Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Weekly Update
Published on October 25, 2004 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders News Release
THIS WEEK
Saturday, October 30, 7:05PM @ Cedar Rapids Ice Arena
Indiana Ice vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
RECORDS
Cedar Rapids
6-1-1, 13 points, 1st place East Division
Indiana
5-3-1, 11 points, 2nd place East Division
COMING IN
The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders will face Indiana in a battle between the top two teams in the United States Hockey League's East Division Saturday night. The RoughRiders are two points ahead of the Ice in the race for the top spot in the east.
Last weekend the RoughRiders sandwiched their first regulation loss of the season between a pair of victories. The Riders shutout the Chicago Steel 3-0 Friday night in Bensenville, Illinois, but fell to the Steel 3-1 on home ice the next evening. Coach Mark Carlson's squad rebounded with a 3-2 home win over Danville Sunday afternoon.
Saturday night's defeat ended the RoughRiders' six game season opening unbeaten streak, the longest unbeaten run at the start of a season in team history. The Riders still have the best winning percentage (.813) in the USHL.
In last Friday's win, Jon Grabarek scored an empty net goal to set a new team career goal scoring record (39). The RoughRiders have a chance to reach another milestone this Saturday. The Riders' next win will be the
one hundred fiftieth in team history and, thus, also the one hundred fiftieth of Carlson's USHL coaching career.
One of the keys to the RoughRiders' early success has been a balanced attack. Ten players have recorded
at least three points and 17 skaters have notched at least one point. Only four Cedar Rapids skaters- Chase Ryan, Brent Cornelius, Hunter Bishop and Kyle Solomon- have not yet registered a point. 14 different Riders have scored, but no one on the roster has more than three goals (Matt Vokes, Brandon Svendsen, Justin Abdelkader).
The RoughRiders' often potent attack has been nearly silent in the first period this season. Ted Purcell scored the team's only first period goal of the season at 5:48 of the first in the Riders' September 25 season opener in Des Moines. Since then the RoughRiders have gone 154:12 of first period play without scoring. In contrast, the Riders have thrived in the second period, outscoring foes 15-5 in the second on the season.
Indiana split a home-and-home series with Green Bay last weekend. The Ice defeated the Gamblers 5-3 last Friday in Indianapolis. The follow evening Indiana fell 5-4 in Green Bay.
Saturday's game is the second of two this weekend for Indiana. The Ice visits the Waterloo Black Hawks Friday night.
LAST WEEK
Cedar Rapids
Friday, October 22: Cedar Rapids 3 Chicago 0
Dan Tormey made 26 saves to post his first shutout of the season. The Riders scored all three of their goals in the third period. Matt Vokes gave Cedar Rapids a 1-0 lead with a power play goal just over a minute into the third. Brandon Svendson doubled the RoughRiders advantage at 12:29 and Jon Grabarek's empty netter with just over 26 seconds remaining clinched the win.
Saturday, October 23: Chicago 3 Cedar Rapids 1
The RoughRiders fell despite outshooting Chicago 36-21. Phil Axtell's first USHL goal tied the game at one 8:11 into the second period, but Chicago's T.J. Fox scored just 10 seconds later to put the Steel back on top for good. Rider goaltender Alex Stalock (18 saves) suffered his first USHL defeat.
Sunday, October 24: Cedar Rapids 3 Des Moines 2
Justin Abdelkader's goal broke a 2-2 tie at 1:17 of the third period and the RoughRiders hung on for the win. Abdelkader scored just 33 seconds after the Buccaneers evened the score. The Riders first moved in front with a pair of goals early in the second period. Jordan Pietrus jammed the puck home just 12 seconds into the second to erase a 1-0 Buccaneer lead. Zach Miskovic's power play goal at 3:49 put the Riders on top 2-1. Dan Tormey earned the win in goal with a 29-save effort.
Indiana
Friday, October 22: Indiana 5 Green Bay 3
Tomas Klempa scored his second goal of the game to break a 3-3 tie with 2:06 left in the third period. Klempa also had one assist. Indiana's Travis Winter had evened the score at three at 11:30 of the third. Todd McIlrath scored a clinching empty net goal in the final minute after assisting on three of the first four Ice goals. B.J. O'Brien (23 saves) was the winning goaltender.
Saturday, October 23: Green Bay 5 Indiana 4
The Ice's Eddie Del Grosso tied the game at four at 14:11 of the third period, but the Gamblers responded with Black Wheeler's game winning goal with just 1:56 remaining. Mike Beck led the Ice attack with two goals and one assist, while Brian Gifford added one goal and one assist. Jake Maida took the loss in goal, surrendering five goals on just 19 Green Bay shots.
TOP POINT SCORERS
Cedar Rapids GP G A PTS
Rob Ricci 8 1 6 7
Greg Collins 8 1 5 6
Justin Abdelkader 8 3 2 5
Zach Miskovic 8 2 3 5
Jon Grabarek 8 2 3 5
Indiana GP G A PTS
Todd McIlrath 8 4 9 13
Tomas Klempa 9 5 6 11
Travis Winter 9 6 2 8
Mike Beck 8 2 6 8
Ryan Peckskamp 9 4 2 6
LEADERS
Cedar Rapids
Goals- Justin Abdelkader, Matt Vokes, Brandon Svendsen (3)
Assists- Rob Ricci (6)
Points- Rob Ricci (7)
Plus/Minus- Zach Miskovic (+5)
Penalty Minutes- Zach Miskovic (16)
Power Play Goals- Zach Miskovic, Matt Vokes (2)
Shorthanded Goals- none
Vokes is tied for the league lead in game winning goals (2)...Miskovic is tied for second among defenseman in goals (2) and is tied for fifth among blue liners in points (5)...Dan Tormey ranks fourth in goals against average (2.16), fifth in save percentage (.926) and is tied for fifth in wins (3)...Alex Stalock is also tied for fifth in wins and ranks seventh in goals against average (2.46)
Indiana
Goals- Travis Winter (6)
Assists- Todd McIlrath (9)
Points- Todd McIlrath (13)
Plus/Minus- Eddie Del Grosso (+7)
Penalty Minutes- Sergei Kukushkin (29)
Power Play Goals- Tomas Klempa, Travis Winter, Mike Beck (2)
Shorthanded Goals- Colin Vock, Nick Deutz (1)
McIlrath ranks third in the league in assists and fourth in points...Klempa is tied for fifth in points (11)...Winter is tied for fourth in goals and tied for the lead in game winning goals (2)...Del Grosso is second in the league in plus/minus rating...Mike Beck ranks second among defensemen in points (8) and is tied for second among blue liners in goals (2) and assists (6)...B.J. O'Brien ranks fourth in wins (4) and is tied for ninth in goals against average (2.59)
GOALTENDERS
Cedar Rapids GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
Dan Tormey 4 250 2.16 3-0-1 1 .926
Alex Stalock 4 244:07 2.46 3-1-0 0 .902
Indiana GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
B.J. O' Brien 6 324:38 2.59 4-1-1 0 .911
Jake Maida 4 217:41 3.58 1-2-0 0 .865
WHO'S HOT
Cedar Rapids
Jon Grabarek: two goals and three assists in his last five games
Ted Purcell: one goal and two assists in his last three games
Alex Stalock: loss Saturday ended his season opening three game winning streak
Dan Tormey: unbeaten in regulation in his first four starts...in two games over the weekend: two wins, one shutout
and just two goals against on 57 shots faced.
Indiana
Mike Beck: two goals and two assists in two games against Green Bay last weekend...eight points (two goals, six
assists) in his last five games
Jay Cascalenda: three assists in his last three games
Brian Gifford: two goals and two assists in his last three games
Tomas Klempa: ten points (five goals, five assists) in his last six games
Todd McIlrath: five game point scoring streak (3-8-11)...points in seven of eight games this season
Ryan Peckskamp: one goal and two assists in his last three games...six points (four goals, two assists) in his last
seven games
Colin Vock: one goal, two assists in his last three games
B.J. O'Brien: in his last four games: unbeaten in regulation (3-0-1) with a 2.34 goals against average and a .915 save
percentage
WIN-LOSS
Cedar Rapids Indiana
Home: 2-1-0 Home: 4-0-1
Away: 4-0-1 Away: 1-3-0
vs. East Division: 6-1-0 vs. East Division: 5-1-1
vs. West Division: 0-0-1 vs. West Division: 0-2-0
GOALS
Cedar Rapids Indiana
Goals For Per Game: 3.38 (3) Goals For Per Game: 3.67 (2)
Goals Against Per Game: 2.50 (tie 2) Goals Against Per Game: 3.33 (10)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Cedar Rapids Indiana
Power Play: 13.5% 5/37 (5) Power Play: 19.1% 9/47 (2)
Penalty Kill: 93.9% 2/33 (1) Penalty Kill: 82.2% 8/45 (10)
Shorthanded Goals For: 0 Shorthanded Goals For: 2
Shorthanded Goals Against: 2 Shorthanded Goals Against: 0
SERIES
vs. Indiana 2004-05
10/17/04 Cedar Rapids 6 at Indiana 5 (so) 12/4/04 at Indiana
10/30/04 at Cedar Rapids 12/5/04 at Indiana
11/9/04 at Indiana 1/28/05 at Cedar Rapids
11/27/04 at Cedar Rapids 2/25/05 at Cedar Rapids
GP W-L-SOL PTS H A OPP REC OPP PTS
2004-05 1 1-0-0 2 0-0-0 1-0-0 0-0-1 1
All-Time* 7 5-2-0 10 2-1-0 3-1-0 2-4-1 5
*-vs. Indiana/Danville
Top Point Scorers/Season Series
Cedar Rapids vs. Indiana
Cedar Rapids GP G A PTS Indiana GP G A PTS
Matt Vokes 1 1 1 2 Brian Gifford 1 1 1 2
Rob Ricci 1 1 1 2 Colin Vock 1 1 1 2
Ted Purcell 1 1 1 2 Tristin Llewellyn 1 1 1 2
Goaltenders/Season Series
Cedar Rapids vs. Indiana
Cedar Rapids GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
Alex Stalock 1 65 4.62 1-0-0 0 .853
Indiana GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
B.J. O'Brien 1 25 2.40 0-0-1 0 .900
Jake Maida 1 40 6.00 0-0-0 0 .852
COACHES
Cedar Rapids
Mark Carlson, 6th year (149-126-28)
Mark Carlson has been the RoughRiders' coach since the team arrived in Cedar Rapids in 1999-2000. He has led the RoughRiders to four straight winning seasons and four straight berths in the Clark Cup playoffs. The Riders are one of just three USHL teams to have reached the post season each of the last four years.
Carlson is just one win short of the 150 victory plateau. He earned his one hundredth coaching win on January 11, 2003 when the RoughRiders defeated the Sioux City Musketeers 3-1 in Sioux City.
He was behind the bench for his three hundredth game as RoughRiders coach as the Riders defeated the Indiana Ice 6-5 in a shootout in Indianapolis on Sunday, October 17, 2004.
Prior to taking over the RoughRiders in 1999, Carlson spent four seasons as a collegiate assistant coach at Northeastern and Massachusetts-Lowell. In his playing days, Carlson was a forward at Lowell and was a 1987 draft pick of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins.
Indiana
Red Gendron, 1st year (5-3-1)
Gendron became the first coach of the Indiana Ice after spending eleven years in the New Jersey Devils organization, the last two as head coach of the Devils' American Hockey League affiliate, the Albany River Rats. Gendron earned three Stanley Cup rings (1995, 2000 and 2003) as part of the Devils' organization.
Prior to joining the Devils, Gendron was an assistant coach at the University of Maine. He was behind the Black Bears' bench as Maine claimed the 1993 NCAA title.
HISTORY
Forward Jon Grabarek's empty net goal last Friday night was his thirty-ninth for the RoughRiders, snapping the team career record of 38 he had previously shared with Gerry Hickey (1999-2001). Grabarek also ranks second in team history behind Chase Watson (2000-03) in career assists (52) and points (91). He ranks fifth in club history in power play goals (11).
The Riders' season opening six game unbeaten streak was the longest such streak from the beginning of a season in club history. The previous record was set by the 2001-02 RoughRiders, who opened the campaign with three straight victories.
If the RoughRiders win this Saturday, it will have taken the organization 304 games to the 150 victory plateau.
Third year defenseman Zach Miskovic has not missed a regular season game during his RoughRider career. Miskovic ranks fourth in club history in career games played (128).
Last Friday, Rob Ricci was halted one game short of matching the club record for most consecutive games with an assist. Ricci picked up assists in each of his first five games before being held without an assist in the Riders' win in Chicago. Five different players in club history have picked up assists in six straight games. The feat was most recently accomplished by Watson, whose streak ran from December 15, 2002 through January 4, 2003.
The Danville Wings moved to Indiana in the off-season to become the Ice.
Last season was the Wings' first and, as it would prove, only season in the USHL. The Wings finished third in the East Division in 2003-04 with a 29-23-8 record and toppled the RoughRiders in the first round of the Clark Cup playoffs three games to one.
Prior to moving to the USHL, the Wings were a power in the junior A North American Hockey League. The Wings claimed back-to-back Robertson Cup NAHL championships in 2000 and 2001.
COLLEGE COMMITMENTS
Cedar Rapids
Justin Abdelkader (Michigan State), Phil Axtell (Michigan Tech), Greg Collins (New Hampshire), Ray Eichenlaub (Miami of Ohio), Gary Steffes (Miami of Ohio), Matt Vokes (Brown)
Indiana
Brian Gifford (Denver), Tomas Klempa (Nebraska-Omaha), Todd McIlrath (Bowling Green)
ALUMNI
Danny O'Brien (Massachusetts-Lowell, junior): tied for team lead in points with one goal and four points in three
games...scored first goal last Friday in Lowell's 3-2 loss at Massachusetts-Amherst
Chase Watson (Providence, sophomore): second on the team in points with one goal and four points in three games
Dave Moss (Michigan, senior): two goals and four points in six games...scored in Michigan's 4-3 win at Lake Superior
State last Thursday...picked up an assist in Wolverines' 5-2 home defeat of Lake Superior last Saturday
Zach Pearson (Ferris State, sophomore): two goals and three points in six games...scored in Ferris State's 7-2 win at
Bemidji State last Saturday
Matt Olinger (Wisconsin, sophomore): two assists in four games...picked up first two points last weekend, collecting
one assist in each of Wisconsin's two home wins over Michigan Tech
Ryan Mayhew (Bentley, junior): two goals in four games...scored in Bentley's 3-3 tie with Army last Friday
Joe Fallon (Vermont, freshman): 1-2 in four games with a 3.28 goals against average, .875 save percentage and one
shutout
Chris Snavely (Michigan State, sophomore): one assist in four games...picked up first point last Friday in Michigan
State's 3-2 loss at Northern Michigan
Kyle Larman (Bentley, sophomore): one assist in four games...picked up first point last Friday in Bentley's 3-3 tie with
Army
Ryan Webb (Utica, sophomore): tied for team lead in points with two goals and three points in two games...had one
goal in 7-4 home loss to Oswego last Friday...notched one goal and one assist in 5-3 defeat at Oswego last Saturday
Matt Kelly (Wayne State, junior): 1-1 in two games with a 3.03 goals against average and a .889 save percentage...
made 23 saves in a 5-1 win at Merrimack last Friday...stopped 25 shots in 5-4 loss at Merrimack last Saturday
UPCOMING EVENTS
On Saturday, November 13 fans will have the chance to get up close with the Dale Earnhardt Jr. #8 Budweiser Born On Date Car. The Born On Date car will be on display during the RoughRiders' game against the Green Bay Gamblers. Earnhardt, one of NASCAR's top young drivers, has won nine Nextel Cup races during his five year career, including this year's Daytona 500. Earnhardt Jr. is the son of the late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr.
The RoughRiders will also host their next food drive night on November 13. The Riders and the Cedar Rapids Jaycees will team for monthly food drives to benefit the HACAP Food Reservoir. The Jaycees will collect canned food items at the RoughRiders' first Saturday home game of each month.
Christian rock group Ramshackle will perform after the RoughRiders' game against the Lincoln Stars on Friday, November 19.
Marvel Comics' Spiderman will land at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Saturday night, November 27. Everyone's favorite web-slinging superhero will sign autographs and pose for photos as the RoughRiders host the Indiana Ice.
Fans can lend a hand to children in need during the holiday season by bringing a new stuffed animal to the RoughRiders' Friday, December 10 game against the Omaha Lancers and tossing it onto the ice after the Riders' first goal. All teddy bears will be donated to area children just in time for Christmas.
TICKETS
Individual game tickets for RoughRiders first half home dates- including this Saturday's game- are now on sale at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office. Tickets can be purchased over the phone at (319) 261-4625 or in person at the ice arena. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM on weekdays and from noon through the end of the second period on game days. Ticket prices range from $8.00 to $17.00 including a 50-cent facility fee.
In addition to full season tickets, the RoughRiders also offer three different mini-plan packages. Fans can watch the Riders take on their archrivals, the Waterloo Black Hawks, with an i wireless Corridor Cup Mini-Plan or enjoy weekend games with five or ten game packages.
The Family Pack enables fans to get four green zone seats, four hot dogs, four fountain drinks and a game program all for just $44. The Family Pack is available for all of the RoughRiders' Friday and Sunday home games. The next Family Pack night is Friday, November 19 when the RoughRiders host the Lincoln Stars.
ON THE AIR/ON LINE
RoughRiders regular season and playoff games are broadcast on AM-1360 The Fan in Cedar Rapids and AM-800 KXIC in Iowa City and, courtesy of B2 Networks, free audio webcasts are available at www.roughridershockey.com. Brian Lavelle provides play-by-play.
If there is a sixth game of the World Series this Saturday, the RoughRiders' game will be broadcast on a tape delayed basis on AM-1360 after the World Series game at approximately 10:00PM. Under these circumstances, the audio webcast of the RoughRiders game would also be tape delayed. If the World Series does not last six games, the radio broadcast and audio webcast of the RoughRiders game will be carried live Saturday night.
The RoughRiders and B2 have teamed up to offer pay-per-view video webcasts of all RoughRiders home games and the Riders' two road games in Omaha this season. Fans can click on the "Watch RoughRiders' Games Live" icon at www.roughridershockey.com to watch and listen to the game. The broadcast is available to fans with a high speed DSL or cable modem internet connection. The charge for video webcasts is $6 per game.
Up-to-the-minute live game updates for all USHL action are available on line at www.pointstreak.com/prostats.
United States Hockey League Stories from October 25, 2004
- USHL weekly - USHL
- Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Weekly Update - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
- RoughRiders' Steffes Commits to Miami of Ohio - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
- Steel deal Cedar Rapids first loss - Chicago Steel
- USHL power poll - OSC Original by Mike Wallin
- Stampede Weekly Update - Sioux Falls Stampede
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.
