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USHL Update - Week 12

Published on December 20, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release


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Holiday High Note ...The Youngstown Phantoms picked up a pair of road victories over the weekend to head into the holiday break riding a four-game winning streak. It equals their longest win streak of the season thus far and it moved them into a tie for second place in the Eastern Conference. While the Phantoms own the most victories in the USHL on home ice this season (9), three of their wins during the streak have come on the road. They knocked off the USHL's hottest team, the Green Bay Gamblers, with a 5-3 victory on Friday. It was the first regulation loss for Green Bay since November 4th, as they amassed a 12-0-1 record over that span. Ryan Belonger had a memorable homecoming as the Phantoms forward and Green Bay native scored the game-winner on Friday. Alex Gacek scored a goal in both weekend victories, including the game-winner in Saturday's 7-4 win against Des Moines. Goaltender Matthew O'Connor has been in goal for each of the last three wins, stopping 83 total shots, and is tied for the lead among USHL netminders with 13 victories this season.

A Home Force ...The Fargo Force equaled a season high in goals during a 7-1 victory vs. Omaha on Friday, including four goals in the third period alone. It was the fourth straight home win for the Force and second time during that stretch they have scored seven goals in a game. Nate Arentz scored two goals, including the game-winner. Austin Farley had a four-point night, the fourth time in the last five games he has recorded three-or-more points. Bryn Chyzyk added a goal to give him five tallies over the last four games. Goaltender Zane Gothberg earned his third straight win on Friday stopping 18 shots. He narrowly missed a shutout when Omaha scored on a penalty shot with just 26 seconds remaining in the third period.

Gamblers Earn 20th ...The Green Bay Gamblers became the first team to win 20 games this season when they earned a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday vs. Lincoln. Defenseman Jordan Schmaltz netted the winner just over a minute into the extra session. The Gamblers have won three of their four games that have gone to overtime this season and defensemen have scored the winning goal in all three. In addition to Schmaltz, Markus Lauridsen scored the winning goal in each of the first two overtime victories.

Saints Doing Their Homework ...The Dubuque Fighting Saints earned a pair of home wins over the weekend which extended their winning streak on home ice to eight games. They have not lost in Dubuque since opening night on October 1st. Tyler Lundey scored two goals, including the game-winner, in Friday's 5-4 defeat of Lincoln. He is now tied for the USHL lead with four game-winning goals this season. Eric Freschi scored two goals, including the game-winner, in Saturday's 5-1 victory over Waterloo. He scored three goals over the weekend. Zemgus Girgensons had multi-point efforts in both wins, including two goals on Saturday. Seeing his first game action since late October because of injury, goaltender Matt Morris earned wins in both contests making a combined 43 saves.

Trio for Team USA ...In a span of three days, the Under-17 and Under-18 squads combined for three victories in USHL play. Tyler Motte scored two goals and Anthony Louis netted the game-winner as the Under-17 team defeated Cedar Rapids 4-1 on Thursday. Both players have now scored eight goals this season to lead Team USA. Michael McCarron scored two goals in Saturday's 4-1 win over Cedar Rapids, his first two USHL goals. Goaltender Hunter Miska made a combined 35 saves to earn the victory in both contests. He has won four of his last five starts. Also on Saturday, Riley Barber scored the game-winner with just 37 seconds remaining in the third period to give the Under-18 squad a 3-2 win against Muskegon.

Ice Milestones ...It was a night of milestones for the Indiana Ice on Saturday during their 6-2 win vs. Chicago. Tyler Pham scored his first USHL goal, which proved to be the game-winner, while Daniil Tarasov scored his 52nd USHL career goal, the most ever by an Indiana Ice player. Goaltender Jon Gillies made 31 saves for his 13th win of the year which is tied for the most among USHL netminders.

Goal Leader ...Lincoln Stars forward Kevin Roy scored a pair of goals in Friday's 5-4 loss to Dubuque giving him a total of 20 goals this season, the first USHL player to reach that mark. He has scored six goals over his last six games.

Better Late Than Never ...Trailing 2-1 late in the game on Sunday, the Muskegon Lumberjacks appeared to be headed to their fourth straight loss, but with the goaltender pulled in favor of the extra attacker, Mike McNicholas scored the tying goal with just 21 seconds remaining in the third period to force overtime. The extra session didn't last long as Max Shuart completed the dramatic comeback by scoring the winning goal just 16 seconds into overtime. It was the first game for the Lumberjacks this season to have gone past regulation, the last team in the USHL to have done so.

Top of the West ...The Omaha Lancers earned a 5-2 win on Saturday vs. Sioux Falls to pull into a tie for first place in the Western Conference with the Lincoln Stars. It was the eighth home win of the season for the Lancers, the second most in the USHL. They scored three power play goals to improve their conversion rate to 22% on home ice, the second best power play unit at home in the USHL. Jonathan Liau scored two goals, including the game-winner, while Greg Gozzo scored his fourth goal over the last four games. Defenseman Kenney Morrison added a goal, his third over the last four games.

Good Things That Came to an End ...Saturday saw the end of a pair of impressive point streaks in the USHL. Sioux City Musketeers forward Brad Robbins had scored two goals, including the game-winner, in Friday's 3-2 win vs. Sioux Falls to extend his point streak to 14 games, but did not score in Saturday's loss to Tri-City. Green Bay Gamblers forward Nolan LaPorte was held scoreless in Saturday's 3-2 overtime against Lincoln, ending his point streak at 13 games. Both Robbins (10g, 10a) and LaPorte (8g, 12) tallied 20 points during their respective streaks.

Notes ...Goaltender Jay Williams stopped all 30 shots he faced for the Waterloo Black Hawks in Friday's 2-0 win against Des Moines to record his first shutout of the season...Kenny Brooks scored the game-winner for the Tri-City Storm in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Sioux City. It was his fourth goal over the last three games...The first USHL goal for Jack Rowe was the game-winner for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the 2-1 victory vs. Team USA on Friday...Chicago Steel forward Michael Vilardo scored the lone goal in the shootout of the 3-2 win vs. Indiana on Friday. He followed up with a goal in Saturday's loss to the Ice...Forward Brian Moore and defenseman Joseph Lordo both scored their first goal of the season for the Sioux Falls Stampede in Friday's 3-2 loss to Sioux City.

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 20, 2011


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