USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Fall Classic Opens Today Against Omaha

Published on September 21, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


The Fighting Saints will open the Fall Classic today against the Omaha Lancers, a team that they met only twice last regular season, with both meetings coming in October. The two teams split the two games, with both sides winning their respective home openers. The Fighting Saints will endeavor to continue their momentum from their 5-4 victory over Chicago on Saturday - their first exhibition win.

The Lancers return ten players from a team that finished second to the Fighting Saints in the Western Conference in 2010-11, winning 34 games. The two teams will again meet just two times during the regular season, with Dubuque heading to Omaha on November 5, and the Lancers coming to the Key City on November 25. The two teams will be separated by conference during the upcoming season, as the Fighting Saints have switched places with Waterloo, and consequently will compete in the Eastern Conference.

The Fighting Saints have two games remaining at the Fall Classic after today. They will take on the Tri-City Storm tomorrow night at 7 PM, and play the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Friday at 4 PM. Both games will take place at the Tyson Center.

The Coaches

Jim Montgomery was named the Dubuque Fighting Saints Head Coach and General Manager in April, 2010. The Montreal native spent the previous four years as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Montgomery began his college coaching career as a volunteer assistant under Jeff Jackson at the University of Notre Dame.

Montgomery played college hockey at the University of Maine, and is the NCAA's 4th all-time leading point scorer. Prior to becoming a coach, Montgomery played professional hockey from 1993-2005, spending parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League. Montgomery resides in Dubuque with his wife Emily and sons JP and Colin. Montgomery is assisted by Joe Coombs and Bobby Kinsella.

Bliss Littler is in his fourth season as Head Coach and General Manager of the Omaha Lancers. The ninth coach in Lancers' history, Littler led Omaha to a 34-19-7 record overall last season and the club's 22nd consecutive playoff appearance. In three seasons at the helm in Omaha, Littler has amassed an impressive 108-52-20 overall mark. Prior to his time in Omaha, Littler coached in the USHL with the Topeka Scarecrows and the Tri-City Storm.

Quick Hits

- The Fighting Saints will endeavor to repeat as USHL Clark Cup champions in 2011-12. No team has won back to back Clark Cups since the Omaha Lancers pulled off the feat in 1992-93 and 1993-94. The Green Bay Gamblers had an opportunity to repeat last season, but fell to the Fighting Saints in the Final.

- The Fighting Saints return eight players to the roster in 2011-12. Zemgus Girgensons leads the scoring returners - he had 49 points last season. Other returners are forwards Shane Sooth, Shane Walsh, Tyler Lundey, John Doherty, and TJ Moor, along with defenseman Tyler Amburgey and goaltender Matt Morris. Girgensons was the third leading scorer on last year's team behind John Gaudreau (Boston College) and Vinny Saponari (Northeastern).

- Matt Morris had a spectacular rookie season in between the pipes for the Fighting Saints, and his play was especially notable in the playoffs. Morris won Clark Cup Playoff MVP honors, compiling a 9-2 record with a 1.53 g.a.a., and a .943 save percentage.

- The 2010-11 Fighting Saints became only the second "true" expansion team to win the Clark Cup along with the 1996-97 Lincoln Stars. The Fargo Force lost in the Final to the Indiana Ice during their first year: 2008-09. The original Dubuque Fighting Saints won the Clark Cup in their first year, but they had been relocated from Waterloo by Jack Barzee, who is currently with NHL Central Scouting, for that season.

- 10 Lancers will be back on the roster from last season's team. The leading returning scorer for Omaha is Jonathan Liau, a forward who posted 20 points in 59 games last season. Leading scorer Seth Ambroz has moved on to the University of Minnesota and was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in June.

- The Fighting Saints will return only one player on defense from last season's team - Tyler Amburgey. Despite the lack of experience along the blueline, Jim Montgomery and his staff are optimistic about the offensive upside of this year's group.

- The Fighting Saints will open at home against the Green Bay Gamblers on October 1, in a rematch of last season's Clark Cup Final. The Gamblers return 16 players from last year's group.

Check out the Dubuque Fighting Saints Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from September 21, 2011


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