MOLINE, Ill. (April 23, 2014) - Bruce Graham had a goal and an assist, Jamie Schaafsma scored what proved to be the game winner in the third period and Bryan Pitton made 33 saves as the Allen Americans defeated the host Quad City Mallards 4-2 Wednesday night to take a two games to one lead in the best-of-seven Central Hockey League semi-finals.

The Americans survived a Mallard third period comeback bid that started when Jordan Mayer pounced on a loose puck in the goalmouth to cut what had been a 2-0 Allen lead in half at 8:40 of the third.  Schaafsma responded with the goal that would stand up as the difference by burying the rebound at 14:12 after Mallard goaltender Ty Rimmer (32 shots) foiled Graham's breakaway bid.  The Mallards closed the gap to a single goal a second time when Matt Boyd scored in a goalmouth scramble with two minutes and thirty-nine seconds remaining only for Greger Hansen's empty net goal to clinch victory for Allen with just 17.5 seconds left.

The Mallards never quite recovered after surrendering a pair of special teams goals late in the first period.  The Americans were on the power play when Bruce Graham swept the opening goal home from the slot at 15:38 of the first.  Jonathan Lessard's shorthanded breakaway goal doubled the Allen lead at 18:35.

The Mallards host game four Friday evening and game five Saturday night.  Each of those contests will face off at 7:05 p.m.  Should a sixth game be required, the series would move back to Allen on Tuesday night, April 29.  If the series goes the distance, the Americans would host the seventh and deciding game on Wednesday evening, April 30.

Friday evening brings not only game four between the Mallards and Americans but also the return of the Mallards' popular $1 Dog/$1 Dollar Beer Night presented by 97X.  iWireless Center doors will open at 6:00 p.m. Friday and $1 beers will be available at arena concession stands from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.  $1 hot dogs will be available throughout the game.

Tickets for Mallards home playoff games can be purchased in person at the iWireless Center box office, online at ticketmaster.com, at Ticketmaster outlets 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.

Winterset, Iowa:  With construction underway on the long-awaited John Wayne Birthplace Museum, Duke's hometown is buzzing with anticipation. To kick off the project the entire community is joining together in presenting the 2014 John Wayne Birthday Celebration May 23 & 24. New to this year's lineup will be a Rodeo/Western Swing Dance on May 23 (admission $15 individually or $25 combined) and special appearances by screen star Lana Wood, who played young Debbie in the acclaimed motion picture classic, "The Searchers." Also new this year, the Iowa Cowboy Mounted Shooters Association present two shows where mounted contestants compete in a timed event using .45 caliber single-action revolvers. And authors Lana Wood and John Wayne's daughter Aissa Wayne will join New York Times best-selling authors Scott Eyman and Glenn Frankel in a book symposium to discuss their block-buster books on John Wayne and director John Ford.

Continuing event favorites are free screenings of classic John Wayne movies at the vintage Iowa Theater, this year featuring "The Searchers," "Stagecoach" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." Visitors may also enjoy a Fireman's Pancake Breakfast, a 5K run/walk, Pie Squared dessert tasting and tours of Madison County's legendary Covered Bridges (nominal charges for each).

The exciting Birthplace Museum Benefit Dinner takes place Saturday evening at 5pm where guests will enjoy a meal along with music, celebrities and an auction of John Wayne collectibles and memorabilia hosted by the actor's daughter Aissa Wayne. Reservations are $125 per person.

For more information and reservations visit http://www.johnwaynebirthplace.museum/birthday or call 877-462-1044.

River Bend Foodbank will celebrate "Extreme Kids Helping Kids" on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.  This family and kid-oriented event will be held in their new and larger facility at 4010 Kimmel Drive in Davenport.  It is an opportunity to teach school-aged kids about service to others while having fun at the same time.

Since most food drives happen in the fall, the Foodbank is especially needy in the spring when supplies are low.  Families, school and other youth groups are encouraged to collect and bring non-perishable food items to the Foodbank where they can enter to win prizes for the largest contribution (by weight). There will be family entertainment by the area's top children's entertainers. Special stations will be set up with, face painting, clowning, balloon artistry, caricature drawing and more, in a carnival-like atmosphere.  Entry to the event is free.

River Bend Foodbank has been serving the greater Quad-City area since 1982.  In addition to larger warehouse space, the new facility now has industrial-sized refrigeration; making it possible to provide even more fresh and refrigerated foods.

River Bend Foodbank is the largest hunger relief organization in the Quad Cities and surrounding communities, distributing more than 8 million lbs of food annually to more than 300 charitable feeding programs throughout a 22 county service area in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Childhood hunger programs include the Backpack Program which provides up to 1700 Quad City children with nourishing food to take home on the weekends during the school year, the Kids Café Program providing evening meals to children at three sites, and the Mobile Food Pantry which directly feeds thousands of families each month.

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The Kaaba Shriners are in their 24th year of collecting the little tabs off of soda pop and beer cans to raise money to help with the expenses of caring for children with orthopedic injuries, diseases, and birth defects.

Based in Davenport but with membership throughout southeastern Iowa and western Illinois, the Kaaba Shriners are also known for their parade participation, circuses and other community events in addition to their support of the network of hospitals and their care for children.

Noble Jack Stamm, PP, began the tab collections in 1990 by turning in the tabs as scrap aluminum and using the money received to help with patient expenses. So far in 2014, the local Shriners have collected over 1,900 pounds of tabs which has netted them $944.70. And it takes 1,267 of those little tabs just to make a pound! Since the inception of this program, they've recycled 378,432 pounds for a whopping total of $202,194.67! That works out to almost one half billion tabs, all of it to aid in the care of children!

Pretty soon when you think of the Shriners you'll think hospitals, circuses, parades and those little aluminum tabs. For more information on the tabs project, to make a donation of tabs, or for information on the Kaaba Shriners in general, please contact them at 563-386-2526.