far from a newcomer to the CHL coaching ranks. The former Laredo Bucks and Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees boss ranks fourth in league history in career coaching wins (375) and games coached (640) and ranks eighth in career winning percentage (.635). He owns a pair of CHL championships rings, having guided Laredo to the Ray Miron Presidents' Cup in both 2004 and 2006.

Welcome Back

Obi Aduba returns for a fourth season with the Mallards. Should he, as expected, take the ice this Friday, the Medfield, Massachusetts, native will become the only player who has skated for the team in each of the four seasons since the Mallards returned to the ice (after the Quad City Flames competed in the American Hockey League in 2007-08 and 2008-09) for the 2009-10 campaign.

Welcome Back, Take 2

Patrick Levesque has returned for a second stint with the Mallards. The Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, native first played for the Mallards in 2009-10 and at the start of the 2010-11 campaign. In his first season with the club, Levesque not only led Quad City with 30 goals but also ranked fifth in the International Hockey League in goal-scoring. Likewise, his 67 points not only topped the Mallards but also were also good for ninth in the IHL. Levesque will see some familiar faces when the Mallards meet Tulsa this weekend- last season he played three games with the Oilers, for whom he scored twice and totaled five points before being sidelined by injury.

Between the Pipes

The Mallards currently have three goaltenders on their roster: John Murray, Joe Palmer and Kurt Jory. Murray has been reunited with Ruskowski after excelling for the Mallards' new coach while playing for the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees last season. Murray last year finished tied for first in the CHL in shutouts (3), tied for fifth in save percentage (.919) and tenth in goals against average (2.66). Palmer last year played for three ECHL teams- the Reading Royals, Gwinnett Gladiators and Florida Everblades. Palmer returns to the CHL for the first time since enjoying a standout rookie campaign with the Texas Brahmas in 2009-10. Jory has gotten his first taste of professional hockey with the Mallards after serving as team captain for Brock University in Ontario last season.

For Openers

The Mallards this weekend start their third CHL campaign and their fourth season (including one spent in the International Hockey League) since re-launching after a two-year absence. Quad City will play both its season opener (Friday) and home opener (Saturday) against the Oilers. The Mallards have gone 1-2-0 in both season openers and home openers since returning to the ice.

Three in Three

The Mallards will play three games in three nights each of the first two weekends of the regular season. In all, the Mallards will play three games in three evenings eight times this season- just as they did last year.

Home Sweet Home

After opening the season on the road, the Mallards will play six of their following seven games on home ice. Last season Quad City went 20-11-2 at home and 17-16-0 on the road.

Head-to-Head

The Mallards won two of their three meetings with the Oilers last season. The two clubs split a pair of meetings in Tulsa while the Mallards won the lone matchup between the two teams at the i wireless Center. While the Mallards went 2-4-0 against the Thunder last year, Quad City did win two of its three home games against Wichita.

United

The CHL is not divided into conferences this year. The league was split into two conferences for each of the prior three seasons. The top eight regular season finishers in the ten-team league will qualify for the playoffs.

TICKETS

Single Game Tickets

Single game tickets for all Mallards regular season contests are now available. Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or tickets@myqcmallards.com for more information about both season and single game 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 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period. Individual game tickets are available for $13 in the upper level, $18 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.

Group Tickets

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

Season Ticket and Partial Punch Plans

2012-13 Mallards season tickets as well as the Mallards' new Partial Punch Plan are on sale now. The Mallards offer ticket packages to meet any budget, including youth season tickets now available for as little at $165. The Partial Punch Plan provides flexibility and affordability- each Punch Plan punch card can be redeemed for ten tickets- whether those tickets are for ten different games, all for the same game or anything in between- subject to availability. Partial Punch Plans can be had for as little as $70 for youth 12 and under. For more ticket package information, fans can call the Mallards at 309-277-1364.

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 22, 2012


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