Quad City Mallards goaltender C.J. Motte has signed a professional tryout agreement with the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves and the Mallards have signed Jake Reed as an emergency backup goaltender, the Mallards announced today.

Motte, 25, ranks third in the ECHL in save percentage (.919) and sixth in goals against average (2.55). The St. Clair, Michigan, native has gone 17-10-1 in 30 games this season and is tied for ninth in the league in wins. Motte has suffered just one regulation loss in his last eight games (6-1-1).

Motte returns to the AHL with the Wolves after going 1-0-0 with a 0.75 goals against average and a .976 save percentage in two January games with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Motte surrendered a single goal on 42 shots while with Charlotte.

January also saw Motte earn the win in the 2017 ECHL All-Star Game by making ten saves while conceding four goals over 25 minutes in the All-Stars’ 8-7 defeat of the host Adirondack Thunder.

Motte went 15-22-2 with a 2.83 goals against average, a .910 save percentage and two shutouts in 42 games as a rookie with the Elmira Jackals last season.

Motte broke into professional hockey with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, for whom he played four games and posted a 1-2-1 record, a 2.49 goals against average and a .917 save percentage late in the 2014-15 season.

Motte turned pro after four standout seasons at Ferris State University. In 2014-15 he became the first goaltender in school history to serve as team captain. He set Ferris State records for most career wins and shutouts (15) while going 66-49-12 with a 2.13 goals against average and a .926 save percentage in 127 collegiate games.

Motte not only earned All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association honors in both his junior (first team) and senior (third team) years but was also one of ten finalists for the 2014 Hobey Baker Award. As a senior, Motte finished second in the nation in minutes played (2435:33) and tied for sixth in shutouts (5) after leading Division I netminders in both wins (28) and minutes (2431:06) and also finishing tied for sixth in shutouts (5) in his junior year.

Motte and the Bulldogs won regular season conference titles and earned NCAA tournament bids in both 2011-12 and 2013-14 and in 2012 reached the national title game.

A three-year stint in the junior ranks preceded Motte’s college career. Motte spent two seasons with the United States Hockey League’s Waterloo Black Hawks after a single campaign with the North American Hockey League’s Traverse City North Stars.

Reed, 22, joins the Mallards as an emergency backup for the fourth time this season and for the sixth time in the last three campaigns. The 6-foot-2-inch, 190-pound Coal Valley native also acted as emergency backup for the Cincinnati Cyclones last month after suiting for both the Cyclones and Wheeling Nailers on an emergency basis last season.

The Mallards return to action on home ice Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Indy Fuel. Fans can get Mo’s Madhouse tickets and all-you-can-eat-and-drink at Saturday night’s game for $50 per person. A $40 all-you-can-eat-and-drink option excluding alcoholic beverages is also available. Mo’s Madhouse is the exclusive party area located behind the west goal at the iWireless Center. The all-you-can-eat-and-drink offer is available through the Mallards’ business office at 309-277-1364.

Single game tickets for all Mallards regular season home games- including Saturday night's game- are on sale now at the iWireless Center box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000. The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.