MOLINE, Ill. – The host Quad City Mallards (37-28-6) clinched a berth in the ECHL’s Kelly Cup playoffs by defeating the Cincinnati Cyclones (35-27-9) 6-3 tonight.
The Mallards will play first round playoff home games Wednesday, April 20 at 6:35 p.m.; Friday, April 22 at 7:05 p.m.; and- if necessary- Saturday, April 23 at 7:05 p.m. against an opponent to be determined. The Mallards, who are currently the seventh seed in the Western Conference, will not have home ice advantage for the best-of-seven opening round and will host games three and four of that series as well as- should it be required- game five. First round playoff tickets will go on sale on a date to be announced.
The Mallards have now reached the postseason for the fourth time in as many campaigns under coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski. The top eight teams in each conference qualify for the Kelly Cup playoffs with division winners guaranteed the top three seeds in each conference. All playoff series are best-of-seven.
Brady Brassart- who provided the game winner- and Olivier Archambault- who also had an assist- scored two goals apiece this evening to propel the Mallards into the postseason. The Mallards broke the game open by scoring four times in the third period, an onslaught triggered by Brassart, who snapped a 2-2 tie from close range just one minute and 13 seconds into the third. Brassart struck again from the doorstep to stretch the Mallard lead to 4-2 at 5:30. Matt Neal’s breakaway goal widened the gap to 5-2 at 13:25. After Cincinnati’s Jonathan Diaby narrowed the margin to 5-3 with a drive from the left point at 17:02, Archambault’s last-minute empty goal capped off the victory.
The Mallards battled from behind on their way to the win, overturning a 1-0 deficit with back-to-back second period goals. Tanner Eberle’s wrist shot from the high slot tied the score at one at 3:15 of the second. At 11:59 the Mallards were on the power play when Archambault broke the deadlock by burying Matt Neal’s centering pass. However, the 2-1 Mallard lead last only until Colin Mulvey rifled the second Cincinnati goal in under the cross bar from the left wing circle at the 16:55 mark of the middle frame.
The Cyclones’ Andrew Yogan pounced on a rebound to score the game’s first goal at 15:31 of the first period.
The Mallards and Cyclones meet again tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at the iWireless Center in the Season Finale presented by JumpOnIt. Tomorrow night also brings a Darren McMillan bobblehead giveaway presented by KWQC-TV6. The first 1,000 fans through the doors will receive McMillan bobblehead dolls in honor of the Mallards’ long serving captain. After tomorrow evening’s game fans can bid to win the jerseys off the Mallards’ backs. The orange third jerseys worn by the Mallards throughout this season will go up for bid in a live auction.
With Quad City Mallards release
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