Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week 17
January 15, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Ralston, Neb. - The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) will hit the ice three times in a span of just four days this week as the team looks to continue its climb up the Western Conference standings.
Omaha (18-16, 36 pts.) split a pair of road games last weekend suffering a 5-3 setback to the USHL-leading Dubuque Fighting Saints on Friday before rebounding with a 2-0 shutout of the Chicago Steel on Saturday. Robbie Baillargeon scored twice Friday in the losing effort as the Lancers suffered their fourth loss in the last five games. Cole Bruns then registered his first career USHL shutout on Saturday with 43 saves while Connor Chatham and Matt Gaudreau both scored for Omaha as the team earned its 18th victory of the season.
The Lancers return to action tomorrow as Omaha welcomes the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders to Ralston Arena for the final time this season. Like Omaha, Cedar Rapids (15-15-4, 34 pts.) split a pair of games last weekend earning a 4-1 victory at home over the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Friday before closing the weekend with a 4-1 loss Saturday to visiting Dubuque. The RoughRiders have now won three of their last four games after dropping four of their previous five contests. After facing the Lancers tomorrow, Cedar Rapids returns home Friday to kick off a seven-game home stand. The RoughRiders will face off against the Waterloo Black Hawks on Friday before hosting the Sioux Falls Stampede Saturday.
Meanwhile, Omaha wraps up a busy three-game week of its own Friday and Saturday in a home-and-home series with the Lincoln Stars. Lincoln (19-10-3, 41 pts.) split a pair of games as well last weekend earning a 3-2 overtime victory at the Sioux City Musketeers on Friday before falling in a 5-2 decision at home to the Youngstown Phantoms on Saturday. The setback on Saturday was just the second loss for the Stars over the last six games who will first square off against Waterloo this evening before their weekend series with the Lancers.
Omaha Notes:
Omaha Lancers - 18-16-0, 36 pts. (6th Western Conference)
- Omaha enters the week in sole possession of sixth place in the Western Conference. The Lancers are just one standings point behind the fifth-place Des Moines Buccaneers and five points behind the Lincoln Stars for the fourth and final playoff spot in the West. Meanwhile, Omaha is two standings points ahead of the seventh-place Tri-City Storm.
- F Robbie Baillargeon currently leads all Lancers in scoring with 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) this season. Committed to Boston University, Baillargeon has registered six goals, five assists and 11 points in just eight games since joining the Lancers and has tallied at least one point in seven of his eight games since coming to Omaha.
- D Matias Cleland leads all Lancers defensemen and enters the week ranked second among all USHL blueliners in scoring with 24 points. Committed to the University of New Hampshire, Cleland has tallied 12 points (goal, 11 assists) over his last 12 games.
- Omaha enters the week in the midst of a three-game losing skid at Ralston Arena. The Lancers are 8-6 overall at home this season and have been outscored 38-35 in 14 prior home contests. Meanwhile, Omaha is 10-10 on the road this year and has outscored its opposition 58-56 in 20 prior road games.
- Omaha's power play currently ranks fourth overall at 20.0%. The Lancers are 13-5 when scoring a power play goal this season and are one of just four teams in the league with a man-advantage percentage at or above 20%. Meanwhile, Omaha's penalty kill ranks third overall at 85.1% and has gone 21 games this season without surrendering a power play goal against.
Opponents Notes:
Wednesday, January 16 vs. Cedar Rapids - 15-15-4, 34 pts. (4th Eastern Conference)
- Wednesday's contest marks the third and final meeting of the 2012-13 regular season between the Lancers and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Omaha is 1-1 against the RoughRiders this season after a 4-3 loss in Cedar Rapids back on November 3rd followed by a 3-1 triumph at the Ralston Arena on November 10th.
- Omaha's Luca Frigo leads all scorers in the season series with three points (goal, 2 assists). No RoughRiders have tallied more than a single point head-to-head against the Lancers.
- Cedar Rapids enters the week in sole possession of fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The RoughRiders are currently two points up on fifth-place Youngstown and are presently nine points back of third-place Muskegon.
- F Gerald Mayhew leads all Cedar Rapids skaters in scoring with 25 points (9 goals, 16 assists). Committed to Ferris State University, Mayhew enters the week in the midst of a four-game scoring streak having notched a goal and five assists during that stretch.
- Cedar Rapids is just 6-10-1 on the road this season and has been outscored 60-50 in 17 prior road contests.
- The RoughRiders' power play enters the week ranked ninth overall at 17.0% while their penalty kill is second overall at 85.6%.
Friday, January 18 @ Lincoln - 19-10-3, 41 pts. (4th Western Conference)
Saturday, January 19 vs. Lincoln
- Friday and Saturday's contests mark the fifth and sixth meetings of the 2012-13 regular season between the Lancers and Lincoln Stars. Omaha is 3-1 against the Stars this season and earned a 2-1 shootout victory in Lincoln in their most recent get-together back on December 14th. The next time these two rivals face off will be the Mutual of Omaha Battles on Ice outdoor game at TD Ameritrade Park on Saturday, February 9th.
- Lincoln's Luke Johnson leads all scorers in the season series with six points (3 goals, 3 assists) while Stars forward Eric Scheid is second with five points (goal, 4 assists).
- Lincoln enters the week in sole possession of fourth place in the Western Conference. The Stars are presently three points back of third-place Waterloo and four points ahead of fifth-place Des Moines. Meanwhile, Lincoln remains five standings points ahead of the Lancers for the fourth and final playoff spot in the West.
- Lincoln acquired F Riley Bourbonnais in a trade with the Sioux City Musketeers yesterday. In 33 games this season, Bourbonnais has registered 16 goals, 15 assists and 31 points.
- Scheid currently leads all Stars skaters and enters the week tied for 12th among all USHLers in scoring with 35 points (16 goals, 19 assists). The veteran from Coon Rapids, Minnesota enters the week in the midst of a five-game scoring streak.
- Lincoln is 10-3-3 at home this season and has outscored its opposition 56-38 in 16 prior home games. Meanwhile, the Stars are 9-7 on the road and have been outscored 52-47 in 16 prior road tilts,
- Lincoln's power play enters the week ranked 13th overall at 13.8% and is 4-for-19 (21.1%) in four prior meetings with the Lancers. Meanwhile, the Stars' penalty is 15th among the 16 USHL teams at 79.0% and is 14-for-19 (73.7%) against Omaha.
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