USHL Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Weekly Update

Published on February 21, 2006 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders News Release


THIS WEEK

Wednesday, February 22, 7:05PM @ 95KGGO Arena, Urbandale

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders vs. Des Moines Buccaneers

Friday, February 24, 7:05PM @ Cedar Rapids Ice Arena

Indiana Ice vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

RECORDS

Cedar Rapids

25-16-5, 55 points, tied 2nd place East Division

Des Moines

27-15-5, 59 points, 1st place East Division

Indiana

17-23-5, 39 points, 5th place East Division

COMING IN

The RoughRiders went 1-1-1 last weekend. The Riders fell 5-1 to the Des Moines Buccaneers last Thursday on home ice, rebounded with a 6-4 win at Des Moines last Friday and Sunday afternoon earned one point for a 2-1 shootout loss at Green Bay.

Sunday's win enabled Green Bay to move into tie with the RoughRiders for second place in the United States Hockey League's East Division. The Riders are four points behind the Bucs heading into tomorrow night's season series finale in Urbandale. The Riders have one game in hand on Des Moines and have played two fewer games than Green Bay.

Last Thursday's game began a stretch that will see the Riders play seven straight games against East Division opponents.

Ted Purcell is closing in on Jon Grabarek's RoughRider career points record. Purcell, who is now in his second season with the team, has totaled 124 points in 100 games for the Riders. Grabarek collected 129 points in 175 games over three seasons in Cedar Rapids.

Purcell (13-44-57) currently leads the USHL in assists and ranks second in points, just behind teammate Chad Costello (25-35-60). Purcell has rung up eight points (one goal, seven assists) in just his last four games.

Costello became the first player in the league to reach 60 points this season after he picked up one goal and two assists in last Friday's win at Des Moines. He is also tied for second in the league in assists and tied for fifth in goals.

The Buccaneers went 2-1-0 while playing three games in three nights last weekend. After splitting with the Riders, the Bucs handed Waterloo a 5-3 loss last Saturday in Urbandale.

The Bucs have now won three of their last four games after going winless (0-3-1) in their prior four. Despite the Bucs' recent uptick, Des Moines has gone just 5-9-1 over its last 16 games after going 22-6-4 in its first 32 contests.

With last Saturday's win, the Bucs snapped a three game home losing streak.

The Bucs ranks second in the league in both goals scored per game (3.5) and goals allowed per contest (2.7).

The Bucs have been superb while shorthanded. Des Moines boasts the USHL's most efficient penalty kill (87.3 percent) and has 18 shorthanded goals- one shy of the league record.

Des Moines' Trevor Lewis (27-29-56) ranks second in the league in goals and third in points. After scoring two shorthanded goals (both of which came last Thursday against the Riders) and picking up four assists last week, Lewis was named USHL/Let's Play Hockey Offensive Player of the Week.

Lewis's sometime linemate Kyle Okposo (23-28-51) ranks fifth in points.

The Ice split a pair of games in Omaha last weekend. Indiana won 5-2 last Friday before falling 4-1 the following evening.

The Ice is three points behind the Waterloo Black Hawks in the race for the fourth and final East Division playoff berth. Indiana does have two games in hand on Waterloo. The Ice has opened up a six point gap over last place Chicago in the east and has played four fewer games that the Steel.

Indiana has gone 4-5-0 in nine games since Jack Bowkus took over the coaching reins from Dean Grillo on January 25.

Indiana boasts the league's most effective power play (23.4 percent).

Garrett Roe (15-28-43) has taken over the Indiana team point scoring lead from defenseman Eddie Del Grosso (18-23-41). Del Grosso leads USHL defensemen in goals and ranks second among blue liners in points.

LAST WEEK

Cedar Rapids

Thursday, February 16: Des Moines 5 Cedar Rapids 1

After Dustin Cloutier scored the only Rider goal, tying the score at one in the first period, the Buccaneers pulled away with four straight goals.

Friday, February 17: Cedar Rapids 6 Des Moines 4

Six different RoughRiders scored and Al Stalock made 44 saves in a wild Rider win. Ted Purcell and Chad Costello led the Rider attack with one goal and two assists apiece.

Saturday, February 19: Green Bay 2 Cedar Rapids 1 (SO)

The Gamblers outscored the Riders 3-2 in the shootout after Al Stalock made 47 saves through regulation and overtime. Jordan Pietrus scored the Riders' only goal of regulation late in the second period.

Des Moines

Thursday, February 16: Des Moines 5 Cedar Rapids 1

Trevor Lewis scored two shorthanded goals and added an assist to lead the Bucs. The Bucs broke open a 1-1 game with second period goals from Kyle Okposo, Aaron Bendickson and Lewis. Aaron Palushaj also scored for Des Moines.

Friday, February 17: Cedar Rapids 6 Des Moines 4

A third period Bucs rally keyed by two Ken Rowe goals came up just short. The Bucs twice cut the Rider lead to a single goal in the third, but were unable to produce the game tier. Aaron Bendickson and Shane Sims also scored for the Bucs.

Sunday, February 18: Des Moines 5 Waterloo 3

Rob Johnson broke a 3-3 tie at 11:28 of the third period. His goal stood up as the game winner after the Bucs had been unable to hold three earlier leads.

Indiana

Friday, February 17: Indiana 5 Omaha 2

Lucas Klimek scored twice as the Ice pulled away with three third period goals. Mike Hull, Garrett Roe and Jay Sprague also scored for Indiana.

Saturday, Feburary 18: Omaha 4 Indiana 1

Alex Laseen scored the only Indiana goal as the Ice generated only 20 shots on goal.

TOP POINT SCORERS

Cedar Rapids GP G A PTS

Chad Costello 45 25 35 60

Ted Purcell 42 13 44 57

Phil Axtell 40 21 14 35

Nik Sellers 45 13 18 31

David Strathman 46 10 13 23

Des Moines GP G A PTS

Trevor Lewis 44 27 29 56

Kyle Okposo 44 23 28 51

Colin Vock 45 15 21 36

Richard Purslow 46 11 24 35

Ken Rowe 47 16 17 33

Indiana GP G A PTS

Garrett Roe 40 15 28 43

Eddie Del Grosso 45 18 23 41

John Kemp 38 7 30 37

Jay Sprague 43 15 10 25

Brian Gifford 43 11 13 24

LEADERS

Cedar Rapids

Goals- Chad Costello (25)

Assists- Ted Purcell (44)

Points- Chad Costello (60)

Plus/Minus- Phil Axtell, Sergei Kolosov (+9)

Penalty Minutes- Phil Axtell (151)

Power Play Goals- Phil Axtell (13)

Shorthanded Goals- Jacob Cepis, Gary Steffes, David Strathman (1)

Costello leads the league in points, is tied for second in assists and is tied for fifth in goals and power play goals (10) ...Purcell leads the league in assists and ranks second in points (57) ...Axtell leads the league in power play goals (13), ranks second in penalty minutes (151) and ranks tenth in goals (21)...Nik Sellers is tied for second in game winning goals (6)...David Strathman is tied for ninth in power play goals (8) and, among defensemen, ranks fourth in goals (10) and is tied for eighth in points (23)...Kevin Wehrs is tied for ninth among defensemen in assists (16)

Des Moines

Goals- Trevor Lewis (27)

Assists- Trevor Lewis (29)

Points- Trevor Lewis (56)

Plus/Minus- Kyle Okposo (+28)

Penalty Minutes- Donnie Hallmark (106)

Power Play Goals- Trevor Lewis (8)

Shorthanded Goals- Trevor Lewis (6)

Lewis leads the league in shorthanded goals, ranks second in goals, ranks third in points, ranks fourth in plus/minus (+21), is tied for eighth in assists (29) and is tied for ninth in power play goals...Okposo leads the league in plus/minus, is tied for third in shorthanded goals (4), ranks fifth in points (51), is tied for seventh in goals (23) and is tied for tenth in assists (27)...Ken Rowe is tied for fifth in plus/minus (+21)...Chase Ryan ranks tenth in plus/minus (+19)...Vock is tied for third shorthanded goals (4)...Hallmark is tied for ninth in penalty minutes...Shane Sims is tied for fifth among defensemen in goals (8)

Indiana

Goals- Eddie Del Grosso (18)

Assists- John Kemp (30)

Points- Garrett Roe (43)

Plus/Minus- Garrett Roe (+2)

Penalty Minutes- Eric Gryba (89)

Power Play Goals- Eddie Del Grosso (12)

Shorthanded Goals- Eddie Del Grosso, Mike Hull, Jay Sprague (2)

Del Grosso ranks second in power play goals and, among defensemen, leads the league in goals, ranks second in points (41) and ranks fourth in assists (23)...Kemp ranks seventh in assists...Roe is tied for tenth in assists (28)

GOALTENDERS

Cedar Rapids GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT

Alex Stalock 32 1917:06 2.44 20-10-2 3 .932

Pat McGann 15 878:14 2.87 5-6-3 1 .911

Stalock leads the league in saves (1070), ranks second in minutes played, is tied for second in wins and save percentage, is tied for third in shutouts and ranks fifth in goals against average

Des Moines GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT

Troy Davenport 29 1727:37 2.57 17-9-3 2 .922

Brian Foster 19 1107:52 2.49 10-6-2 0 .913

Davenport ranks fourth in save percentage, is tied for fifth in wins, ranks sixth in minutes played and ranks seventh in goals against average...Foster is tied for fifth in save percentage and sixth in goals against average

Indiana GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT

Cody Reichard 29 1572:18 3.59 12-13-2 2 .883

Steve Jakiel 9 457:40 3.15 3-4-1 0 .902

(TOTALS) 27 1539:16 3.31 13-10-3 0 .891

Reichard ranks eighth in minutes played and is tied for tenth in wins...Jakiel is tied for eighth in wins and ranks tenth in minutes played

WHO'S HOT

Cedar Rapids

Chad Costello: four game point scoring streak ended Sunday (5-4-9)

Ted Purcell: eight points (one goal, seven assists) in his last four games

Al Stalock: unbeaten in regulation (2-0-1) in his last three games (2.27, .950) while making at least 41 saves in each of

those three games

Des Moines

Aaron Bendickson: four game points scoring streak (3-4-7)

Trevor Lewis: four game point scoring streak (3-5-8)

Richard Purslow: five assists in his last five games

Shane Sims: four game point scoring streak (1-4-5)

Indiana

Eddie Del Grosso: five points (one goal, four assists) in his last five games...twelve points (four goals, eight assists) in

his last twelve games

John Kemp: 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in his last 17 games

Garrett Roe: four game point scoring streak (3-4-7) ended last Saturday...14 points (five goals, nine assists) in his last

nine games

Cody Reichard: has allowed three goals or fewer in each of his last four games and in seven of his last eight

WIN-LOSS

Cedar Rapids Des Moines Indiana

Home: 10-11-1 Home: 13-8-2 Home: 9-12-2

Away: 15-5-4 Away: 14-7-3 Away: 8-11-3

vs. East: 15-9-1 vs. East: 17-6-3 vs. East: 9-15-2

vs. West: 10-7-4 vs. West: 10-9-2 vs. West: 8-8-3

GOALS

Cedar Rapids Des Moines Indiana

Goals For: 3.20 (6) Goals For: 3.51 (2) Goals For: 3.16 (7)

Goals Against: 2.78 (3) Goals Against: 2.70 (2) Goals Against: 3.82 (10)

SPECIAL TEAMS

Cedar Rapids Des Moines

Power Play: 20.9 56/268 (3) Power Play: 14.7 38/258 (9)

Penalty Kill: 83.7 34/209 (5) Penalty Kill: 87.3 35/275 (1)

Shorthanded Goals For: 3 Shorthanded Goals For: 18

Shorthanded Goals Against:14 Shorthanded Goals Against: 8

Indiana

Power Play: 23.4 56/239 (1)

Penalty Kill: 81.3 47/251 (7)

Shorthanded Goals For: 11

Shorthanded Goals Against: 5

SERIES

vs. Des Moines

10/29/05 Des Moines 4 at Cedar Rapids 3 2/16/06 Des Moines 5 at Cedar Rapids 1

11/18/05 at Cedar Rapids 3 Des Moines 2 (OT) 2/17/06 Cedar Rapids 6 at Des Moines 4

11/19/05 Cedar Rapids 4 at Des Moines 3 (SO) 2/22/06 Cedar Rapids at Des Moines

1/20/06 Cedar Rapids 3 at Des Moines 0

GP W-L-SOL PTS H A OPP REC OPP PTS

2005-06 6 4-2-0 8 1-2-0 3-0-0 2-2-2 6

All-Time 38 25-10-3 53 11-7-1 14-3-2 13-17-8 34

vs. Indiana

11/15/05 Cedar Rapids 6 at Indiana 4 2/24/06 Indiana at Cedar Rapids

12/10/05 Indiana 3 at Cedar Rapids 0 3/7/06 Indiana at Cedar Rapids

12/17/05 Cedar Rapids 7 at Indiana 3 3/14/06 Cedar Rapids at Indiana

1/28/06 Indiana 4 at Cedar Rapids 1

GP W-L-SOL PTS H A OPP REC OPP PTS

2005-06 4 2-2-0 4 0-2-0 2-0-0 2-2-0 4

All-Time 12 10-2-0 20 4-2-0 6-0-0 2-9-1 5

Top Point Scorers/Season Series

Cedar Rapids vs. Des Moines

Cedar Rapids GP G A PTS

Ted Purcell 5 2 7 9

Chad Costello 4 1 3 4

David Strathman 6 2 4 6

Des Moines GP G A PTS

Trevor Lewis 6 3 4 7

Kyle Okposo 6 2 4 6

Richard Purslow 6 1 5 6

Cedar Rapids vs. Indiana

Cedar Rapids GP G A PTS

Ted Purcell 4 3 5 8

Kevin Wehrs 4 1 4 5

Chad Costello 4 2 2 4

Indiana GP G A PTS

Garrett Roe 3 0 4 4

Justin Milo 3 3 0 3

Jay Sprague 4 2 1 3

Goaltenders/Season Series

Cedar Rapids vs. Des Moines

Cedar Rapids GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT

Alex Stalock 5 308:32 2.53 4-1-0 1 .940

Pat McGann 1 60 5.00 0-1-0 0 .833

Des Moines GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT

Troy Davenport 4 242:05 3.72 1-2-1 0 .891

Brian Foster 2 124:29 1.93 1-0-1 0 .923

Cedar Rapids vs. Indiana

Cedar Rapids GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT

Al Stalock 3 178:38 3.02 1-2-0 0 .907

Pat McGann 1 60 4.00 1-0-0 0 .882

Indiana GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT

Cody Reichard 4 218:49 2.47 2-2-0 0 .933

Jay Clark 1 20 9.00 0-0-0 0 .727

COACHES

Cedar Rapids

Mark Carlson, 7th year (210-154-37)

Mark Carlson has been the RoughRiders' coach since the team arrived in Cedar Rapids in 1999-2000. On December 3 Carlson picked up his two hundredth career coaching win as the Riders defeated Omaha 2-1 in a shootout.

Last season he led the RoughRiders to the first Clark Cup (playoff) title in team history along with a share of the Anderson Cup regular season title and the East Division title.

He has also piloted the Riders to five straight winning seasons and five straight Clark Cup playoff berths. The Riders are one of just three USHL teams to have reached the postseason each of the last five years. The Riders have also advanced at least as far as the Clark Cup semi-finals/East Division finals three of the last four years.

Carlson reached the 150 victory plateau October 30, 2004 as the RoughRiders defeated the Indiana Ice 4-3. He earned his one hundredth coaching win on January 11, 2003 when the RoughRiders defeated the Sioux City Musketeers 3-1 in Sioux City.

He was behind the bench for his three hundredth game as RoughRiders coach as the Riders defeated Indiana 6-5 in a shootout in Indianapolis on October 17.

Prior to taking over the RoughRiders in 1999, Carlson spent four seasons as a collegiate assistant coach at Northeastern and Massachusetts-Lowell. In his playing days, Carlson was a forward at Lowell and was a 1987 draft pick of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins.

Des Moines

Regg Simon, 3rd year (60-54-9); 2nd year Des Moines (41-39-7)

Regg Simon took over as Des Moines coach following the December 1, 2004 resignation of Bob Ferguson. Simon originally joined the Buccaneers in 2003-04 as an assistant coach.

This is Simon's second USHL head coaching stint. In 2002-03, he piloted the Tri-City Storm to a 19-15-2 record and a berth in the Clark Cup playoffs as interim coach after replacing Jim Hillman 24 games into the season.

Simon played college hockey at the University of Alaska-Anchorage after skating for the Bucs from 1994 to 1996.

Indiana

Jack Bowkus, 1st year (4-5-0)

Jack Bowkus replaced Dean Grillo as Ice head coach on January 25. Bowkus joined the Indiana staff at the start of the season as an assistant after coaching in the California Wave youth program for eight years. As a player, Bowkus skated briefly for the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers before spending four seasons (1984-88) with the Saskatoon Blades of the major junior Western Hockey League.

HISTORY

Ted Purcell is closing in on Jon Grabarek's RoughRider career points record. Purcell, who is now in his second season with the team, has totaled 124 points in 100 games for the Riders. Grabarek collected 129 points in 175 games over three seasons in Cedar Rapids.

Last Friday in Des Moines, Rider defenseman Evan Stephens scored his first career USHL goal in his one hundred fortieth game in the league. Stephens joined the RoughRiders this season after spending two years with the Sioux Falls Stampede.

The Riders have gone 39-10-5 on the road between this season and last.

The RoughRiders last season won the Clark Cup, a share of the Anderson Cup and the East Division championship- all firsts in club history. The Riders went 42-13-5 during the regular season- the best record in team history.

The RoughRiders last season set new team records for wins (42), points (89), road wins (24), goals scored (229), power play goals scored (64) and fewest goals against (157).

The Riders last season also set new United States Hockey League records for most road wins and longest road winning streak (13 straight from November 9 through February 11).

2004-05 was the Riders' fourth 30-victory season in the team's six-year Cedar Rapids history. Last season marked the first time the Riders have won 40 or more games.

The Buccaneers have won a total of three Clark Cup (playoff) titles (1992, 1995 and 1999), four Anderson Cup (regular season) championships (1994, 1995, 1998 and 1999) and three junior A national tournaments (1992, 1995 and 1998).

The Danville Wings moved to Indiana after the 2003-04 season to become the Ice.

Indiana was eliminated three straight games in the first round of last spring's Clark Cup playoffs by the RoughRiders.

COLLEGE COMMITMENTS

Cedar Rapids (13)

Phil Axtell (Michigan Tech), Jacob Cepis (Bowling Green), Chad Costello (Northeastern), Ryan Gunderson (Minnesota State-Mankato), Ray Kaunisto (Northern Michigan), Steven Kaunisto (Lake Superior State), Andy Miele (Miami of Ohio), Ted Purcell (Maine), Nik Sellers (Lake Superior State), Alex Stalock (Minnesota-Duluth), Gary Steffes (Miami of Ohio), David Strathman (Northeastern), Kevin Wehrs (Minnesota)

Des Moines (11)

Brian Foster (New Hampshire), Michael Forney (North Dakota), Trevor Lewis (Michigan), Kyle Okposo (Minnesota), Aaron Palushaj (Michigan), Ken Rowe (Army), Ben Ryan (Notre Dame), John Vadnais (Bemidji State), Colin Vock (Vermont)

Indiana (10)

Nik Bailen (Bowling Green), Eddie Del Grosso (Nebraska-Omaha), Brian Gifford (Denver), John Kemp (Nebraska-Omaha), Lucas Klimek (Nebraska-Omaha), Todd McIlrath (Bowling Green), Eric Olimb (Nebraska-Omaha), Ryan Peckskamp (St. Cloud State), Richard Purslow (Nebraska-Omaha), Garrett Roe (St. Cloud State), Shane Sims (Ohio State), Jay Sprague (Michigan State)

NHL DRAFT PICKS

Cedar Rapids Year Round Overall Team

Sergei Kolosov 2004 5th 151 Detroit

Alex Stalock 2005 4th 112 San Jose

Pat McGann 2005 7th 223 Dallas

Des Moines Year Round Overall Team

Brian Foster 2005 5th 161 Florida

Indiana Year Round Overall Team

Brian Gifford 2004 3rd 85 Pittsburgh

NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING MID-SEASON RANKINGS

North American Skaters

Cedar Rapids Rank Des Moines Rank

Ray Kaunisto 124 Kyle Okposo 13

Sean Dolan 145 Michael Forney 43

Gary Steffes 209 Trevor Lewis 46

Jeff Petry 76

ROUGHRIDER ALUMNI

Division I GP G A PTS

Justin Abdelkader (Michigan State/freshman) 35 9 10 19

P.J. Atherton (Minnesota/senior) 32 1 3 4

Todd Bentley (Alabama-Huntsville/senior) 25 8 6 14

Casey Bickley (Army/junior) 30 4 9 13

James Brannigan (Colorado College/sophomore) 26 1 6 7

Jamie Carroll (Providence/junior) 30 7 10 17

Greg Collins (New Hampshire/freshman) 31 5 0 5

GP G A PTS

Ray Eichenlaub (Miami of Ohio/freshman) 32 4 6 10

Joey Gasparini (Vermont/senior) 22 0 1 1

Tony Gill (Notre Dame/senior) 19 0 0 0

Jon Grabarek (Wayne State/freshman) 29 6 6 12

Jordy Hart (Merrimack/sophomore) 21 1 0 1

Bryan Horan (Providence/junior) 29 1 7 8

Tyler Howells (Michigan State/junior) 36 10 21 31

Kyle Larman (Bentley/junior) 30 1 2 3

Billy Loupee (Miami of Ohio/freshman) 9 1 1 2

Shane Lovdahl (Alaska-Anchorage/freshman) 26 3 8 11

Alec Martinez (Miami of Ohio/freshman) 32 0 7 7

Ryan Mayhew (Bentley/junior) 24 4 2 6

Nate Meyers (Providence/senior) 29 6 9 15

Zach Miskovic (St. Lawrence/freshman) 32 1 10 11

Sean Muncy (Brown/freshman) 15 0 2 2

Brandon Naurato (Michigan/freshman) 29 7 3 10

Danny O'Brien (Massachusetts-Lowell/senior) 30 12 11 23

Ted O'Leary (Denver/senior) 31 0 0 0

Matt Olinger (Wisconsin/junior) 30 0 1 1

Zach Pearson (Ferris State/junior) 34 5 18 23

Derek Peltier (Minnesota/sophomore) 32 1 12 13

Brian Pouliot (New Hampshire/sophomore) 16 2 6 8

Rob Ricci (Merrimack/freshman) 30 7 13 20

Chris Snavely (Michigan State/junior) 21 1 2 3

Brandon Svendsen (Bowling Green/freshman) 34 10 9 19

Alexander Valentin (Renssalaer/senior) 18 1 5 6

Shawn Vinz (New Hampshire/junior) 21 0 1 1

Matt Vokes (Brown/freshman) 25 3 6 9

Chase Watson (Providence/junior) 30 6 25 31

GP W-L-T GAA SV% SO

Joe Fallon (Vermont/sophomore) 28 14-10-4 1.81 .912 6

Bobby Goepfert (St. Cloud State/junior) 28 15-10-3 2.10 .925 3

Matt Kelly (Wayne State/senior) 17 4-8-3 4.18 .876 0

Dan Tormey (Minnesota State-Mankato/freshman) 27 12-11-4 2.81 .903 2

Professional GP G A PTS +/-

Steve Burgess (Charlotte/ECHL) 42 0 5 5 -4

Dave Carpentier (Fort Wayne/UHL) 35 9 5 14 +6

Rico Fatticci (Roanoke/UHL) 38 2 5 7 -15

Mike Manley (Kalamazoo/UHL) 36 17 14 31 +14

Dave Moss (Omaha/AHL) 54 15 21 36 --

Highlights

Ray Eichenlaub, Alec Martinez and Billy Loupee have helped Miami to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular season title. The Red Hawks clinched the top spot with a 6-3 win over Ohio State last Tuesday...Tyler Howells recorded four points as Michigan State swept a two game series from Miami over the weekend. Howells scored the game winner and assisted on the Spartans' other two goals in a 3-1 victory last Saturday. He is tied for the team lead in assists...Michigan State's Chris Snavely scored his first goal of the season in last Saturday's game...Danny O'Brien had a goal and an assist as Massachusetts-Lowell picked up a tie and a win against Merrimack last weekend. O'Brien is tied for the team lead in goal scoring...Rob Ricci, Merrimack's leading point scorer, notched one goal and one assist last Saturday in the Warriors' 5-2 loss to Massachusetts-Lowell...Chase Watson leads Providence in assists...Minnesota State's Dan Tormey made 46 saves to outduel St. Cloud State's Bobby Goepfert (26 saves) last Saturday and backstop the Mavericks to a 3-2 overtime win over the Huskies...Dave Moss scored four goals as the American Hockey League's Omaha Knights won two of their three games last week

UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday is Star Wars Night as the Riders meet the Indiana Ice at 7:05PM. Feel the force as characters from the Star Wars movies invade the ice arena during the game.

The RoughRiders will host a "Pack the House Night" at Buffalo Wild Wings on Edgewood Road in Cedar Rapids after the RoughRiders' game this Friday. Following their clash with the Ice, the RoughRiders will head to Buffalo Wild Wings for a post-game meal with their fans. Fans are encouraged to join the team at Wild Wings and take advantage of the opportunity to meet and greet all of their favorite RoughRiders.

COMMUNITY

RoughRiders players including Dustin Cloutier, Ray Kaunisto and David Strathman will skate with student from Viola Gibson Elementary School Thursday morning at 10:45 at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

Al Stalock and Ted Purcell will be among the RoughRiders who visit the Vinton Parks and Recreation Department's youth floor hockey program beginning at 6:15 Thursday evening.

Ricochet, the RoughRiders' mascot, will take part in the Juvenile Diabetes Walk at Westdale Mall Saturday morning beginning at 8:00AM.

TICKETS

The RoughRiders this season are offering the Fun Flex Plan, which enables fans to purchase books of ten ticket vouchers that can be redeemed in any quantity for any regular season home game during normal box office hours. Fans who purchase the fun flex plan receive a discount ($15) by investing in bulk tickets and can still enjoy the games of their choice in the seats they want.

Single game tickets for all RoughRider regular season home dates are now on sale. Tickets are available for purchase in person at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office, over the phone at (319) 261-4625 or on line at www.roughridershockey.com. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM on weekdays and from noon through the end of the second period on game days. Ticket prices range from $7 to $17 including a 50-cent facility fee.

ON THE AIR

RoughRiders regular season and playoff games are again this season broadcast on AM-1360 The Fan in Cedar Rapids. Courtesy of B2 Networks, free audio webcasts of Riders games will also be available at www.roughridershockey.com. Brian Lavelle provides play-by-play.

The RoughRiders and B2 have also teamed up to offer pay-per-view video webcasts of all RoughRiders games. Fans can click on the "Watch RoughRiders' Games Live" icon at www.roughridershockey.com to watch and listen to the game. The broadcast is available to fans with a high speed DSL or cable modem internet connection. The charge for video webcasts is $6 per game.

Real time game updates for all USHL action are available on line at www.pointstreak.com/prostats.

Catch the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders' Coach's Show with Mark Carlson tonight at 6:00PM on AM-1360 The Fan. The half hour show is broadcast live from Union Station on 16th Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids each week.

RoughRiders coach and general manager Mark Carlson and RoughRiders radio broadcaster Brian Lavelle are joined by RoughRiders players each week on the Coach's Show.

Check out the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2006


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