May 19, 2013
97
Games Today




Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week Three

October 10, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL) Omaha Lancers

Omaha, Neb. - The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) continue their season opening eight-game road trip this weekend when the team travels through Iowa for stops in Des Moines and Waterloo.

Omaha (1-3, 2 pts.) split a pair of road tilts in Sioux Falls and Sioux City last weekend as the team earned its first victory of the 2012-2013 regular season. The weekend began with a 5-3 setback to the Stampede on Friday before the Lancers earned a dramatic, come-from-behind 3-2 shootout win over the Musketeers on Saturday.

Omaha returns to action this Friday when the team travels to Buccaneer Arena in Des Moines for its first showdown of the year with the Buccaneers. Des Moines (0-3-1, 1 pt.) is coming off a pair of Western Conference setbacks last weekend as the Buccaneers fell 5-2 to the Lincoln Stars last Friday before returning home Saturday only to suffer a 2-1 loss to Sioux Falls. Des Moines is one of just three USHL teams (along with Sioux City and Green Bay) that is still in search of its first win of the young season. After hosting Omaha on Friday, the Buccaneers welcome the Muskegon Lumberjacks to Des Moines on Saturday.

Omaha's weekend concludes Saturday when the team travels to Waterloo to face the defending Western Conference champion Black Hawks. Waterloo (2-1, 4 pts.) suffered a 9-6 loss to the Youngstown Phantoms last Friday in its only game of the weekend. The Black Hawks surrendered four goals-against in the third period and three power play goals-against in the game en route to their first loss of the season. Before welcoming the Lancers on Saturday, Waterloo begins its weekend Friday in a rematch of last year's Clark Cup Finals as the Black Hawks welcome the Green Bay Gamblers to Young Arena.

Omaha Notes:

Omaha Lancers - 1-3-0, 2 pts. (T-4th Western Conference)

- The Lancers earned their first victory of the season in dramatic fashion last Saturday as the team scored with just four seconds left in regulation to tie the game before earning a 3-2 victory in the shootout. Saturday's third period marked the first time this season that Omaha had tallied more than a single goal in a period.

- D Matias Cleland will make his Lancers debut this weekend. Acquired earlier this week in a trade with Waterloo, Cleland will wear jersey No. 5 for Omaha.

- The Lancers have scored a total of eight goals so far from seven different goal scorers. F Drew Melanson currently leads the team with two goals.

- F Jake Randolph currently leads all Lancers in scoring with three points (three assists).

- Omaha's penalty kill enters the weekend ranked fourth overall having surrendered just one power play goal against in 14 man-down scenarios (92.9%).

Opponents Notes:

Friday, Oct. 12 @ Des Moines Buccaneers - 0-3-1, 1 pt. (8th Western Conference)

- Des Moines' roster currently features just five skaters from last year's team, which finished seventh in the Western Conference a season ago with an overall record of 20-33-7.

- F Trent Samuels-Thomas is the team's leading returning scorer after producing 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) a year ago.

- F Zach Saar currently leads all Buccaneers in scoring with three points (goal, two assists).

- Des Moines' power play is the only man-advantage unit in the league yet to convert. The Buccaneers are 0-for-14 on the power play through the team's first four games. Meanwhile, their penalty is tied for 13th overall at 77.8% (14-for-18).

Saturday, Oct. 13 @ Waterloo Black Hawks - 2-1-0, 4 pts. (T-1st Western Conference)

- Waterloo returns seven skaters from last year's team, which finished one game away from claiming the 2012 Clark Cup. The Black Hawks finished 35-19-6 overall last season (3rd West) and defeated the Tri-City Storm, Omaha and Lincoln in the Western Conference playoffs before falling to Green Bay in the Clark Cup finals.

- F Taylor Cammarata is the team's leading returning scorer after pacing the Black Hawks in scoring last year with 69 points (27 goals, 42 assists). Cammarata finished seventh among all USHL skaters in scoring a year ago.

- F Kyle Schmidt currently leads all Waterloo skaters in scoring with six points (two goals, four assists). Schmidt notched five points (two goals, three assists) in his first career USHL game - an 8-4 victory vs. Sioux Falls on September 29.

- Waterloo currently boasts the league's top power play at 41.7% overall (5-for-12). In contrast, the Hawks penalty kill ranks 16th and last overall at just 55.6% (5-for-9).

• Discuss this story on the United States Hockey League message board...
• Digg this story
• Add to Del.icio.us


United States Hockey League Stories from October 10, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.