Solid Week Moves Mallards Nearer to the Top

Published on January 19, 2004 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Quad City Mallards News Release


Moline, IL – The Quad City Mallards crept to within nine points of first-place Muskegon in the Western Conference with a solid 2-1-0 week, including their third straight home win, Saturday against archrival Flint. Following road games at Rockford and Missouri this week, the Mallards will play more than two-thirds of their remaining contests at The MARK, including Salute to Heroes Night vs. the Muskegon Fury on Saturday, and Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday with Bugs Bunny and "Daddy Day Care" against the Port Huron Beacons.

LAST WEEK (2-1-0):

· Wednesday, Jan. 14 – Quad City Mallards 3, (at) Kalamazoo Wings 2 (shootout)

· Friday, Jan. 16 – (at) Rockford IceHogs 4, Quad City Mallards 2

· Saturday, Jan. 17 – (at) Quad City Mallards 5, Flint Generals 3

THIS WEEK (All times Central):

· Wednesday, Jan. 21 – 7:05 p.m. – Quad City Mallards at Rockford IceHogs

· Friday, Jan. 23 – 7:30 p.m. – Quad City Mallards at Missouri River Otters

· Salute to Heroes Night

Saturday, Jan. 24 – 7:00 p.m. – Muskegon Fury at Quad City Mallards

· Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday with Bugs Bunny and "Daddy Day Care"

Sunday, Jan. 25 – 4:00 p.m. – Port Huron Beacons at Quad City Mallards

Salute to Heroes Night

This Saturday, the Mallards will honor Quad Cities area armed forces, police, fire, and medical personnel at Salute to Heroes Night, when they take on the first-place Muskegon Fury at 7:00 p.m. at The MARK. Make sure you're in attendance for the American Pride pre-game ceremonies, including area veterans of four past wars, along with hero-themed on-ice activities and some special surprises. If your group has not been contacted regarding discount tickets and recognition at the game, call the Group Sales Department at (309) 764-PUCK.

Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday with Bugs Bunny and "Daddy Day Care"

This weekend's Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday features a special appearance by Bugs Bunny! Doors open at 1:30 p.m. for the family favorite film "Daddy Day Care" on the big screen. There's open skating at The MARK between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. Game time is 4:00 p.m. as the Mallards take on the Port Huron Beacons.

Tickets for both of this weekend's home games are on sale now at The MARK box office, at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (563) 326-1111, and online by following the Tickets link at www.qcmallards.com. For more information, call the Mallards at (309) 764-PUCK.

Standings

At 22-13-2 (.622), with 46 points, the Mallards are in third place in the overall UHL standings and in the Western Conference, nine points behind the first-place Muskegon Fury (26-10-3, 55 points), with two games in hand. Quad City is three points behind second-place Fort Wayne (23-11-3, 49 points). The Mallards are five points ahead of last season's pace, when through 37 games, they were 18-14-5 (.554), with 41 points.

Personnel

· D Terry Hollinger remains on 10-day injured reserve (effective 1/7)

· D Kerry Toporowski remains on 21-day injured reserve (effective 12/21)

· RW Steve Gibson remains on 21-day injured reserve (effective 12/14)

· C Charlie Stephens remains on recall to Hershey Bears (AHL), a Mallards affiliate (effective 12/29)

· LW Rob Voltera remains on recall to Hershey Bears (AHL), a Mallards affiliate (effective 12/2)

· D Louis Robitaille remains on recall to Portland Pirates (AHL), a Mallards affiliate (effective 10/28)

Team Leaders (UHL Ranking)

Goals 25 RW Jason Sessa (tied for fourth)

Assists 19 D Tom Menicci

Points 37 RW Jason Sessa (tied for 20th)

Plus/Minus +10 C Jason Cannon

Penalty Min. 121 F/D Brad Essex

PP Goals 7 C Martin Hlinka

GW Goals 6 RW Jason Sessa (first)

SH Goals 4 RW Jason Sessa (tied for second)

Shots on Goal 128 RW Jason Sessa

Shooting Pct. .235 C Martin Hlinka (first)

Wins 18 G Jeff Reynaert (third)

Goals Against 2.73 G Jeff Reynaert (fourth)

Save Pct. .918 G Jeff Reynaert (third)

Future Home Games

· Wednesday, Jan. 28, 7:00 p.m. vs. Kalamazoo Wings – College Night

· Friday, Jan. 30, 7:00 p.m. vs. Rockford IceHogs – FFA & 4-H Night

· Sunday, Feb. 8, 4:00 p.m. vs. Flint Generals – Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday

· Saturday, Feb. 14, 7:00 p.m. vs. Muskegon Fury

· Sunday, Feb. 15, 4:00 p.m. vs. Adirondack IceHawks – Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday

Record Pace

With a league-leading six game-winning goals and four shorthanded tallies, RW Jason Sessa has a chance to break two all-time Mallards single-season records. Glenn Stewart scored nine game-winners in 1997-98 and eight shorthanded goals in 1999-00.

Scoring Leaders

Of the 127 goals the Mallards have scored in regulation play this season, 73 of them, or 57.5%, have come from four players: RW Jason Sessa (25), C Martin Hlinka (19), C Jeff Williams (16), and rookie C Jon Francisco (13).

Workhorse Goaltender

Goaltender Jeff Reynaert has played the last seven consecutive games for the Mallards and averaged more than 31 saves per contest (5-2-0, 2.60 GAA, .924 Sv%).

Chasing 50:

· With 25 goals (tied for fourth in the UHL) in the Mallards' first 37 games, RW Jason Sessa is on pace to score 51 this season. His pro career high is 38. Glenn Stewart is the only player to score 50 or more goals in a season with the Mallards. He did it three times: 66 in 1996-97, 50 in 1998-99, and 56 in 1999-00.

· The Mallards would have to win 28 of their remaining 39 regular season games to reach 50 wins for the seventh time in the franchise's nine-year history.

Last Week's Games

Wednesday, Jan. 14 – Mallards 3, (at) Kalamazoo Wings 2 (shootout)

The Mallards survived being outshot 21-3 in the third period. Goals by RW Jason Sessa and C Martin Hlinka gave Quad City a 2-0 lead early in the third, but the Wings rallied and scored the tying goal in a 6-on-4 situation with 19.2 seconds remaining. In the shootout, C Patrick Nadeau, RW Hugo Proulx, and C Jeff Williams scored for the Mallards, while G Jeff Reynaert (39 saves) stopped 3-of-4 Kalamazoo attempts.

Friday, Jan. 16 – (at) Rockford IceHogs 4, Mallards 2

Justin Cardwell scored the first hat trick this season against the Mallards, breaking Quad City's three-game winning streak. Rockford fired a franchise record and UHL season-high 25 shots on goal in the first period. But the game was tied 1-1 until Dave Paradise's breakaway early in the second. Cardwell's second and third goals of the game in the third period sealed the Mallards' fate. C Jeff Williams and F Lanny Gare scored for the Ducks. G Jeff Reynaert made a season-high 42 saves.

Saturday, Jan. 17 – (at) Mallards 5, Flint Generals 3

The Mallards turned a 2-1 second period deficit into a 4-2 third period lead and earned their third straight home win. The four players participating in Sunday's UHL All-Star Game, C's Martin Hlinka and Jeff Williams, RW Jason Sessa, and D Tom Menicci, each scored a goal, with Hlinka and Sessa each adding an assist. D Matt Libby scored his first goal as a Mallard. He and D Freddy Jobin each earned a +3 plus/minus rating for the game. F Lanny Gare and RW Hugo Proulx each had two assists.

This Week's Games (All times Central)

Wednesday, Jan. 21, 7:05 p.m. – Quad City Mallards at Rockford IceHogs

Series: The Mallards are 4-1-2 vs. the IceHogs in 2003-04.

The IceHogs (16-21-2) have made several recent roster changes to improve their chances of making a playoff run. They re-signed all-time games played leader F Dan Davies, as well as F Jeremy Vokes, who scored 30 goals for Rockford in 2001-02. Veteran D Gary Ricciardi was signed after his rights were acquired from Muskegon. And 6'7" enforcer Jeff Ewasko came in a trade with Richmond. The Hogs are 4-2-0 in their last six games, including a split of the last two meetings with Quad City, an 8-2 Mallards win on Jan. 11, and Friday's 4-2 home win for Rockford. F Justin Cardwell followed his hat trick Friday with another one in Saturday's 5-2 win at Missouri. After enduring a rough stretch, G Ronnie Vogel has returned to form, going 2-1-0 in his last three games (2.35 GAA, .923 Sv%).

Friday, Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m. – Quad City Mallards at Missouri River Otters

Series: The Mallards are 3-0-0 vs. the River Otters in 2003-04.

Missouri (9-24-5) is 2-7-1 in its last ten games and now has lost G Brian Regan, the 1999-00 UHL Most Valuable Player. He went 0-2-0 (6.01 GAA, .818 Sv%) in his last two games before being placed on the 14-day injured reserve list on Wednesday. Veteran G Duane Derksen, who won 36 games for the Madison Monsters in 1996-97 and played last season for the ECHL's Peoria Rivermen, was brought in to join G Tim Knudsen. New acquisition C Andrew Long has played well, with five points (1g, 4a) and a +1 plus/minus rating in five games since he came from Kalamazoo in exchange for RW Joe Ritson. Nearly half the River Otters' goals this season have been scored by three players: LW Jeff Petruic (19), F Charlie Blyth (17), and rookie F Jesse Heerema (11).

Salute to Heroes Night

Saturday, Jan. 24, 7:00 p.m. – Muskegon Fury at Quad City Mallards

Series: The Mallards are 2-3-0 vs. the Fury in 2003-04.

These long-time rivals have not faced each other in more than a month, but have four meetings between now and Mar. 5. The Mallards' 2-1 win at Muskegon on Dec. 19 marked the first time this season they held the Fury (26-10-3 pending games Tuesday at Adirondack and Thursday at Elmira) to fewer than five goals in a game. The Fury features the league's most productive scoring line with C Todd Robinson, RW Robin Bouchard, and LW Brant Blackned. Bouchard recently set the UHL record with a 14-game goal-scoring streak. He leads the UHL with 32 goals and 62 points. Robinson leads the league with 45 assists and ranks third in overall scoring with 55 points. Blackned is fourth with 52 points (19g, 33a). The Fury are by far the league's highest scoring team, averaging 4.03 goals per game.

Iowa Wireless Family Fun-Day Sunday with Bugs Bunny and "Daddy Day Care"

Sunday, Jan. 25, 4:00 p.m. – Port Huron Beacons at Quad City Mallards

Series: The Mallards are 1-1-0 vs. the Beacons in 2003-04.

The Beacons (19-13-3 pending Wednesday's game vs. Fort Wayne) go into the week with an Eastern Conference-best .586 winning percentage, having won their last three games and five of their last six. With G Kory Cooper out with an injury, G Stu Dunn has started the last eight games, with spectacular results (6-2-0, 2.01 GAA, .948 Sv%). The Beacons are the only Eastern Conference team with three players in the league's top 15 in point scoring: LW Brent Gretzky (26g, 21a, 47pts), C Jason Firth (16g, 30a, 46pts), and RW Michel Beausoleil (19g, 24a, 43pts). Enforcer Ken Fels, who has eight major penalties and 90 penalty minutes in just 16 games this season, was activated from injured reserve on Saturday and is expected to face the Mallards for the first time.

American Hockey League Update

Here are the stats of the three 2003-04 Mallards players currently on callups to AHL affiliates:

GP G A PTS +- SHOTS PIM

Charlie Stephens Hershey 32 5 9 14 -2 56 21

Rob Voltera Hershey 25 1 1 2 -5 19 30

Louis Robitaille Portland 31 0 2 2 -1 30 67

Former Mallard Jason Ulmer had a goal and an assist in Friday's 2-0 win by the Portland Pirates over Manchester, giving him five points (2g, 3a) in a stretch of five games. He ranks second on the team in assists and third in points. Cam Severson had his first two-assist game of the year for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks in Saturday's 3-3 tie with Milwaukee. The stats of ex-Mallards in the AHL:

GP G A PTS +- SHOTS PIM

Brendan Buckley Wilkes-Barre 39 2 4 6 +3 29 59

Jason Ulmer Portland 42 6 14 20 -5 82 8

Cam Severson Cincinnati 36 7 5 12 -2 66 139

Duck Tales

· Quad City has lost 204 man-games to injuries, AHL callups, and suspensions this season. That's a pace of 419 over the course of a full season. The Mallards lost an even higher number of man-games last season, 452, because of players who were injured, called up, or suspended.

· The Mallards will play their next two games on the road. After that, from Saturday through the end of the regular season, they will host 25 of the remaining 37 regular season games.

· Quad City is tied with Muskegon for the most road victories by a UHL team this season, 14.

· The Mallards have allowed 50 third-period goals this season, the most in the league.

· The Mallards are 0-9-0 in games they trailed after two periods, making them the only UHL team this season without a third period come-from-behind victory.

Webbed Feats

· RW Jason Sessa leads the UHL with six game-winning goals. He has seven points (5g, 2a) in his last five games and has a five-game home goal-scoring streak.

· C Martin Hlinka leads the league with a .235 shooting percentage. He has a five-game point-scoring streak (4g, 3a, 7pts) and a four-game home goal-scoring streak.

· Rookie F Lanny Gare has scored ten points (3g, 7a) in six games since returning from the Hershey (AHL). He has a four-game home assist streak.

· RW Hugo Proulx has six points (1g, 5a) in his last five games.

· C Patrick Nadeau has a four-game home assist streak.

· C Jon Francisco ranks in the top five among UHL rookies in six categories: Goals (13, T-1st), points (24, T-3rd), shooting percentage (.200, 1st), plus/minus (+9, 3rd), power play goals (5, T-1st), and power play points (9, T-3rd).

· Among UHL defensemen, D Tom Menicci is in the top five in seven categories: Goals (7, T-4th), assists (19, T-4th), points (26, 4th), power play assists (11, 4th), power play points (13, T-3rd), shorthanded assists (2, T-3rd), and shorthanded points (3, T-2nd).

Milestone Watch (regular season play)

· RW Hugo Proulx on Wednesday played his 400th game as a Mallard, a franchise record. He is three goals shy of becoming the second Mallard ever to score 200.

· C Patrick Nadeau's next goal will be his 100th as a Mallard, making him the fifth player to reach that plateau. His next point will tie him with Mark McFarlane for fourth in team history with 240.

· D Freddy Jobin on Saturday passed Garry Gulash to move into eighth place in franchise history with 215 games played.

Mallards vs. Generals

Quad City has had its two largest home crowds this season against Flint. A total of 8,256 saw the 6-1 Mallards victory in the Nov. 8 home opener. This past Saturday's 5-3 win over the Generals drew 7,911 to The MARK of the Quad Cities.

Defense Wins Championships?

The top four UHL teams in winning percentage – Muskegon, Fort Wayne, Quad City, and Port Huron – are also the top four, in order, in most goals scored per game.

Player of the Week

C Martin Hlinka is the Mallards' nominee for Sher-Wood UHL Player of the Week. He extended his point-scoring streak to five games with a goal in Wednesday's 3-2 shootout win at Kalamazoo, an assist in Friday's 4-2 loss at Rockford, and a goal and an assist in Saturday's 5-3 win over Flint. For the week, he scored four points, on two goals and two assists, with a +2 plus/minus rating in three games. Hlinka leads the league with a .235 shooting percentage, leads the Mallards with seven power play goals, and ranks second on the team with 19 goals for the season.

Goaltender of the Week

G Jeff Reynaert is the Mallards' nominee for UHL Goaltender of the Week. He backstopped all three games this past week and went 2-1-0 with a 3.04 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage, stopping 104-of-113 shots on goal. He made 39 saves and stopped 3-of-4 shootout attempts in Wednesday's 3-2 win at Kalamazoo, a season-high 42 saves in Friday's 4-2 loss at Rockford, and 23 stops in Saturday's 5-3 win over Flint. For the season, Reynaert ranks in the league's top five in wins, minutes, saves, goals-against average, and save percentage.

Tickets on sale now!

Tickets for all Mallards home games are 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.

Duck Talk

Scheduled guests on the next Duck Talk, Monday, Jan. 26, are Andy Fermoyle, Matt Libby, and Kerry Toporowski. The weekly radio show is at the Black Bear Lounge, inside The Lodge Hotel, on Utica Ridge Rd. at Spruce Hills Dr. in Bettendorf. Meet the players, get autographs, and ask questions they and Coach Paul Gillis will answer on the live broadcast. Duck Talk airs live on Fox Sports Radio 1230 (WFXN-AM) and on www.qcmallards.com.

On The Air

Hear all Mallards games live on Fox Sports Radio 1230 (WFXN-AM), beginning with the Pre-Game Show 30 minutes before the opening face-off. The live broadcast concludes with the Allstate Insurance Post-Game Show, presented by the Polly McDowell and Del Newton agencies, featuring play-by-play highlights including the Allstate Good Hands Play of the Game. The broadcasts can also be heard through the Mallards web site, www.qcmallards.com.

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from January 19, 2004


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