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USHL Des Moines Buccaneers

Buccaneers Weekend Notes

December 4, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Des Moines Buccaneers News Release


NHL Presence

Two-time Stanley Cup Champion and two-time NHL All-Star Bobby Holik has been working with the Buccaneers this week and will remain with the team through the weekend. The Czechoslovakian native was drafted Hartford in 1989 but spent the majority of his 19 year career with the New Jersey Devils.

Streaking Garret Cockerill and Danny Elser both enter the weekend with points in their last three games.

In fact, Elser has a goal in three straight, while Cockerill has recorded a point in five of his last seven games played.

Winning Percentage into Holidays

The annual holiday break has long been viewed as the unofficial halfway point of the season (this season, most teams will be around 25 games played). In the previous six seasons, the Buccaneers have averaged a .434 winning percentage heading into the holiday break.

Des Moines currently has a .375 winning percentage. If the team wins it's remaining four games before the holiday break, it would bump that percentage to .479.

Winning three of four, would make the percentage .438.

November Stats

Danny Elser (4g, 2a) and Tanner Karty (2g, 4a) led the team in November with 6 points each.

Defenseman Garret Cockerill was a +5 rating.

Goaltender Billy Christopoulos had a .934 save percentage.

Sub .500% Opponents

Though anything but easy games, the Buccaneers still catch a break in their schedule with their next two games vs. opponents with losing records. Des Moines is 4-3-1 against teams with sub .500% records.

Among the Higher-Ups

Though only the top four teams in the Western Conference make the postseason, if the Buccaneers finish any higher than seventh place it's a step in the right direction. Des Moines hasn't finished better than that since the league expanded to eight-team divisions in 2010-2011.

Des Moines' last finished as high as fifth, in 2005-2006 when they finished tied with Cedar Rapids for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Time Percentages

The Buccaneers' time played breaks down as follows. The have played even strength for 76%, on the power play for 13% and penalty kill for 11%.

The Buccaneers have trailed for 48%, been tied for 32% and led for 20%.

Precedent Set

The Buccaneers' position in the standings through the first 20 games of the season isn't enviable but the team need not look to far in the past to see there is ample time to change things. Just last season, the Youngstown Phantoms started the season 9-11-0 before storming off to a 45 win campaign and eventually reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. They actually didn't reach .500 (16-16) until mid January.

Improved Defense

Defense and goaltending has been a sore spot for the Buccaneers in some recent seasons but so far this year, the team has been much improved in this area.

The Buccaneers' are on pace to allow 204 goals, which would be a 41 goal improvement from last season and their second fewest allowed since 2006-2007.

Working Overtime

Since the USHL elevated to Tier I status in 2002-2003, the Buccaneers have averaged 10 overtime games a season. Des Moines has played three overtime games so far this season.

Check out the Des Moines Buccaneers Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from December 4, 2013


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.

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