2010 USHL Playoff Preview - Divisional Finals
Published on April 16, 2010 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
Chicago, IL - Four teams in the United States Hockey League have advanced past the first round of the Clark Cup Playoffs and are now set for the divisional finals. The winners of each best-of-five series will meet for the opportunity to play for the Clark Cup and the title as USHL playoff champions.
East Division
#1 Green Bay Gamblers vs. #3 Indiana Ice
This series is a rematch of the 2009 East Division Finals when the Indiana was also the third-seeded team and knocked off the top-seeded Gamblers 3-1 in a best-of-five series. Indiana would then go on to capture the Clark Cup.
Green Bay Indiana
Record 45-10-5 33-24-3
Home 22-3-5 19-9-2
Road 23-7-0 14-15-1
Goals For Per Game 3.53 (6th) 3.32 (tied 7th)
Goals Against Per Game 2.33 (1st) 3.12 (6th)
Shots For Per Game 32.37 (3rd) 29.62 (9th)
Shots Against Per Game 25.33 (1st) 30.35 (7th)
Power Play % 13.1% (14th) 18.4% (8th)
Penalty Killing % 85.2% (3rd) 85.6% (2nd)
(league ranking in parentheses)
Season Series:
10/23/09 - Indiana 3 @ Green Bay 2 (OT)
10/24/09 - Indiana 0 @ Green Bay 3
3/10/10 - Green Bay 4 @ Indiana 2
3/19/10 - Green Bay 3 @ Indiana 2 (SO)
4/2/10 - Indiana 1 @ Green Bay 4
Head-to-Head Stats:
Green Bay Indiana
Record 4-0-1 1-3-1
Goals For 15 8
Goals Against 8 15
Power Play 1-19 (5.3%) 1-17 (5.9%)
Penalty Kill 16-17 (94.1%) 18-19 (94.7%)
Notes:
* Indiana played a maximum five games in the first round for the second straight season. They overcame a 2-0 series deficit vs. the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and won three straight to claim the series, including an overtime victory in the deciding fifth game.
* Both Green Bay and Indiana were strong on the penalty kill during their regular season series as just two power play goals were scored between the teams in 36 opportunities.
* The series features the top two goaltenders in the playoffs to this point as Steve Summerhays of Green Bay leads League netminders with a 1.33 GAA and is second with a .949 SV% while Casey DeSmith of Indiana is second with a 1.43 GAA and first overall with a .957 SV%.
* Indiana Ice forward Max Cook is tied for the USHL playoff lead with four goals.
* Two of the three goals scored by Indiana forward Shane Berschbach in the playoffs have been game-winners.
West Division
#1 Omaha Lancers vs. #2 Fargo Force
This series also marks a rematch of last spring as the Force swept the Lancers 3-0 in the first round of the 2009 playoffs.
Omaha Fargo
Record 42-12-6 37-17-6
Home 21-7-2 19-7-4
Road 21-5-4 18-10-2
Goals For Per Game 3.97 (1st) 3.78 (tied 2nd)
Goals Against Per Game 2.43 (2nd) 3.57 (9th)
Shots For Per Game 30.80 (5th) 30.08 (7th)
Shots Against Per Game 27.58 (2nd) 28.47 (6th)
Power Play % 22.7% (2nd) 19.4% (7th)
Penalty Killing % 85.8% (1st) 83.9% (7th)
(league ranking in parentheses)
Season Series:
10/17/09 - Fargo 5 @ Omaha 2
1/2/10 - Fargo 6 @ Omaha 5
2/5/10 - Omaha 3 @ Fargo 4
2/6/10 - Omaha 1 @ Fargo 3
3/17/10 - Fargo 5 @ Omaha 4 (SO)
Head-to-Head Stats:
Omaha Fargo
Record 0-4-1 5-0-0
Goals For 15 22
Goals Against 22 15
Power Play 7-33 (21.2%) 7-34 (20.6%)
Penalty Kill 27-34 (79.4%) 26-33 (78.8%)
Notes:
* Fargo was the only team during the regular season that the Lancers did not earn at least one victory against as the Force swept the season series (5-0-0).
* Including last season's playoffs, the Force have won eight straight games vs. Omaha.
* Including playoffs, Fargo is 7-0-1 all-time in games played at Omaha.
* Fargo forward Matt Leitner scored 13 points (6g, 7a) in five games during the regular season vs. the Lancers.
* The three top scorers in the 2010 playoffs so far are playing in this series; Matt White (2g, 4a) and Erik Haula (6a) of Omaha, and Matt Leitner (3g, 3a) of Fargo all have tallied six points.
* Lancers forward Nick Oddo is tied for the USHL playoff lead with four goals, two of which have been game-winners.
United States Hockey League Stories from April 16, 2010
- Teglia, Omaha defense blank Fargo in Game 1 win - Omaha Lancers
- Musketeers to Hold Sidewalk Sale - Sioux City Musketeers
- U.S. Men's National U18 Team Blanks Canada, 5-0, At World Championship - U.S. National Team
- 2010 USHL Playoff Preview - Divisional Finals - USHL
- Green Bay's Steve Summerhays Named USHL Goaltender Of The Year - USHL
- Ice And Green Bay In East Finals - Indiana Ice
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