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Mallards Welcome Stals, Sign Card to Training Camp Agreement

October 1, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. (October 1, 2009) - The Quad City Mallards, proud International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, today announced that they have signed Latvian right wing Juris Stals (YOO-ris stahlz) and have come to terms on a training camp agreement with defenseman Ryan Card. Per Mallards team policy no contract terms were released. Stals and Card will join 22 other Mallards signees on the ice when the team opens training camp next Monday, October 22 at 9:45 a.m. at the i wireless Center

Stals, 27, spent the past three seasons in Europe. The Riga native split last year between two of his hometown teams. Stals scored one goal and totaled three points in 19 Kontinental Hockey League games with Dinamo Riga and scored nine times and produced 17 points in 17 games for HK Riga 2000 in the Belarus League.

since last skating in North America- for the ECHL's Charlotte Checkers in 2005-06- Stals has taken to the ice not only in Latvia but also in the Czech Republic with HC Trinec, in Belarus for Neman Grodno and in Russia for Torpedo Nizhny-Novgorod. He also represented his homeland in both the 2006 and 2008 World Championships.

"Stals is a New York Rangers draft pick who has played in North America at the ECHL and American Hockey League levels," said Mallards Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Frank Anzalone. "He has also played for the Latvian national team and is a candidate for the 2010 Olympic team."

The Rangers selected the 6' 3", 200-pound Stals in the ninth round of the 2001 National Hockey League Entry Draft with the two hundred sixty-ninth overall pick. After spending two seasons in junior hockey with Sarnia and Owen Sound in the Ontario Hockey League, Stals turned pro with the Hartford Wolfpack- the Rangers' AHL affiliate- at the tail end of the 2002-03 campaign. The following year he recorded four goals and 18 points in 62 games with the Wolfpack. He next moved on to Charlotte, where he spent two seasons. He scored 19 goals and collected 30 points in 54 games in 2004-05 and rang up 18 goals and 45 points in 66 games the following year.

Card, 25, spent last season- his rookie campaign- in the ECHL, playing four games with the Ontario Reign before scoring one goal and registering four points in 27 games with the Johnstown Chiefs. The Bancroft, Ontario, product played three seasons for St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, before turning pro. Card recorded seven goals and 20 points in 74 career games as a Tommy. The 6' 1", 180-pound blue liner's tenure at St. Thomas followed a five-year run in the OHL with Peterborough and Guelph.

"Card has an interesting OHL pedigree- he was a high draft pick when he went to the OHL and had a pretty good career there," said Anzalone. "He started last year in the Manchester Monarchs' AHL camp but an injury set him back for most of the season and he finished the season in the ECHL. He's a swift skating defenseman who has a chance to make the team."

Stals and Card join Obi Aduba, Matt Armstrong, Derek Bachynski, Matt Burke, Mike Christensen, Marc Desloges, Jean Desrochers, Ryan Fultz, Joel Gasper , Jason Goulet, Kyle Jones, Kyryll Katrych, Sebastien Laplante, Chris Lipsett, Michael Lombardi, Shane Lovdahl, Mike Maier, Brandon Marino, Darren McMillan, Jacques Perreault, Jonathan Tremblay and Mike Zbriger- whose signings were previously announced- to bring to 24 the number of players who have come to terms with the Mallards heading into training camp.

Camp begins with a double session next Monday. The on-ice schedule for week one of camp:

Monday, October 5

9:45 a.m.- 11:35 a.m.

4:45 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 6

9:45 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

Wednesday, October 7

9:45 a.m.- 11:35 a.m.

4:45 p.m.- 6:15 p.m.

Thursday, October 8

9:45 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

Friday, October 9

9:45 a.m.- 11:55 a.m.

The Mallards will see their first exhibition action when they take on the Bloomington PrairieThunder in Decatur on Saturday night, October 10. The following afternoon at 2:00 p.m. the same two teams will meet again, this time at the Quad City Sports Center in Davenport. All tickets for the October 11 preseason game are available for just $3 and can be purchased at the Mallards' office at the i wireless Center, over the phone at (309) 277-1364 or at the door the day of the game.

After opening their first IHL regular season on the road against the Flint Generals on October 17, the Mallards will return to the i wireless Center to open their home schedule with "Faceoff Rocks" on Saturday, October 24 against the defending Turner Cup champion Fort Wayne Komets. Single game tickets for the Mallards' inaugural IHL season, beginning with "Faceoff Rocks" on October 24 featuring not only the Mallards' home opener against Fort Wayne but also hard rock legends Night Ranger live in concert outside the i wireless Center, are now on sale. 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.

"Faceoff Rocks" kicks off a 38-game home schedule loaded with special events, unique promotions and giveaways. The Mallards and the i wireless Center have also teamed up to offer fans new Dollar Value Menus and free parking for home games all season long.

"Faceoff Rocks" festivities begin at 4:00 p.m. on October 24; admission to all events- including the Night Ranger concert- is free with a ticket to the Mallards' game. The first 2,500 fans to arrive for "Faceoff Rocks" will receive a free Mallards opening night t-shirt. The Mallards will also give away free team magnet schedules and Mallards Thunderstixx. Fans taking in the Night Ranger concert will also have the chance to enjoy an outdoor beer garden and giant screen plasma television outside the i wireless Center. The fun will not stop there however- "Faceoff Rocks" will also feature a Hockey Hall of Fame Fan Fest including the Hall's largest collection of Legends of Hockey travelling exhibits and memorabilia and interactive games.



International Hockey League 2 Stories from October 1, 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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