Lancers Weekly
October 28, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
RALSTON, NE - For the second consecutive weekend, the Omaha Lancers played three games in three nights as the USHL's top team improved to 9-1-1, recovering from a 6-5 overtime loss in Sioux City on Friday with a 2-0 shutout win over the Tri-City Storm at home on Saturday and capping a stretch in which the Lancers played six games in 11 days with a wild 6-5 win over the Muskegon Lumberjacks at Ralston Arena Sunday evening in a game that featured three Omaha comebacks and a hat-trick from Lancers captain Tucker Poolman. On Friday in Sioux City, rookie centerman Tyler Vesel (9G, 6A - 15 PTS) potted a hat-trick of his own in defeat, pulling the Rochester, Minnesota native and future Nebraska-Omaha Maverick into a tie for second in the USHL in goals and into fourth place alone in points. On Saturday, rookie goaltender Hayden Hawkey spelled Cole Bruns in net and didn't disappoint, turning in a Bruns-like 22-save shutout in just his second-career USHL start. On Sunday, the Lancers faced deficits of 2-0, 4-2 and 5-4 but each time fought back to level the score thanks to a three-point showing from UNO recruit, CCM USHL Co-Forward of the Week and leading USHL scorer Jake Randolph (5G, 18A - 23 PTS), a goal and two assists from Omaha native Gage Hough (7G, 9A - 16 PTS) and North Dakota commit Poolman's first three goals of the season. This weekend, the Lancers continue a four-game homestand with a rematch vs. the Sioux City Musketeers (6-2-1, 13 pts., fourth in Western Conference) at Ralston Arena on Friday at 7:05 pm. Then on Saturday, it's the first of eight meetings vs. the Lancers' arch-rivals, the Lincoln Stars with the opening faceoff set for 7:05 pm.
LANCERS NOTES:
OMAHA LANCERS (9-1-1), 19 pts., 1st in Western Conference, W2
- Lancers goaltender Cole Bruns (8GP, 6-1-1, 5 SO, 1.62 GAA, .943 S%) ranks tied for third in the USHL in appearances, third in minutes played (480:37), is tied for the league-lead in wins, leads the league in shutouts and ranks second in goals-against average and save percentage.
- Jake Randolph (5G, 18A - 23 PTS) leads the USHL in assists, points, power-play assists (7), power-play points (8) and shorthanded assists (2) and is tied for the league lead in plus/minus at +13.
- Rookie sensation Tyler Vesel (9G, 6A - 15 PTS) leads the USHL in shorthanded goals (2), is tied for the league-lead in plus/minus (+13), ranks tied for second league-wide in goals and fourth in total scoring.
- Omaha's own Gage Hough (7G, 9A - 16 PTS) ranks in the league's top five in goals, assists, power-play goals (4) and power-play assists (4) and is currently tied for second in the USHL in scoring.
- The Lancers currently boast six of the USHL's top plus/minus ratings in Randolph (+13), Vesel (+13), Jimmy Schuldt (+11), Tyler Hynes (+10), Hough (+10) and Steven Johnson (+10).
- Among USHL defensemen, Schuldt (2G, 6A - 8 PTS) ranks second in points and first in plus/minus (+11).
- Johnson (0G, 7A - 7 PTS) was chosen to join Team USA for the World Junior A Challenge Tournament in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Nov. 4-10 th and currently ranks fourth amond USHL defensemen in points and shots on goal (28) and is tied for second in plus/minus (+10).
OPPONENT NOTES:
SIOUX CITY MUSKETEERS
(6-2-1), 13 pts., 4 th in Western Conference, W5
FRIDAY, 11/1/13, 7:05 PM - RALSTON ARENA, RALSTON, NE
- Musketeers forward Brandon Hawkins is tied for fifth in the league in goals (7), is tied for second in power-play goals (4) and notched a hat-trick in a 6-5 overtime win over the Lancers on October25th.
- Sioux City forward Jared Thomas' nine assists are tied for third league-wide and his 13 points are tied for fifth in the USHL.
- Muskies goaltenders Connor Girard (1.67 GAA, .934 S%) and Kyle Hayton (2.28 GAA, .924 S%) rank in the USHL's top ten in both goals-against average and save percentage.
- Blake Heinrich's 30 PIMs are tied for sixth-most in the USHL.
LINCOLN STARS
(2-3-4), 8 pts., 6th in Western Conference, L1
SATURDAY, 11/2/13, 7:05 PM - RALSTON ARENA, RALSTON, NE
- Lincoln defenseman Zach Frye's 47 penalty minutes are the most league-wide among defensemen and the second-most in the USHL overall.
- Lincoln defenseman Connor Frantti's 35 penalty minutes are the third-most league-wide among defensemen and the fourth-most in the USHL overall.
- Veteran Stars goaltender Michael Bitzer's .916 save percentage ranks ninth in the USHL this season.
- In 2012-13, the Lancers went 7-2-1 against the Stars, including a 4-1-0 head-to-head record vs. Lincoln at Ralston Arena with an overall goal differential of plus-four.
- In a preseason affair on September 12th, the Lancers beat the Stars 5-3 at the USHL Fall Classic West in Sioux City, Iowa.
United States Hockey League Stories from October 28, 2013
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