Lancers Weekly
October 14, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
RALSTON, NE - A 2-0 blanking of the Sioux Falls Stampede on Friday, followed by a 7-0 shutout of the Des Moines Buccaneers on Saturday at Ralston Arena saw the Omaha Lancers and second-year goaltender Cole Bruns extend their all-time USHL record shutout streak to five consecutive games as the Lancers stayed perfect so far in the 2013-14 regular season at 5-0-0. With ten points, the Lancers remain tied atop the USHL's Western Conference standings alongside Sioux Falls heading into a stretch of four consecutive road games beginning Thursday vs. the Waterloo Black Hawks.
Bruns' streak, the longest in the 66 year history of the league, has spanned 300:00 consecutive minutes and the as-yet-uncommitted Prairie Grove, Illinois native has stopped each of the first 117 pucks he's faced so far this season. For context, the longest all-time National Hockey League (NHL) shutout streak in the modern era is also five games, belonging to then-Phoenix Coyotes netminder Brian Boucher's 332:01 consecutive shutout minutes during the 2003-04 season. For his efforts this past weekend, Bruns was awarded his second Reebok USHL Goaltender of the Week Award of the season on Monday.
Offensively, the Lancers' co-leading scorers are a pair of future Nebraksa-Omaha Mavericks in veteran winger and assistant captain Jake Randolph (3G, 8A - 11 PTS) and rookie centerman Tyler Vesel (6G, 5A - 11 PTS). In five games, the two have combined for 22 total points, better than a two-point per game pace individually and are both tied for second in the USHL in scoring. Randolph, the Lancers' leading scorer from a year ago, is currently tied for the USHL lead in assists (8) and plus/minus (+11) and Vesel, named Monday as the USHL's CCM Forward of the Week, is currently tied for third in the USHL in goals (6) and leads the league in shorthanded tallies with two. Both linemates are currently enjoying five game point-scoring streaks while a pair of Vesel goals on Saturday tied the Rochester, Minnesota native with his teammate, Luca Frigo, for the longest individual goal-scoring streak of the season at four games.
With Lancers defenseman and Princeton recruit Matt Nelson (1G, 1A - 2 PTS) potting his first career USHL points in the pair of weekend wins, the Lancers swept the USHL Weekly Awards, as Nelson was named CCM USHL Defemseman of the Week on Monday. Outside of their league-leading marks for total goals allowed (0), goals allowed per game (0.00) and winning percentage (1.000), the Lancers are also tops in the USHL in a variety of other categories including penalty killing percentage (22/22, 100.0%), power play efficiency (7/20, 35.0%) and shots allowed per game (23.4).
LANCERS NOTES: OMAHA LANCERS (5-0-0), 10 pts., T1st in Western Conference, W5
- Lancers G Cole Bruns (5GP, 5-0-0, 5 SO, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 S%), F Tyler Vesel (6G, 5A) and D Matt Nelson (1G, 1A) sweep weekly honors for USHL Goalie, Forward and Defenseman of the Week.
- Bruns active 5-game shutout streak longest in USHL history, spans 300:00 minutes, 117 shots faced.
- Vesel currently leads USHL in shorthanded goals (2).
- Vesel's active 4-game goal streak (6G) tied for longest such streak of the season with teammate Luca Frigo who scored goals in 4 straight games from 9/27 to 10/11.
- F Jake Randolph & Vesel currently riding matching 5-game point streaks and are tied for 2nd league-wide in scoring.
- Randolph tied for league lead in assists (8), plus-minus (+11).
- Vesel tied for 3rd league-wide in goals (6).
- F Gage Hough tied for second in USHL in power-play goals (3).
- F Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Nelson both pick up first career USHL goals in Saturday's 7-0 defeat of Des Moines.
- Lancers D Steven Johnson recently committed to University of Minnesota (B1G Hockey Conference).
- Lancers power-play (7/20, 35.0%) ranked first in USHL.
- Lancers penalty kill (22/22, 100.0%) ranked first in USHL.
- Lancers currently rank 2nd in Western Conference in goals scored (22), lead USHL in total goals allowed (0), goals allowed per game (0.00), winning percentage (1.000) & shots allowed per game (23.4).
OPPONENT NOTES:
WATERLOO BLACK HAWKS
(4-1-0), 8 pts., 3rd in Western Conference, W3
THURSDAY, 10/17/13, 7:05 PM - YOUNG ARENA, WATERLOO, IA
- Black Hawks led in scoring by F Mark Friedman (1G, 6A).
- Former Lancers F Drew Melanson has 2G in 3 games since joining Waterloo via trade (for 3rd Rd. pick) from Omaha on Oct. 2nd .
- G Cal Petersen has seen bulk of time in net, is 3-1-0 in 4 GP with 2.26 GAA, .925 S%).
CHICAGO STEEL
(0-6-0), 8 pts., 8th in Eastern Conference, L6
FRIDAY, 10/18/13, 7:30 PM - EDGE ICE ARENA, BENSENVILLE, IL
- One of 2 USHL teams (Lincoln Stars) still without a win in 2013-14.
- Steel are 0-2-0 at home so far this season.
- As a team, Chicago has combined for fewer points (10) than either of Omaha's co-leading scorers Tyler Vesel and Jake Randolph (11 points apiece).
INDIANA ICE
(1-3-2), 4 pts., T6th in Eastern Conference, OTL1 (SO)
SATURDAY, 10/19/13, 7:05 PM - BANKERS LIFE FIELDHOUSE, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
- Ice are led in scoring by F Jacob Pritchard (3G, 2A - 5 PTS).
- Goaltenders Samu Perhonen (5GP, 1-2-0, 3.74 GAA, .840 S%) and Jason Pawloski (4GP, 0-1-2, 3.47 GAA, .878 S%) have split time in net this year for the Ice.
United States Hockey League Stories from October 14, 2013
- Lancers Weekly - Omaha Lancers
- Muskegon Lumberjacks, Rock 101.7, and 107 the Moose to Sell $1.70 Tickets - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Former Defenseman Nate Schmidt Debuts in the NHL - Fargo Force
- Duck Dynasty Star to Appear at Storm Game - Tri-City Storm
- Dubuque defenseman released from hospital and on road to recovery - USHL
- Vesel, Nelson, and Bruns Earn USHL Weekly Honors - USHL
- Waterloo Black Hawks Name Players of the Week - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Ice Home Saturday at Fieldhouse - Indiana Ice
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