Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week One
Published on September 26, 2012 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Omaha, Neb. - The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) kick off the 2012-2013 regular season this weekend with road contests in Youngstown and Indiana. This season will mark Omaha's 27th season of operation within the USHL.
The Lancers are coming off an impressive 2012 preseason in which the team claimed victories in four of its five exhibition tilts. After a pair of wins over the Des Moines Buccaneers two weeks ago, Omaha continued its preseason schedule last week with three games at the 2012 USHL Fall Classic, an annual preseason tournament held in Sioux City, Iowa. The Lancers opened the tournament with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Steel on Wednesday, followed by a 7-3 setback to the defending Clark Cup champion Green Bay Gamblers on Thursday before earning a come-from-behind 5-2 win over the host Musketeers on Saturday. All told, the Lancers scored 18 goals during the preseason - more than any other Western Conference club.
After an encouraging preseason, Omaha will now turn its attention to the 64-game regular season that will span the next six and a half months. That journey begins Friday with the team's regular season opener when the Lancers invade the Covelli Center in Youngstown, Ohio to battle the Phantoms. Youngstown went 3-2 in five preseason contests and is coming off the team's first winning season and first playoff berth since joining the USHL back in 2009. After taking on the Lancers Friday, the Phantoms will host Des Moines on Saturday.
The Lancers then conclude opening weekend action Saturday when the team travels to Indianapolis to take on the Ice. Like Youngstown, Indiana went 3-2 during the exhibition season and is coming off a season in which the Ice finished second overall in the Eastern Conference and boasted the USHL's second-highest regular season points total. Before hosting the Lancers on Friday, Indiana will first travel to Chicago to battle the Steel on Friday.
Omaha Notes:
Omaha Lancers - 0-0-0, 0 pts. (T-1st Western Conference)
- The Lancers finished second in the Western Conference and fourth overall in the USHL last season after generating 79 standings points by way of a 38-19-3 regular season record. Omaha registered the most road wins (20) of any Western Conference team last season.
- The Lancers roster currently features nine players from last season's team and 11 total skaters with USHL experience.
- F Alex Rauter paced all Omaha skaters in preseason scoring with six points (three goals, three assists).
- F Matt Gaudreau is the team's leading returning scorer after notching 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) a season ago.
Opponents Notes:
Friday, Sept. 28 @ Youngstown Phantoms - 0-0-0, 0 pts. (T-1st Eastern Conference)
- The Phantoms finished fourth in the Eastern Conference last season after recording a 32-21-7 regular season mark. It was the team's first winning season in three years as members of the USHL.
- The Phantoms posted an 18-10-2 record in 30 games at the Covelli Center last season.
- Youngstown's roster currently features nine players from last season's team and 10 total skaters with USHL experience.
- F Austin Cangelosi led all Phantoms in preseason scoring with five points (three goals, two assists) and is the team's leading returning scorer after posting 59 points (29 goals, 30 assists) last year.
Saturday, Sept. 29 @ Indiana Ice - 0-0-0, 0 pts. (T-1st Eastern Conference)
- Indiana finished second in the Eastern Conference last season and second overall in the USHL a year ago after recording 81 standings points by way of a 36-15-9 regular season record.
- Indiana's roster currently features eight skaters from last year's team and 13 total players with USHL experience.
- Five different Ice skaters tied for the team lead in preseason scoring with four points each including F Austin Ortega, F Zach Aman, F Drew Smolcynski, F Robbie Baillargeon and D Joe Fiala.
- Baillargeon is the team's leading returning scoring after posting 48 points (14 goals, 34 assists) in 54 games last season.
United States Hockey League Stories from September 26, 2012
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