Nana Meriwether to Drop Puck, Meet Fans When Mallards Take on Arizona

MOLINE, Ill. (February 27, 2014) - The Quad City Mallards and Genesis Health System will welcome Nana Meriwether, Miss USA 2012, to the Mallards' Friday, March 7 game against the Arizona Sundogs at the iWireless Center.

Nana will drop the puck for a ceremonial faceoff just before the 7:05 p.m. start of the game and will meet fans, sign autographs and pose for pictures during that contest.

After being named Miss Maryland USA 2012, Nana went on to win the title of Miss USA 2012 in December of that year.  Nana is also a professional and Olympic-level volleyball player, philanthropist and highly accomplished student.

"Since her first visit to the Quad Cities last spring, Nana has been working with us as a member of the Genesis Philanthropy Board of Directors. Her expertise and experience with global health has been hugely beneficial to us.  Nana brings a unique perspective and a passion for health and wellness," said Genesis Health Services Foundation executive director Missy Gowey.  "I'm excited she'll have a chance to meet our Mallards fans and gain in her understanding of what makes the Quad Cities a great place to live."

In 2007, Nana co-founded the Meriwether Foundation, an international non-profit organization dedicated to improving health and empowering communities.  The foundation conducts health, education, nutrition and empowerment programs that provide assistance to impoverished rural communities in five southern African countries: Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  More information on the Meriwether Foundation can be found at www.MeriwetherFoundation.org.

Born in South Africa and raised in the Washington D.C. area, Nana was standout in volleyball first at Duke University and then, after transferring, at UCLA.  At Duke, Nana followed in the trailblazing footsteps of her father Delano, who was the first African American to be admitted to and graduate from the Duke University School of Medicine.  By the end of her college career, Nana had broken three NCAA volleyball records, led UCLA to the NCAA Final Four and earned NCAA All-American honors two years in a row.

Nana was a Dean's List student at Duke and was named to the Director's Honor Roll on multiple occasions while at UCLA before graduating with a degree in political science.  She was also named to both the NCAA and Pac 10 Conference All-Academic teams.

In addition to appearing on NBC for both the 2012 and 2013 Miss USA competitions, Nana has been featured in Sports Illustrated and on Lifetime's Project Runway and Bravo's The Real Housewives of Atlanta and New York.

Tickets for March 7 game and all Mallards regular season home tilts can be purchased at the iWireless Center ticket office, Ticketmaster outlets, through ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000.  The ticket office is open weekdays 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 from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

About Genesis Health System
Genesis Health System, its affiliates and partners offer a full continuum of health care services.  Genesis Health System's affiliates include : acute and tertiary hospital care at Genesis Medical Center, Davenport and DeWitt, Iowa and Genesis Medical Center, Silvis and Aledo in Illinois; home health and hospice services through Genesis VNA and Hospice; Genesis Workplace Services, including occupational health, employee assistance and wellness services for employers and their employees; the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House; senior living facilities offering rehabilitation and long-term care; Genesis Health Group, with more than 170 primary care physicians and specialists; a Family Practice Residency program; Genesis Psychology Associates; three Convenient Care clinics; and Genesis Home Medical Equipment.  Partners include the Genesis Medical Park, Crow Valley, Genesis Imaging Centers and Spring Street Surgical Center, Davenport. Genesis Health System serves a 10-county area of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Genesis also manages Jackson County Regional Health Center in Maquoketa, Iowa. For more information, visit www.genesishealth.com.

About the Quad City Mallards
A proud affiliate of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild and the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild, the Quad City Mallards are in the midst of their seventeenth season their fourth in the Central Hockey League.  One of the winningest teams in all of minor league hockey, the Mallards competed in the United Hockey League from 1995 through 2007 and in the International Hockey League in 2009-10.  The Mallards' proud history has seen them capture the UHL's Colonial Cup Championship three times (1997, 1998, 2001) and secure that league's Tarry Cup four times (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002) for the best overall regular season record.  In 2001, the Mallards made professional hockey history, recording their sixth consecutive season with 50 or more wins, a feat that has yet to be matched.  The iWireless Center provides a unique environment for hockey and features one-of-a-kind seating areas such as the Nest for groups and functions and the exclusive Drake Club.  For more information on the Quad City Mallards or for Mallards tickets go to www.myqcmallards.com.  Fans can also follow the Mallards via Twitter at twitter.com/myqcmallards and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/quadcitymallards.

THIS WEEK
Wednesday, February 26, 7:05 p.m.
iWireless Center, Moline

Missouri Mavericks vs. Quad City Mallards

Friday, February 28, 7:05 p.m.

iWireless Center, Moline

Brampton Beast vs. Quad City Mallards

Saturday, March 1, 7:05 p.m.

iWireless Center, Moline

Brampton Beast vs. Quad City Mallards

LAST WEEK
Wednesday, February 19
Missouri 2 Quad City 1

Friday, February 21

Tulsa 4 Quad City 3

Saturday, February 22

Quad City 4 Wichita 3

Sunday, February 23

Allen 6 Quad City 2

Quad City
25-15-8, 58 points
6th place
Coach: Terry Ruskowski

Missouri

33-14-2, 68 points
1st place
Coach: Scott Hillman

Brampton
27-21-5, 59 points

5th place
Coach: Mark DeSantis

QUACK TRACKS
Recent Action
The Mallards dropped three of the four games they played in a five day span ending yesterday and have also now gone 1-4-0 in their last five games.  The Mallards did recover from a pair of one-goal losses- last Wednesday at home against Missouri and last Friday in Tulsa- and three straight defeats overall by winning 4-1 in Wichita Saturday night before falling yesterday in Allen.

Tight

The Mallards bounced from fourth to seventh to fourth to fifth and finally into sixth place in the tightly packed CHL standings last week.  They are currently only one point behind fifth place Brampton and just one point ahead of seventh place Tulsa.  The Mallards are two points behind fourth place Allen.  The Mallards, who have played fewer games (48) than any other CHL club, have two games in hand on Allen and five games in hand on Brampton and Tulsa.

Busy

The Mallards yesterday played their seventh game in ten days, a stretch during which they went 3-4-0.  That run culminated in the Mallards playing four games in four cities in five nights.  Yesterday's game was also the thirteenth in a stretch that sees the Mallards play 31 games over the final 59 days of the regular season.

Rough Road

The Mallards are in the midst of a stretch that sees them play 18 of their final 30 games against the top four teams in the CHL- Missouri, Rapid City, Denver and Allen.

Balance
While the Mallards rank in the top half of the league in goal scoring- fifth at 3.3 per game- Jeff Lee (18-24-42), who is tied for twentieth, is the only Mallard in the top 20 in the CHL in point scoring.

Between the Pipes

Thomas Heemskerk suffered the loss in goal yesterday after also enduring defeat last Friday in Tulsa.  Those setbacks were his first consecutive regulation losses this season.

General Lee
Lee's nine-game point-scoring streak (5-9-14) ended yesterday.  Lee has also recorded 21 points (seven goals and 14 assists) in his last 16 games.   Lee, who last week was named an alternate captain, leads the Mallards in goals (18) and points (42).

Early Exit

Mallards coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski was assessed a game misconduct during the second period of yesterday's game after protesting the officiating of that contest.

Trifecta
Matt Boyd scored three times- once at even strength, once shorthanded and once on the power play- in the Mallards last two games.  In the second period of Saturday's win in Wichita, Boyd broke a scoreless tie with a shorthanded goal and struck again at even strength.  He then scored his first power play goal in two seasons with the Mallards in the second period of yesterday's loss in Allen.  Yesterday's goal was Boyd's first on the man advantage since he delivered a power play goal for the host Laredo Bucks on March 3, 2012 against...the Allen Americans.

Done and Done
The Mallards last weekend finished their season series with Tulsa and Wichita.  The Mallards went 2-2-0 against the Oilers and 1-1-1 against the Thunder.

Leaders
Heemskerk ranks fourth in goals against average (2.67), is tied for fourth in shutouts (2) and ranks sixth in save percentage (.912)...Ty Rimmer is also tied for fourth in shutouts (2), is tied for sixth in goals against average (2.81) and ranks eighth in save percentage (.908)... Among rookies, Thomas Frazee is tied for third in goals (13), ranks fifth in points (31) and ranks sixth in assists (18)...Among defensemen, Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel and Matt Duffy are tied for fifth in goals (9) while Dieude-Fauvel is also tied for seventh in points (30) and tied for eighth in assists (21)...Mike Monfredo is tied for tenth in points (24) and assists (20).

Special Teams
On the season the Mallards have converted 14.3 percent of their plays and rank ninth in the CHL on the man advantage but over their last nine games have scored on 25 percent (11-for-44) of their advantages.  The Mallards rank fifth in penalty killing (83.0 percent) and, after Boyd scored during a Wichita power play Saturday, are tied for fourth in shorthanded goals (7).

Head to Head

The Mallards have gone 0-3-1 against Missouri this year.  The Mavericks last Wednesday defeated the Mallards while making their first visit of the season to the iWireless Center.  After playing just one of their first 36 games against Missouri, the Mallards, starting with a 3-1 loss in Independence on February 1, play nine of their final 30 tilts against the Mavericks.  Since entering the CHL in 2010, the Mallards have gone 14-15-3 against the Mavericks and have posted a record of 5-7-2 at home.  Lee (2-4-6) and Missouri's Mike Ramsay (1-5-6) are the top point producers in this year's season series...The Mallards have gone 7-1-3 against Brampton this season and are 2-1-2 against the expansion Beast on home ice.  The two clubs conclude their season series this weekend.  Gergo Nagy is the leading scorer (5-9-14) in the season series.  The Mallards this season have played four games that have ended in overtime- all against the Beast.  Brampton has won three of those four contests, including the last meeting between the two clubs on January 26 when Andrew Fournier scored in sudden death to give the host Beast a 4-3 victory.

Ins and Outs
Forward Frazee was placed on seven-day injured reserve retroactive to February 15 (upper body) and has missed the Mallards' last five games...Forward Hellyer was placed on 14-day injured reserve retroactive to February 16 (upper body) and has missed the last four games

UPCOMING HOME GAMES
Wednesday, February 26, 7:05 p.m.- Mallards vs. Missouri
Wednesday's game is a Winning Wednesday presented by T.G.I. Friday's.  If the Mallards win Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the Mallards' next Wednesday home game courtesy of T.G.I. Friday's.  Fans also have the opportunity to purchase $2 hot dogs and beer at iWireless Center concession stands during each Wednesday home tilt.  After the game fans can join the Mallards at T.G.I. Friday's in Moline for a postgame party.

Friday, February 28, 7:05 p.m.- Mallards vs. Brampton
$1 Dog/$1 Beer Friday Presented by 97X
This Friday is this season's penultimate $1 Dog/$1 Beer Night presented by 97X.  $1 hot dogs and $1 beers are available at iWireless Center concession stands during each of the Mallards' 11 Friday night home games this season.

Saturday, March 1, 7:05 p.m.- Mallards vs. Brampton
Duck Dynasty's Mountain Man Presented by Genesis Health Systems
The Mallards welcome Mountain Man from the popular A&E reality series Duck Dynasty to this Saturday night's game.

Blades for Grades Presented by Cobham Mission Systems
Also on Saturday night, area honor roll students will attend the game free of charge through the Mallards' Blades for Grades program courtesy of Cobham Mission Systems.

ON THE AIR
Fox Sports Radio 1230 is the radio home of Mallards Hockey Presented by Genesis Power Sports Performance.  Mallards games broadcast on AM 1230 also stream live online at www.wfxn.net.  A limited number of Mallards games- including this Wednesday's tilt- will not air on Fox Sports Radio 1230 due to conflicts with University of Illinois basketball and football and Green Bay Packer football.  Free audio webcasts of games that do not air on AM 1230 are available at myqcmallards.com.  CHL-TV pay-per-view video webcasts of all Mallards games are also available at myqcmallards.com.  For a full Mallards broadcast/webcast schedule, go to http://myqcmallards.com/schedule/broadcast_schedule/.

TICKETS
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets for all Mallards regular season contests are now available.  Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com for more information about tickets.  Single game tickets are also available at the i wireless Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free.  The box office is open weekdays 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 from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

Group Tickets
Groups of at least ten receive savings off the walk-up price and a host of 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 or info@myqcmallards.com.

Aduba snapped what proved be the game winner in under the crossbar from the slot just shy of the midway point of the third.

Adbua's goal gave the Mavericks their second lead of the night.  Missouri was shorthanded when Anders Franzon charged into the goalmouth to open the scoring at 4:05 of the second period.  Jeff Lee's wrist shot from the slot tied the game at one for the Mallards at 11:15 of the second.

The Mallards return to action on the road Friday night against the Tulsa Oilers.  The Mallards next play at home next Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. against the Mavericks.  That game is another Winning Wednesday presented by T.G.I. Friday's.  If the Mallards win next Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the Mallards' following Wednesday home game courtesy of T.G.I. Friday's.  After the game fans can join the Mallards at T.G.I. Friday's in Moline for a postgame party.

Hellyer has been sidelined by a lower body injury after briefly returning to the lineup for the Mallards' loss Sunday to the Mavericks in Missouri.  Hellyer missed two games before returning to the ice Sunday.  The 27-year old native of Brandon, Manitoba, has scored ten goals and totaled 25 points in 42 games this season after last year being named Central Hockey League Rookie of the Year.

Frazee has been forced out of the line-up by an upper body injury.  The 23-year old North Vancouver product missed Sunday's game after playing in each of the Mallards' first 43 tilts.  Among CHL rookies Frazee is tied for third in goals (13) and points (31) and tied for fourth in assists (18).  Frazee has been moved to IR retroactive to Saturday while Hellyer's move is retroactive to Sunday.

Lee joins captain Darren McMillan and fellow alternate captain Mike Stinziani in wearing a letter for the Mallards.  Jim McKenzie also donned the "A" before being called up to the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild last month.  Lee has enjoyed a strong first season with the Mallards and of late has been the team's hottest forward.  The 25-year old Calgary native leads the Mallards in goals (16) and is tied for the team lead in points (38).  Lee, who last year spent what was his rookie campaign with the Rapid City Rush, has posted a plus/minus rating of +10 while playing in each of the Mallards first 44 games this season.  Lee is in the midst of a six game point scoring streak (3-7-10) and has piled up 17 points (five goals and 12 assists) in his last 12 games.