Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week 24
Published on March 7, 2012 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Omaha, Neb. - The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) can clinch a postseason berth for a record 23rd straight season with a victory in either of the team's two games this weekend.
Omaha (30-16-3, 63 pts.) maintained its lead atop the Western Conference last week by claiming four of a possible six standings points during a busy three-game weekend. Omaha's weekend began Friday as the team wrapped up a four-game road trip with a 6-1 victory at the Tri-City Storm. Greg Gozzo registered two goals and an assist while Jimmy Murray contributed a goal and two assists as the Lancers won their Western Conference best 15th road game of the season. Omaha then returned home Saturday to the Civic Auditorium for a dramatic, come-from-behind 5-4 shootout victory over the Sioux Falls Stampede. Murray and Nolan Zajac both scored in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit before Zajac buried the game-winner in the shootout as the Lancers moved to 4-3 in shootouts this season and are now 7-3 in games decided via either overtime or shootout. Omaha's weekend ended on a sour note as the team couldn't rattle off back-to-back comebacks in suffering a 4-3 loss to Tri-City on Sunday. Anthony Hamburg and Max Vallis each notched a goal and an assist but it wasn't enough as the Lancers failed in their first attempt to clinch a berth in the 2012 Clark Cup Playoffs.
Entering the weekend, Omaha's magic number remains at just two standings points and the Lancers get their second chance to clinch the team's 23rd consecutive postseason appearance Friday when the Storm return to the Civic Auditorium. Tri-City (21-28-0, 42 pts.) earned just one win in three tries last weekend but it was enough to move the Storm into the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. After suffering 6-1 and 4-1 setbacks to Omaha and Cedar Rapids on Friday and Saturday respectively, Tri-City closed the weekend on a high note with a 4-3 victory at the Lancers on Sunday. The Storm have now won three of their last five games and six of nine overall. Friday's showdown in Omaha is Tri-City's only game of the week.
The Lancers then close their weekend Saturday on the road as the team travels to Cedar Rapids to battle the RoughRiders. Cedar Rapids (21-18-8, 50 pts.) won a pair of road games in Lincoln and Tri-City last week to extend its winning streak to a season-high four games. During their recent run, the RoughRiders have outscored their opposition 23-8. Before hosting the Lancers on Saturday, Cedar Rapids opens up a four-game home stand Friday when it welcomes the Sioux Falls Stampede.
Omaha Notes:
Omaha Lancers - 30-16-3, 63 pts. (1st Western Conference)
- Omaha is just one win away from clinching its USHL-record 23rd straight postseason appearance. With last Saturday's victory over Sioux Falls, the Lancers earned their 30th win of the season for the 20th straight season.
- The Lancers are 15-9-1 at home this season and have outscored their opponents 88-75 in 25 prior home games. Meanwhile, Omaha is 15-7-2 on the road this year and has outscored its opposition 84-70 in 24 prior road tilts. Entering the weekend, the Lancers have won eight out of their last 10 road games (8-1-1).
- F Jimmy Murray continues to lead all Lancers and is third among all USHL skaters in scoring with 60 points (17 goals, 43 assists). Committed to St. Cloud State University, Murray leads all USHLers with 43 assists this season and leads all Omaha skaters with 18 multi-point games. Murray is just four assists shy of matching Matt White and Paul Stastny for the most assists tallied by a Lancer in the last 10 years. Omaha's record for most assists in a single season remains 55 set by Donny Riendeau during the 1989-1990 season and Steve Suk during the 1990-1991 campaign.
- D Nolan Zajac enters the week leading all Lancers defensemen and is tied for the USHL lead among blueliners in scoring with 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) this season. Committed to the University of Denver, Zajac has tallied points 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) over his last 18 games.
- F Anthony Hamburg enters the week in the midst of a three-game point streak (two goals, two assists) and has tallied 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) during his last 20 games.
- D Kenney Morrison is currently second among all Lancers defensemen and tied for seventh among all USHL blueliners with 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) this season. Committed to Western Michigan University, Morrison ranks second among all USHL defensemen with 11 goals this season and has tallied 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) during his last 16 games.
Opponents Notes:
Friday, March 9 vs. Tri-City Storm - 21-28-0, 42 pts. (6th Western Conference)
- Tri-City enters the weekend one point ahead of Sioux City for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
- Friday's meeting is the seventh of eight regular season meetings between Omaha and Tri-City. The Lancers are 3-3 against the Storm after splitting a pair of meetings last weekend. Omaha has outscored Tri-City 17-14 through the first six head-to-head get-togethers.
- F Jimmy Murray leads all scorers in the season series with eight points (three goals, five assists) while F Casey Bailey ranks second with six points (three goals, three assists). The Storm have been led by F Kenny Brooks who has tallied five points (three goals, two assists).
- Tri-City is 8-16 on the road this season and has been outscored 91-62 in 24 prior road games.
- F Kenny Brooks leads all Storm skaters in scoring with 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) and enters the weekend having tallied 12 points (five goals, seven assists) over his last 11 games.
- G Adam Wilcox has started 10 straight games in goal for Tri-City. He is 6-4 during that stretch and 19-15 overall in 34 appearances this season between the Storm and Green Bay Gamblers.
Opponents Notes:
Saturday, March 10 @ Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - 21-18-8, 50 pts. (5th Western Conference)
- Cedar Rapids enters the weekend nine points back of fourth place Youngstown in the Eastern Conference and eights point ahead of sixth place Chicago.
- Saturday's meeting is the second and final meeting during the 2011-2012 regular season between Omaha and Cedar Rapids. The Lancers took the first meeting with a convincing 7-0 at the Civic Auditorium back on February 17th. Anthony Hamburg and Max Vallis each tallied three points while Thatcher Demko registered a 22-save shutout.
- Cedar Rapids is 13-4-5 at home this season and has outscored its opposition 99-67 in 22 prior home games.
- F Nick Saracino leads all RoughRiders in scoring this season with 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) despite having missed the last 13 straight games.
- The Cedar Rapids power play currently ranks seventh overall at 17.9% while the RoughRiders' penalty kill sits at sixth overall at 83.5%.
United States Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2012
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