Former Viper Marino Named Oakley CHL First Star For January:

Former Vernon Vipers forward, Brandon Marino was named Oakley Central Hockey Leagues First Star for the month of January. Marino who played just two games with the 2002-2003 Vernon Vipers is in his third season with the CHL Quad City Mallards.

Brandon Marino's Player Profile:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=93732

This is posted on the Mallards website:

MARINO NAMED OAKLEY CHL FIRST STAR FOR JANUARY

02/03/2012

Quad City Mallards winger Brandon Marino has been named Oakley Central Hockey League First Star for the month of January, the Mallards announced today in conjunction with the CHL.
Marino, 25, took first star honors after scoring nine goals- including a pair of game winners- and totaling 17 points in 13 games in January. The 5’ 9”, 185-pound Riverside, California, native enjoyed five multiple point evenings in January. Marino last Saturday matched his personal career high and the team season high for most points in one game and also equaled the club season high for assists in a game by scoring once and adding three assists in an 8-3 win over the Missouri Mavericks. On January 14, Marino registered a point in a thirteenth straight game- that streak (which began in December) is the second longest in the CHL this season.

Players are awarded five points each time they are named first star of a game, three points for second star recognition and one point for being tabbed third star. Marino was named first star three times in January and finished the month with a total of 20 points via this system.

On the season, Marino leads the CHL in goals (27) and power play goals (10) and is tied for second in shorthanded goals (3). He was named Most Valuable Player of the January 11 CHL All-Star Game after scoring the winning goal and adding three assists in the All-Stars’ 6-4 victory over the host Arizona Sundogs.

Now in his third year of pro hockey, Marino has already eclipsed his previous career highs for goals and points in a season. He scored ten goals and produced 38 points in 58 games last year after notching 13 goals and totaling 44 points two years ago in his first pro campaign.

Before joining the Mallards, Marino helped Cinderella story Bemidji State to a berth in the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four. Marino 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. He played junior hockey for three seasons in the British Columbia and North American leagues before enrolling at BSU.

Marino is the second Mallard to earn a monthly first star nod this season. Eric Giosa was October’s first star.

The Mallards return to action on home ice tonight at 7:05 p.m. against the Fort Wayne Komets.

Single game tickets for all Mallards regular season home contests- including tonight’s game- are now available. Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or tickets@myqcmallards.com  for more information about tickets.