Lancers Weekly
November 11, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
RALSTON, NE - In a pair of road games vs. their Nebraska rivals, the Omaha Lancers overwhelmed the Tri-City Storm on Friday and the Lincoln Stars on Saturday by identical 5-2 final scores in Omaha's first trips of the season to the Viaero Event Center in Kearney and the Icebox Arena in Lincoln. With the victories, the Lancers improved to 12-2-1 overall in 2013-14 and with 25 points, remain alone atop both the Western Conference and overall USHL standings. For the second time this season, the Lancers swept this week's Reebok/CCM Players of the Week Awards, as in the wake of a four-point weekend (2G, 2A), rookie Lancers centerman, Nebraska-Omaha recruit and leading USHL goal scorer Tyler Vesel (14G, 9A - 23 PTS) was named CCM USHL Co-Forward of the Week on Monday. Similarly recognized with CCM USHL Co-Defenseman of the Week honors was Omaha captain Tucker Poolman (3G, 8A - 11 PTS), the author of a five-assist weekend, and Reebok USHL Goaltender of the Week Cole Bruns (11GP, 8-2-1, 1.82 GAA, .932 S%), who notched two wins and posted a combined save percentage of .917 in the pair of Omaha victories. Next up for the Lancers, it's a Friday showdown with the Chicago Steel (4-11-0, 8 pts., eighth in Eastern Conference) at 7:05 pm at Ralston Arena. Then on Saturday, Omaha hits the road to tangle with the Waterloo Black Hawks (9-4-0, 18 pts., fourth in Western Conference) at 7:05 pm at Young Arena in Waterloo, Iowa, a building that features an Olympic-size ice sheet upon which the first-place Lancers are 0-1-0 so far this season.
LANCERS NOTES:
OMAHA LANCERS (12-2-1), 25 pts., 1st in Western Conference, W3
- Omaha G Cole Bruns (11GP, 8-2-1, 5 SO, 1.82 GAA, .932 S%) is tied for fourth league-wide in appearances, ranks third in goals- against average, second in save percentage, is tied for the USHL lead in wins and paces all USHL goaltenders in shutouts.
- USHL leading scorer Jake Randolph (8G, 22A - 30 PTS) leads the league in assists, points, power-play assists (8) and shorthanded assists (2), is tied for the USHL lead in plus/minus (+19) and is currently riding the league's second longest point streak of the season, a nine-game tear during which the Nebraska-Omaha recruit has netted 18 total points.
- Omaha F Tyler Vesel (14G, 9A - 23 PTS) leads the league in goals, ranks second in points and is tied for the USHL lead in plus/minus (+19), shorthanded goals (2) and game-winning goals (3).
- Lancers F Gage Hough (8G, 12A - 20 PTS), an Omaha native, ranks third in the league in scoring and plus/minus (+18) and is tied for the USHL lead with five power-play goals.
- Omaha's power-play is the league's best on the road at 29.4%.
- The Lancers rank second in the league in total goals for (61) and goals allowed (28).
- Lancers skaters comprise nine of the USHL's 13 highest individual plus/minus ratings.
- Omaha gives up the fewest goals per game of any team in the USHL this season (1.87) and limits its opponents to the league's second fewest shots-on-goal per game (26.9).
- Among USHL defensemen, Lancers captain, North Dakota commit and 2013 NHL Draft selection (5th Round, Winnipeg Jets), Tucker Poolman (3G, 8A - 11 PTS) ranks second league- wide in assists and total points.
OPPONENT NOTES:
CHICAGO STEEL
(4-11-0), 8 pts., 8 th in Eastern Conference, L1 FRIDAY, 11/15/13, 7:05 PM - RALSTON ARENA, RALSTON, NE
- The Steel's 19.6 PIM per game average is the USHL's third highest.
- Chicago's power-play ranks dead-last in the USHL overall at just 8.0% and is the league's second-worst on the road at 6.4%.
- On average, the Steel allow the league's second-most shots-on- goal per game (37.1) and second-most goals per game (3.67).
- Chicago is 0-1-0 vs. the Lancers through the first of four meetings between the two teams, dropping a 5-3 decision to Omaha at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Illinois on October 18th .
- The Steel's leading scorer is F John Ernsting (5G, 4A - 9 PTS).
WATERLOO BLACK HAWKS
(9-4-0), 18 pts., 5th in Western Conference, L1
SATURDAY, 11/16/13, 7:05 PM - YOUNG ARENA, WATERLOO, IA
- 4-2 winners over the Lancers in the two teams' lone meeting so far, a Waterloo home victory on October 17th, the Black Hawks have a 1-0-0 edge in the four game Omaha-Waterloo season series.
- The Black Hawks boast the USHL's top power-play at 24.7%.
- Waterloo is one of just two USHL teams (Tri-City) that has yet to allow a shorthanded goal this season.
- The Black Hawks average an eye-popping 38.8 shots-on-goal per game this season, the highest mark in the USHL.
- Waterloo G Cal Petersen (7GP, 6-1-0, 2.28 GAA, .928 S%), a Notre Dame recruit and 5th Round selection by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Draft, ranks fourth in the USHL in goals-against average and save percentage.
- Black Hawks F Hayden Shaw is tied for fourth in the league in power-play goals (4) and F Jake Horton's two game-winning goals rank tied for third league-wide.
United States Hockey League Stories from November 11, 2013
- Lancers Weekly - Omaha Lancers
- Vesel, Ernsting, Poolman, Snuggerud, and Bruns Earn USHL Weekly Honors - USHL
- Luc Snuggerud Named USHL's "Co-Defenseman of the Week" - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Ice Home Friday and Saturday at Pan Am Pavilion - Indiana Ice
- Stampede Weekly Update: Puck Giveaway & Military Night Highlight Weekend Homestand - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Waterloo Black Hawks Name Players of the Week - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Bucs Weekly - Des Moines Buccaneers
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.
