USHL Update - Week 24

Published on March 16, 2010 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release

Riders Punch Postseason Ticket

...The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders earned a pair of weekend victories and have qualified for the Clark Cup Playoffs. It is the 10th straight season that head coach Mark Carlson has led the Riders to a playoff berth. The Riders are 16-1-1 over their last 18 games which includes an 8-1- record on home ice. Zach Lehrke netted a pair of goals in Friday's 4-1 win over Team USA. He leads the team with 54 points (23g, 31) in 51 games this season. Peter Sakaris tallied the game-winning goal on Friday and then followed up with the game-winner in Saturday's 2-0 win vs. Green Bay. He has scored four of his eight goals this season over his past seven games. The Riders have allowed two goals or less in eight straight contests. Goaltenders Cody Campbell and Troy Grosenick have combined for a 1.49 goals-against average during that stretch.

Stampede Playoff Bound

...The Sioux Falls Stampede earned a weekend split with Des Moines but it was enough to secure the third of four playoff spots in the West Division. The team has now qualified for the postseason in all five seasons that head coach Kevin Hartzell has been behind the bench. Defenseman Jamie Oleksiak scored the game-winning goal with under three minutes to play in the 3-2 win on Friday. Goaltender Clay Witt made 31 saves to win his fourth straight. Matt Lindblad has tallied a goal in three straight and is riding a six-game point streak (4g, 4a). Both Josh Holmstrom and Michael Voran are on four-game point streaks. Defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has four assists over his last four games.

Gamblers Closing in on 40

...Prior to their loss on Sunday, the Green Bay Gamblers had been unbeaten in regulation over their previous eight games (6-0-2). With seven games left to play, the Green Bay Gamblers have already equaled their win total from last season (39) in which they won the Anderson Cup as regular season champions. Nick Jensen scored a shorthanded goal in Wednesday's 4-2 win over Indiana which proved to be the game-winner. He is tied with teammate David Makowski for the most shorthanded goals among USHL defensemen (3). Jensen had his five-game point streak halted in Sunday's loss, a span in which he registered six points (2g, 4a) and a plus-seven rating. Reed Seckel netted two goals, including the game-winner, to go along with an assist in Friday's 5-3 win against Waterloo. Anders Lee (1g, 2a) and Ryan Furne (1g, 2a) also had three-point games. It was the second straight three-point game for Lee. Goaltender Steve Summerhays equaled a season high with 34 saves on Friday to record his third straight victory.

Eight is Enough for Lancers

...The Omaha Lancers wrapped up their eight-game road stretch by earning three of a possible four points in two games vs. Indiana. Their last seven games of the season are on home ice after wrapping up the road portion of their season schedule with a 21-5-4 record. Friday's 4-3 shootout loss was the team's fourth straight game that had been decided by a shootout. Erik Haula and Greg Wolfe each converted three of four attempts in those four shootouts. Matt White scored a shorthanded goal on Friday, which was his second time in as many games he has scored shorthanded. He now leads the USHL with eight shorties this season, which is one shy of tying the League record (Mark Mowers, Dubuque Fighting Saints, 1993-94). White also scored the game-winner in Saturday's 3-2 win over Indiana and goaltender John Keeney won his third game in a row after making 22 saves.

Steel Battling

...The Chicago Steel won two of three over the weekend to keep their playoff hopes alive and now sit seven points behind Waterloo for the fourth spot in the East Division. Jay Camper tallied a goal in each of the victories while Darik Angeli also netted two goals during the weekend. Brendan Woods scored two goals, including the game-winner, in Sunday's 5-4 victory against Indiana. Defenseman Ian Young dished out an assist and registered a game high plus-three rating during the win. Andrei Kuchin collected four assists over the three games and leads the team with 49 points (16g, 33a) in 47 games.

Notes

...The Fargo Force are unbeaten in regulation over their last six games (4-0-2). Corey Leivermann has points in five straight for Fargo (3g, 3a) while Matt Leitner is on a six-game streak (2g, 6a)...After making his USHL debut on Friday, Des Moines Buccaneers forward Cal Decowski picked up two assists in Saturday's 5-4 win vs. Sioux Falls. He joined the club after completing his high school season in which he was named one of 10 finalists for the Mr. Hockey Award in Minnesota...Lincoln Stars forward Dominik Shine scored all three of his team's goals in regulation during the 4-3 shootout win over Fargo on Friday. It was his second hat trick of the season, the only player in the USHL to have more than one this season... Sioux City Musketeers forward Nick Sorkin had a goal and an assist in each of the two weekend games vs. Youngstown...Musketeers goaltender Jake Hildebrand earned his first USHL victory making 32 saves on Saturday...Waterloo Black Hawks forward Derek Arnold had his point streak halted at 16 games when he was held scoreless in the 3-1 loss to Team USA on Saturday. He compiled 29 points (16g, 13a) during that stretch which was one game shy of equaling the season high streak of 17 games set by Omaha forward Matt White...Tri-City Storm forward Radoslav Illo scored two goals in Friday's 4-1 win over Chicago giving him 21 goals in back-to-back USHL seasons...Storm forward Brett Mohler has a point in 13 of his last 14 games...Youngstown Phantoms forward Jefferson Dahl scored a goal in each of the team's two weekend games while Jiri Sekac netted his second goal of the season and scored in the shootout of Friday's 4-3 win vs. Sioux City...Team USA forward Bryan Rust has 10 points (3g, 7a) over his last six USHL games...With a combined four points (1g, 3a) during the week, Indiana Ice defensemen Anthony Bitetto (11g, 29a) and Nick Bailen (13g, 24a) became the top point-scoring defensemen duo in team history with 77 points. The previous mark of 75 points was set last season by Torey Krug and Joe Hartman who are now both playing collegiate hockey.

United States Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2010

• USHL Update - Week 24 - USHL
• Lancers Return Home (Finally) To Face Force - Omaha Lancers
• Waterloo Black Hawks Weekly - Waterloo Black Hawks

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