Mallards Welcome Back Trio
Marino, Palmer, Lovdahl Return to Quad Cities

MOLINE, Ill.  (July 27, 2010) – The Quad City Mallards of the “AA” Central Hockey League announced today that the Mallards have re-signed right wing Brandon Marino and defensemen Ryan Palmer and Shane Lovdahl for the 2010-11 season.  Per team policy, no contract terms released.
 
Marino, 24, last season scored 13 goals and totaled 44 points in 73 games to finish his first pro season as the Mallards’ second leading rookie scorer.  
 
“Brandon has good hands and good feet and can score,” said Mallards Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Frank Anzalone.  “He wants to increase his offensive role so we could see him really step up this season.”
 
Before joining the Mallards Marino helped Cinderella story Bemidji State to a berth in the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four.  The 5’ 9”, 185-pound Riverside, California, product scored seven goals and notched 19 points in 36 games in 2008-09 and rang up 15 goals and 51 points in 116 games over his four years as a Beaver.  Marino played junior hockey for three seasons in the British Columbia and North American leagues before enrolling at BSU.
 
Palmer, 27, collected 11 assists in 62 games after being acquired by the Mallards in a trade with the Muskegon Lumberjacks last November.  Between Quad City and Muskegon, the Groton, Massachusetts, native totaled one goal and 13 points in 75 games last year. 
 
“Ryan provides a physical presence on the back end for us.  He’s an experienced guy who comes to play every night and is someone we’re going to need to step up and lead for us this season,” said Anzalone.
 
Palmer, now entering his fifth pro season, will return to the CHL this fall after spending his first three years in the Central League.  The 6’ 3”, 215-pound Palmer skated for the Odessa Jackalopes for two plus seasons after also playing for the Colorado Eagles and Laredo Bucks as a rookie.  In his most recent CHL campaign- 2008-09- Palmer scored one goal and recorded nine points in 42 games with the Jackalopes.  Over 240 career games he has registered five goals and 46 points.

Before turning pro Palmer played college hockey at the University of Connecticut for two seasons.  He produced five goals and 14 points in 63 career games as a Husky.
 
Lovdahl, 26, scored three goals and led Mallards defensemen in assists (21) and points (24) as a rookie last season. 
 
There has been little down time in the off season for Lovdahl, who is spending the summer down under with the Adelaide Adrenaline of the Australian Ice Hockey League.  The 6’ 0”, 207-pound blue liner currently ranks second on the team in goals, having scored 11 times while totaling 18 points in 17 games.
 
“Shane had a good rookie season and should return in great shape,” said Anzalone.  “He hits hard and has good vision.  Now he needs to be become more consistent.”
 
Lovdahl completed his college career at Alaska-Anchorage in the spring of 2009.  The Anchorage native scored once and collected five points in 32 games with the Seawolves in 2008-09.  Lovdahl recorded eight goals and 33 points in 110 career games at UAA. 
 
Lovdahl was not wholly unfamiliar with this part of the country before joining the Mallards- he played three years of junior hockey with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League from 2002 to 2005 and capped off his junior career by helping the RoughRiders to the 2004-05 USHL Clark Cup title.
 
Marino, Lovdahl and Palmer join Patrik Levesque to bring the number of signings announced by the Mallards for the 2010-11 season to four.