Lancers Prepare For Busy Week Of Western Conference Showdowns
Published on January 25, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) look to continue their charge up the Western Conference standings this week as they prepare for a trio of games against conference rivals. Omaha (17-10-4, 38 Pts.) enters Week 18 of USHL action tied for fourth in the West and remains just seven points back of Conference-leading Dubuque. The Lancers are coming off a single-game week which saw Omaha snap a four-game winless skid with a 2-1 victory over the Sioux City Musketeers. Ken Babinski and Ben Marshall scored just 64 seconds apart in the second period and Todd Mathews registered 25 saves in goal leading Omaha to its 17th win of the season and 10th at home.
The Lancers look to make it back-to-back victories when they return home to the Omaha Civic Auditorium tomorrow evening as they host the Fargo Force. Fargo (19-13-4, 42 Pts.) is currently second in the Western Conference and enters the week just three points behind the first-place Fighting Saints. With 36 games played, the Force have played more games than any other USHL club to date. Fargo has won nine of its last 12 contests overall coming into the week and begins a stretch Wednesday which has the team on the road for 10 of its next 13 games. The Lancers are 2-0-2 against the Force this season and have outscored Fargo 13-9 through the first four get-togethers.
After an off day Thursday, Omaha returns to the Civic Auditorium Friday evening for its fourth meeting of the season with the Tri-City Storm. Tri-City (14-12-6, 34 Pts.) is currently tied for seventh in the West and has dropped three of its last four games and six of eight contests overall. The Lancers are 3-0 against the Storm this season with all three previous meetings having been decided in either overtime or through a shootout.
Finally, Omaha concludes its three-game week Saturday evening with a trip to the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City to battle the Musketeers. Sioux City (16-15-3, 35 Pts.) is currently sixth in the Western Conference and enters the week in the midst of a four-game winless skid. The Musketeers have dropped six of their last seven games overall entering Week 18 action. Saturday's match-up marks the fifth of eight regular season meetings between Omaha and Sioux City with the Lancers having claimed three of the first four head-to-head meetings.
Wednesday, January 26th vs. Fargo Force, 7:05 PM CDT, Omaha Civic Auditorium
Friday, January 28th vs. Tri-City Storm, 7:05 PM CDT, Omaha Civic Auditorium
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Saturday, January 29th @ Sioux City Musketeers, 7:05 PM CDT, Tyson Events Center
Radio coverage for all three games this week can be found on 1290 AM KKAR or www.1290kkar.com beginning with the Valpakdeals.com pre-game show at 6:50 PM CDT.
NEWS & NOTES FOR THE WEEKEND
- Third-year forward Seth Ambroz continues to lead all Omaha Lancers in scoring this season with 25 points. The native of New Prague, Minnesota is tied for 10th among all USHL skaters with 14 goals and is second among all USHLers with 132 shots.
- Stefan Demopoulos leads all Lancers with 10 power play points (4 goals, 6 assists) this season.
- Defenseman Ben Marshall returned to the lineup last Saturday after missing three straight games and had an immediate impact notching the game-winning goal and a +2 rating in Omaha's 2-1 win over Sioux City last Saturday. The native of Mahtomedi, Minnesota leads all Lancers defensemen in scoring with 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) and is tied for third among all USHL skaters with a +20 rating.
- Omaha's penalty kill has been white hot of late having surrendered just one power play goal against over the last nine games. The Lancers PK has gone 30-for-31 (96.8%) during that stretch. Overall, Omaha's penalty kill ranks fourth among all USHL clubs at 88.2%.
- Fargo is led by first-year forward Jimmy Mullin who enters the week tied for sixth among all USHLers in scoring with 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists).
- The Force enter the week in the midst of a five-game road winning streak and haven't suffered a road setback since a 2-1 defeat in Tri-City on December 11th.
- Goal scoring remains a concern for the Tri-City Storm. Entering Week 18, Tri-City had registered the fewest goals (76) of any team in the Western Conference. In addition, the Storm are averaging the second-fewest goals-for per game (2.38) in the league.
- Power play goals account for 36.3% of Sioux City's offense this season - the second highest such percentage in the USHL. The Musketeers power play has registered the most man advantage markers (33) of any team in the Western Conference. However, during Sioux City's recent four-game slide, the Musketeers power play is just 2-for-20.
United States Hockey League Stories from January 25, 2011
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