THIS WEEK
Saturday, October 16, 7:05 p.m.
i wireless Center, Moline
Odessa Jackalopes vs. Quad City Mallards

QUACK TRACKS
Return Trip
Nine players on the Mallards’ current roster skated for last season’s club- forwards Obi Aduba, Jason Dolgy, Joel Gasper, Patrik Levesque and Brandon Marino and defensemen Tyler Kindle, Shane Lovdahl, Darren McMillan and Ryan Palmer.

Splitsville
The Mallards and Bloomington PrairieThunder split a pair of preseason games last weekend.  The Mallards scored four power play goals in a 6-4 win last Saturday night at the i wireless Center.  Yesterday afternoon in Decatur, Illinois, the PrarieThunder’s Alan Mazur scored the game’s lone goal in the third period. 

Preseason Producers
Both Patrik Levesque and Joel Gasper notched a goal and an assist in last Saturday’s win over Bloomington.  Zach Pearson collected two assists against his former club.

Between the Pipes
David Brown split time with Michel Robinson in each of the Mallards’ two exhibition games.  Brown did not give up a goal while making 15 saves in 30:29 yesterday after stopping 18 of 20 shots on the way to earning the win in Saturday night’s game.  Robinson took the loss yesterday despite giving up just one goal on 15 shots.

Powering Up…Powering Down
The Mallards went 4-for-7 on the power play last Saturday night against Bloomington only to go 0-for-4 yesterday afternoon against the PrairieThunder.

Senior Citizen
Tyler Kindle is the Mallards’ resident gray beard.  The 32-year old eighth-year defenseman is the oldest player on the roster.  Kindle signed with the Mallards last February after earlier last season playing in England for the Newcastle Vipers of the Elite Ice Hockey League and in the CHL for the Missouri Mavericks.  Over the course of his career the Portage, Michigan, native has played for 13 teams in the ECHL, EIHL, CHL, United Hockey League and International Hockey League.  In 388 career games, Kindle has scored 64 goals and notched 155 assists for 219 points. 

Renewing Acquaintances
Mallards defenseman Ryan Palmer spent the bulk of his first three seasons with the Jackalopes.  In 124 games in an Odessa uniform between 2006 and 2009, Palmer scored four goals and totaled 23 points. 

Welcome Back
While this Saturday night’s opener is the Mallards’ first CHL regular season game, seven players- Eric Giosa, Tyler Kindle, Patrik Levesque, Darren McMillan, Ryan Palmer, Zach Pearson and Jason Reese- on the Flock’s active roster have played in the CHL before.

Turn the Page
The Mallards will compete in the CHL’s Turner Conference this season, while the Jackalopes will battle it out in the Berry Conference.  After Saturday night the Mallards will play eight straight games against Turner Conference opposition. 

Familiar Face
Odessa Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Paul Gillis spent a total of five seasons behind the Quad City bench (from 1997 to 1999 and from 2002 to 2005) and guided the Mallards to the 1998 United Hockey League Colonial Cup title.  Last year he steered the Jackalopes to the CHL Bud Poile Governor’s Cup regular season championship.  The season opener will be the only regular season meeting between Quad City and Odessa.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES
Saturday, October 16, 7:05 p.m.- Mallards vs. Odessa Jackalopes
Opening Night Presented by Edwards Creative, 97X and News 8 featuring pregame Fan Fest
Mallards Schedule Poster Giveaway courtesy of Edwards Creative, 97X and News 8
The opener will feature not only the Mallards in action on the ice, but also a pregame Fan Fest outside the i wireless Center beginning at 4:30 p.m.  Fans attending pregame festivities will be treated to a concert
by Tom Petty tribute band Free Fallin as well as a beer garden, food, games, kids’ activities and autographed prize giveaways.  In addition, all fans attending the opener will receive a free Mallards schedule poster courtesy of Edwards Creative, 97X and News 8.  Admission to Fan Fest is free with the purchase of a ticket to the opener. 

Sunday, October 24, 4:05 p.m.- Mallards vs. Evansville IceMen
Family Day Presented by APAC Customer Services, Inc. and Mix 96
Postgame Family Skate with the Mallards
Family Day enables fans to purchase four tickets, four beverages and four hot dogs all for just $34.  Fans attending the October 24 game will also have the chance to join their favorite Mallards on the ice for a postgame skate.  The October 24 game will be followed by three more Mallards Sunday Family Days- contests on November 21 against Dayton, December 12 against Fort Wayne and January 30 against Missouri.

TICKETS    
Single Game Tickets
Tickets for each of the Mallards’ 33 regular season home games- including the opener- are available in person at the i wireless Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000.  The ticket office is open Monday through Friday 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 other than Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until the end of the first period.  On Sundays on which the Mallards play at home the ticket office will be open from 1:00 p.m. until the end of the first period. 

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 and tickets@myqcmallards.com.

Season Tickets and Mini Plans
Mallards season tickets and mini plans are also still available to meet any budget or schedule.  For more information on ticket packages for the upcoming season, fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364.

ON THE AIR
Fans can listen to all the action of Mallards Hockey Presented by Genesis Power Sports Performance this week and throughout the season on 93.9 WYEC-FM and on www.myqcmallards.com.  Coverage starts with the Mallards Pre-Game Show Presented by Genesis Sports Medicine 30 minutes before opening faceoff.  Live pay-per-view video webcasts of Mallards action are also available at www.myqcmallards.com courtesy of CHL-TV.