Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week 15
Published on January 2, 2013 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Ralston, Neb. - The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) will open the calendar year of 2013 this Friday and Saturday with a weekend series against the Fargo Force at Ralston Arena.
Omaha (17-13, 34 pts.) split a pair of games coming out of the holiday break last week suffering a 3-2 loss at home to the Tri-City Storm on Saturday before rebounding with a 5-4 victory at the Sioux City Musketeers on New Year's Eve. All told, the Lancers have won six out of their last eight games and 13 of 17 overall.
Omaha returns to action this weekend as the club returns to Ralston Arena for a weekend series with the Fargo Force. Fargo (17-9-5, 39 pts.) won two out of three games coming out of the holiday break this past weekend. The Force suffered a 5-3 loss at home to the Sioux Falls Stampede on Friday before bouncing back with a 5-2 victory over the Des Moines Buccaneers on Saturday followed by a 4-2 triumph over the USHL-leading Dubuque Fighting Saints on Monday. Fargo enters the weekend having won seven of its last eight games and 10 of 13 overall.
Omaha Notes:
Omaha Lancers - 17-13-0, 34 pts. (5th Western Conference)
- Omaha enters the week in sole possession of fifth place in the Western Conference with 34 standings points. The Lancers are currently just three points back of fourth place Lincoln and only four standings points behind third place Waterloo. Meanwhile, Omaha remains seven points behind Conference-leading Sioux Falls.
- The Lancers have moved D Nash Worden from the team's affiliate list to its main protected list and have activated D Jake Bischoff from injured reserve. In order to free up roster space for those two transactions, Omaha has traded F Eli Lichtenwald to the Nipawin Hawks of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and has moved D Lukas Buchta to his former team, HC PSG Zlin in the Czech Republic.
- G Alex Lyon has won four of his last five starts in goal and has posted a 9-2 record through his last 12 appearances. The veteran from Baudette, Minnesota currently ranks third among all USHL netminders in save percentage (.919) and is tied for fifth in goals-against average (2.51).
- F Robbie Baillargeon and F Connor Chatham are currently tied for the team lead in scoring with 21 points each. Baillargeon has tallied four goals, two assists and six points in four games since joining the Lancers while Chatham continues to lead all Omaha skaters with 11 goals.
- The Lancers are 8-4 at home this season and have won seven of the team's last nine games at Ralston Arena. Omaha has outscored its opposition 32-31 in 12 prior home contests.
- Omaha has played the third most one-goal games in the USHL (17) and has produced the most one-goal victories (12) of any team in the league.
- Omaha's power play currently ranks fourth overall at 20.5%. The Lancers are 13-3 when scoring a power play goal this season and enter the week having won 10 straight games in which the team has managed to net a man-advantage marker. Meanwhile, Omaha's penalty kill is currently the top ranked unit in the league at 86.6%. The Lancers have surrendered just one power play goal against over the last five games.
Opponents Notes:
Friday, January 4 vs. Fargo - 17-9-5, 39 pts. (2nd Western Conference)
Saturday, January 5 vs. Fargo
- Friday and Saturday's contests mark the fourth and fifth meetings during the 2012-13 regular season between the Lancers and Fargo Force. Omaha is 3-0 against the Force this season after 3-2 and 4-3 shootout victories in Fargo back in mid-November followed by a 2-1 triumph at Ralston Arena on November 28.
- Omaha's Chatham and Jake Randolph lead all scorers in the season series with four points through the first three meetings. Chatham has notched two goals and two assists while Randolph has recorded a goal and three assists. Meanwhile, Nate Arentz has paced all Force skaters with three points through the first three head-to-head get-togethers.
- F Brendan Harms currently leads all Fargo skaters and is tied for fifth among all USHLers in scoring with 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists). Harms has registered 13 multi-point games this season.
- Fargo is 6-6-3 on the road this season and has outscored its opposition 54-49 in 15 prior road contests.
- The Force are tied for the league lead in one-goal games this season (18) and have posted a 9-4-5 record in one-goal tilts this season.
- Fargo's power play enters the weekend ranked 12th overall at 15.7% and has yet to convert in 10 man-advantage opportunities against the Lancers. Meanwhile, the Force's penalty ranks 10th overall at 81.8% and is 11-for-14 (78.6%) against Omaha this season.
United States Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2013
- Phantoms Center Austin Cangelosi Named to Roster for USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game - Youngstown Phantoms
- Three Gamblers Selected to the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game - Green Bay Gamblers
- U.S. National Under-17 Team Upends Slovakia, 7-2, at 2013 World Under-17 Challenge - U.S. National Team
- Four Saints Named to USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Four Storm Players Selected for USHL Prospects Game - Tri-City Storm
- Five Hawks on Prospect Game Roster - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Stampede's Lindgren Named to USHL/NHL Prospects Game - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Roster Selected for USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game - USHL
- Stampede Acquire Swedish Defenseman Bjorkung - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Joe Cox Wins USHL Co-Forward of the Week - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week 15 - Omaha Lancers
- Waterloo Black Hawks Weekly Preview - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Novak Named CCM USHL Forward of the Week - Green Bay Gamblers
- U.S. National Jr. Team Advances to Semifinals with 7-0 Win over Czech Republic - U.S. National Team
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