Mallards winningest pro hockey franchise since 1996
April 8, 2004 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Quad City Mallards News Release
Moline, IL â On the verge of their seventh 50-win season in eight years and battling for yet another Tarry Cup, the Quad City Mallards continue to set the raise the standard for excellence in the world of professional hockey.
Over the last eight years, the Mallards are the winningest professional hockey franchise, winning 411 games, an average of more than 51 wins per season and a winning percentage of .778.
The Mallards are 26 wins ahead of their nearest competition, the San Diego Gulls of the East Coast Hockey League and the now defunct Western Hockey League. Quad City has nearly 50 more wins than National Hockey League powerhouses Detroit and New Jersey, despite the fact that over the last eight years, the Mallards have played over 100 games fewer than their NHL counterparts.
Quad City has a 441-104-34 record since its inception into the UHL in 1995-96, ranking them just ahead of both San Diego (ECHL/WHL, 434 wins) and Detroit (NHL, 431) among professional hockey franchises over that time span. The Mallards' string of six consecutive 50-win seasons (1996-2002) is the best in pro hockey history, ahead of both the NHL's Montreal Canadiens (1976-79) and Boston Bruins (1971-74), which each won 50 games in a season four years in a row.
Two games remain in the Mallards season, both scheduled at the MARK of the Quad Cities this weekend. Saturday night will be Genesis Health System Stick Night, where all fans will win prizes, and 2,000 lucky fans will win souvenir hockey sticks. The Mallards play host to the Port Huron Beacons at 7 p.m. Sunday could be a battle for home ice advantage throughout the playoffs, when Fort Wayne comes to town for a 5 p.m. start and the regular season finale for both teams.
This will be the final weekend for the Mallards' regular season before they begin their postseason charge toward the Colonial Cup. Regular season and playoff tickets are both available at the MARK of the Quad Cities box office, at all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (563) 326-1111, and online by following the Tickets link at www.qcmallards.com.
Additionally, season ticket packages for 2004-05 are available now, and are more affordable than ever with three extended payment programs. Free playoff tickets, membership into the Quacker Backer program, Mallards Arena Club and exclusive season ticket holder gifts are just some of the great benefits you will receive. Call the Mallards today at 764-7825 to reserve your season tickets for next year.
International Hockey League 2 Stories from April 8, 2004
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