West Division Foes Await Lancers This Weekend
Published on December 10, 2009 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
The Omaha Lancers will face off against a pair of West Division rivals this weekend as they return to United States Hockey League action. Omaha (18-4, 36 Pts.) enters the week atop both the West Division and USHL standings and is coming off a weekend split with Team USA and the Indiana Ice. The Lancers began last weekend on a high note with a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind win over USA before falling flat Saturday afternoon in a 4-2 loss to Indiana. After taking on a pair of East Division foes last weekend, the Lancers will face two teams from the West this Friday and Saturday as they head to Kearney, Nebraska on Friday to take on the Tri-City Storm before welcoming the Sioux Falls Stampede to the Omaha Civic Auditorium on Saturday. The weekend begins with Omaha's 10th road game of the season and third get-together in the season series with Tri-City. The Storm (8-8-5, 21 Pts.) have fallen to 4th in the West Division after dropping 11 of their last 12 games overall. Tri-City snapped a 10-game winless stretch last Friday with a 6-2 dismantling of the Lincoln Stars before ending up on the wrong side of a 3-2 shootout loss to Team USA on Saturday. The Lancers then return back home Saturday for a date with 2nd place Sioux Falls. The Stampede (12-3-5, 29 Pts.) have dropped three of their last five games overall but began USHL action this week on a high note with a convincing 5-0 win at the Fargo Force. With the win, Sioux Falls has climbed to within seven standings points of the Lancers and still has two games-in-hand on Omaha. Saturday's match-up will be the third meeting of the season between Omaha and Sioux Falls after the two sides split the opening two get-togethers.
Friday, December 11th @ Tri-City Storm, 7:05 PM, Viaero Event Center
Saturday, December 12th vs. Sioux Falls Stampede, 7:05 PM, Omaha Civic Auditorium
**Worst Holiday Sweater Night! And Santa Claus will be at the game!**
**Radio coverage for both games can be found on 1290 AM KKAR or www.1290kkar.com.**
NEWS & NOTES FOR THE WEEKEND
Lancers' forward Matt White saw his league-leading 17-game point streak come to an end last Saturday in Omaha's 4-2 loss to Indiana. During the run, White registered 15 goals, 25 assists and 40 points while recording 11 multi-point efforts. It was the USHL's longest such streak since 2004.
White continues to lead all USHL skaters in points (40), +/- (+21) and shots (95). The forward from Whittier, California is also currently 2nd in the league in goals (15) and assists (25).
Omaha saw another streak come to an end last Saturday when the Lancers failed to register a power play goal in their 4-2 loss to Indiana. That snapped a run of 19 consecutive games with at least one man advantage marker for the Lancers. Still, Omaha's power play ranks 1st in the league at 25.4%.
The Lancers will face the league's 4th leading scorer this Friday in Tri-City's Jaden Schwartz. The native of Wilcox, Saskatchewan has tallied 12 goals and 28 points in 21 games this season.
Omaha welcomes goaltender John Keeney onto its roster this weekend. Keeney, a 6-1 netminder from Lake Arrowhead, California, had been playing for the LA Selects U18 team before coming to Omaha. Goaltender Joe Phillippi was traded to the Fairbanks Ice Dogs (where he played last season) to make room on the roster for Keeney.
Lancers defenseman Joe Lavin will be leaving the club after this weekend to play for the University of Notre Dame.
United States Hockey League Stories from December 10, 2009
- Morris Slams Door As Indiana Blanks Phantoms - Youngstown Phantoms
- B2 Party at 4th Street Sports Grill Tomorrow Night - Sioux City Musketeers
- Force Vs. Buccaneers Next Wednesday - Fargo Force
- Ice Host New Year's Eve Extravaganza At Conseco Fieldhouse - Indiana Ice
- West Division Foes Await Lancers This Weekend - Omaha Lancers
- Storm's Pinkston Is Dartmouth Bound - Tri-City Storm
- Ice Home For Two This Weekend - Indiana Ice
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