The win was the Mallards' twentieth of the season. Quad City improved to 20-10-8 (48 points) while handing Allen (25-13-4, 54 points) its third straight loss.
Rioux's drive from the right point caromed off an Allen skate and past Americans goaltender Bryan Pitton to give the Mallards their third lead of the night. The Mallards stretched the gap to 4-2 just one minute and 49 seconds later. Matt Duffy's one timer gave Quad City its first two goal cushion. Mike Stinziani's empty net goal clinched the win with a minute left in the contest.
The Mallards put the Americans away in the third after failing to hold leads in each of the first two periods. Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel- who also had an assist- finished off a give-and-go with Nick Grasso from close range to open the scoring at 2:48 of the first period. The Americans rebounded to even the score when Jamie Schaafsma snapped the puck home from the high slot at 7:09 of the first.
Matt Boyd's tip-in broke the 1-1 deadlock at 10:48 of the second period but the Americans responded for the second time with Kale Kerbashian's wrist shot from the right wing circle at 16:22 of the second.
The Mallards and Americans meet again Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at the iWireless Center. Friday is another $1 Dog/$1 Beer Night presented by 97X. $1 hot dogs and beers will be available at iWireless Center concession stands during each of the Mallards' 11 Friday night home games this season.
Tickets for Friday night's game and all Mallards regular season home games 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 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
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