Mallards Sign Matt Boyd; Release Jared Lavender

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The Quad City Mallards have signed forward Matt Boyd, waived defenseman Jared Lavender and placed forward Cory McGillis on 14-day injured reserve, the Mallards announced today.

Boyd, 27, started the season with the Wichita Thunder, for whom he played two games and picked up one assist.

“Matt’s a proven, gritty left winger who goes hard to the net,” said Mallards coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski. “He’s coming off a good year last season with Laredo and he’ll also add size to our lineup.”

Boyd last season scored 14 goals and totaled 39 points in 65 games with the Bucks. The St. Albert, Alberta, native broke into the Central Hockey League with the Mississippi RiverKings, for whom he scored seven goals and notched 24 points over 54 games as a rookie in 2010-11.

Before turning professional, the 6’ 0”, 190-pound Boyd enjoyed a highly successful college career at NCAA Division III powerhouse St. Norbert. He helped the Green Knights to three Frozen Four berths and, while producing 17 goals and 39 points in 32 games as a sophomore in 2007-08, a national title. Boyd, who returned to the national championship game with St. Norbert as a senior in 2010, scored 31 times and recorded 114 points in 112 collegiate games over four years.

Boyd arrived at St. Norbert after spending four seasons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, where he skated for the Fort Saskatchewan Traders and Camrose Kodiaks.

Lavender collected three assists in eight games with the Mallards this season after registering three goals and 19 points in 60 games with Quad City last year.

McGillis has been sidelined since suffering a concussion in the Mallards’ 3-2 loss to the Blaze in Bloomington last Saturday night. The rookie winger has played in eight games and ranks third in the CHL with 37 penalty minutes.