Games: The Mallards meet Missouri twice, visiting the Independence Events Center tonight at 7:05, and hosting the Mavericks at Moline's i wireless Center at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.
Saturday special: Family Resources Teddy Bear Toss. Fans are encouraged to bring new stuffed animals and toss them onto the ice after the Mallards' first goal. The teddy bears will be collected and donated to Family Resources, a non-profit organization that provides a safe place for children, women and families who have experienced trauma. All fans in attendance receive a voucher good for one free bag of popcorn from the concession stand.
Storyline: Basement-dweller Missouri (6-7-2, 14 points) trails QC (6-7-3, 15 points) by a single point in the Central Hockey League standings. However, the Mavericks have won their last two games, beating both Fort Worth and QC nemesis Bloomington last weekend by a combined 10-2. The Mallards are coming off losses to both teams by a combined 12-2, getting shut out Wednesday by Fort Worth, 5-0. The Flock went 5-2-1 last season against Missouri. Tonight marks the first of 13 meetings this season.
Notes: Dating back to last season, QC's Mickey Lang has 20 goals and 23 assists in his last 41 games. ... QC captain Darren McMillan is on course to play his 150th consecutive game on Saturday for the Mallards. ... QC's Brett Robinson is three points away from 100 for his career. ... QC's Patrik Levesque reached 250 career points while playing his 100th game as a Mallard last weekend. ... This weekend marks the end of a 16-day stretch in which the Mallards play 10 games in a different rink each night. ... The Flock remains last in the league on the power play with a 7.5-percent success rate (4-of-53), including just 1 of their last 28 chances.
Around the league: Missouri's Mathieu Corbeil turned away 50 of 52 shots last weekend to earn this week's CHL Goaltender of the Week award. ... The Mallards rank 7th in the 10-team league in average attendance at 2,570. Missouri is No. 1 with 5,273; the CHL median is 3,359. ... Former CHL scoring leader Sebastien Thinel ranks fourth leaguewide with 20 points (8 goals).
Next: In another three-game weekend, the Mallards host Missouri next Friday, before visiting both Missouri (next Saturday) and Wichita (next Sunday).
-- By Steve Tappa, stappa@qconline.com -- By Steve Tappa, stappa@qconline.com
Today is Monday, May 20, the 140th day of 2013. There are 225 days left in the year. 1863 -- 150 years ago: A petition is being circulated asking the city council to order awell bored in Market Square. It would be a great accommodation to the public. 1888 -- 125 years ago: At 1 p.m. on May 18 the Mississippi River flooded its banks atRock Island and destroyed the warehouse of the Rock Island Lumber Co. and damagedRock Island Arsenal power plant. Total loss is estimated at $100,000. 1913 -- 100 years ago: Residents of Sough Rock Island Township are circulating apetition favoring the annexation of that area to the City of Rock Island. 1938 -- 75 years ago: A group of state members of the National Grandmothers Clubmeeting in Rock Island are making plans to petition for the observance of a NationalGrandmothers Day. 1963 -- 50 years ago: Deere and Co. reported today that its U.S. and Canadian sales forthe first half of the 1963 fiscal year set an all time record of $323,716.628. 1988 -- 25 years ago: William G. Lawrence, first administrative director, has retired fromPECO Enterprises, Inc. Prior to his service at PECO, Mr. Lawrence was the civilianpersonnel officer at the Rock Island Arsenal.