Lancers take opener in Green Bay with dramatic shootout win
Published on March 5, 2010 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Greg Wolfe, Erik Haula and Seth Ambroz all scored in the shootout as the Omaha Lancers outlasted the Green Bay Gamblers 3-2 Friday evening in front of 3,471 fans at the Resch Center. With the win, the Lancers improved to 35-12-3 on they year and continue to pace all West Division teams with 73 standings points. In the process, Omaha won its sixth consecutive game and drew one point closer to Green Bay for the overall lead in the USHL standings. The Lancers now trail the Gamblers by just four standings points.
Green Bay fired the game's opening salvo just past the midway point of period one when Nick Jensen snapped a cross-ice pass from the right point to Chris Crane at the left wing who fired home his 13th goal of the season. Matt Stewart earned the secondary assist on the even strength tally netted 10:07 into the period. Omaha responded late in the frame though and evened the contest just a dozen seconds prior to the intermission when Mike Chiasson's one-timer from the left point hit the heel of his stick and rolled right to Seth Ambroz at the bottom of the left wing face off circle who made no mistake in sending in his 20th goal of the season. Matt White grabbed the secondary helper on the five-on-five tally, which made Ambroz the fourth Lancer this season to register 20 goals.
Omaha grabbed the only goal of a penalty-filled second period when Cam Wojtala's initial shot was deflected but the rookie from Trenton, Michigan had the wherewithal to swat the deflected puck out of mid-air and into the back of the Gamblers cage just 2:48 into the period. Colin Markison and Tom Craig assisted on Wojtala's 8th goal of the season. The middle frame saw just the one goal but 16 minor penalties during the 20-minute period.
The Lancers maintained that 2-1 advantage through much of the third period until, with less than five minutes left, William Kessel punched a loose puck past Omaha goaltender Jeff Teglia evening the contest at two apiece. The unassisted marker was netted 15:34 into the final frame.
Neither side was able to break the deadlock through the remainder of regulation and the five minute overtime so the contest proceeded to a shootout. There, Wolfe, Haula and Ambroz all scored for the Lancers while Robert Francis was the only Gambler to solve Teglia. With the win, Omaha improved to 4-3 in shootouts this season.
Teglia earned his league-leading 27th victory in goal by turning aside 34 of Green Bay's 36 total shots while Green Bay's Steve Summerhays fell for just the fifth time this season after recording 33 saves on 35 Omaha shots on goal.
The Lancers are back in action tomorrow evening as they return to the Resch Center in Green Bay to wrap up their weekend series with the Gamblers.
United States Hockey League Stories from March 5, 2010
- Force Frustrate Black Hawks - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Chubak shuts out Phantoms, sets Storm record - Tri-City Storm
- Lancers take opener in Green Bay with dramatic shootout win - Omaha Lancers
- Chubak, Storm quiet Phantoms - Youngstown Phantoms
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