Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week 20
February 6, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Ralston, Neb. - The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) are currently preparing for one of the most highly anticipated weekends in Lancers' history as the team travels to Des Moines on Friday to square off against the Buccaneers before returning home Saturday to face off against the Lincoln Stars in the Mutual of Omaha Battles on Ice outdoor game at TD Ameritrade Ballpark.
Omaha (25-17-0, 50 pts.) is coming off an incredibly productive week in which the team earned three victories in the span of just four days. The busy week began last Wednesday when the Lancers wrapped up a four-game home stand at Ralston Arena with a 5-3 triumph over the Western Conference-leading Sioux Falls Stampede. Omaha netted a season-high five goals in the second period en route to the team's fourth win in the last five games at home. The Lancers then closed the week with a sweep up at Scheels Arena in Fargo over the Force. Four different Omaha skaters scored Friday in a 4-2 victory before Alex Lyon registered a season-high 44 saves Saturday earning a 2-1 win in the regular season finale between the Lancers and Force.
Omaha returns to action this Friday when the team invades Buccaneer Arena in Des Moines for a showdown with the Buccaneers. Des Moines (19-22-2, 40 pts.) dropped both of its games last weekend suffering a 6-3 loss at home to the Tri-City Storm on Friday before enduring a 5-2 setback at the Lincoln Stars Saturday. The Buccaneers enter the week in the midst of a three-game losing skid and have dropped six of their eight contests overall. After facing off against the Lancers on Friday, Des Moines heads to Sioux City Saturday for a showdown with the Musketeers.
Meanwhile, the Lancers close their weekend Saturday with the USHL's first ever outdoor game which pits Omaha against the Lincoln Stars at TD Ameritrade Ballpark in the Mutual of Omaha Battles on Ice. Lincoln (23-14-3, 49 pts.) split a pair of games last weekend suffering a 4-1 loss at home to Sioux Falls on Friday before rebounding with a 5-2 victory over Des Moines. The Stars have dropped four of their last seven games overall entering the week. Before traveling to Omaha Saturday, Lincoln opens its weekend at home on Friday against Tri-City.
Omaha Notes:
Omaha Lancers - 25-17-0, 50 pts. (4th Western Conference)
- Omaha enters the week in sole possession of fourth place in the Western Conference. The Lancers are presently three points back of a second-place tie between Fargo and the Waterloo Black Hawks. Meanwhile, Omaha remains a single point ahead of the fifth-place Lincoln Stars.
- The Lancers enter the week in the midst of a three-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine games overall. Omaha has outscored its opposition 31-22 during that stretch. The Lancers' power play has converted at least once in five of the team's last nine games while the penalty kill has been perfect in the team's last eight straight triumphs.
- F Jake Randolph leads all Lancers in scoring this season with 32 points (8 goals, 24 assists). Committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Randolph has tallied 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) over his last 16 games.
- F Connor Chatham and F Robbie Baillargeon are tied for the team lead with 14 goals each. Baillargeon is second among all Omaha skaters in scoring with 31 points and has registered 16 points in 16 games since joining the Lancers while Chatham is third among all Lancers with 28 points this year.
- Omaha is 12-7 at home this season and has scored the same number of goals in 18 prior home games (55) as the team has allowed. Meanwhile, the Lancers are 13-10 on the road this season and have outscored their opposition 67-61 in 23 prior road contests. Omaha is currently in the midst of a season-high four-game road winning streak.
- Omaha's power play currently ranks fourth overall at 19.4%. The Lancers are 18-5 when scoring a power play goal this season. Meanwhile, Omaha's penalty kill ranks second overall at 86.0% and has surrendered zero power play goals against in 28 of 42 games this season.
Opponents Notes:
Friday, February 8 @ Des Moines - 19-22-2, 40 pts. (T-6th Western Conference)
- Friday's contest marks the fourth of six total meetings during the 2012-13 regular season between the Lancers and Des Moines Buccaneers. Omaha is 2-1 against Des Moines this season after suffering a 6-2 loss at the Buccaneers on October 12th before rebounding with 3-1 and 1-0 victories on back-to-back nights in late October. Friday's showdown will be the final meeting of the year at Buccaneer Arena where the Lancers are 1-1 this season.
- Des Moines enters the week tied with the Tri-City Storm for sixth place in the Western Conference. The Buccaneers are nine standings points behind fifth-place Lincoln and trail Omaha by 10 points for the fourth and final playoff spot in the West.
- F Axel Wemmenborn currently leads all Buccaneers in scoring with 25 points (6 goals, 19 assists) this year. Wemmenborn's 25 points are the lowest of any team leading scorer in the USHL.
- Des Moines is 12-9 at home this season and has outscored its opposition 76-70 in 21 prior games at Buccaneer Arena.
- The Buccaneers' power play enters the week ranked 11th overall at 16.2% while Des Moines' penalty kill is 13th overall at 80.2%.
Saturday, February 9 vs. Lincoln - 23-14-3, 49 pts. (5th Western Conference)
- Saturday's puck drop is scheduled for 12:35 PM at TD Ameritrade Ballpark, the home of the NCAA Men's College World Series. It will be the USHL's first ever outdoor game and will be immediately followed by a showdown between the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks and University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux at 4:07 PM. One ticket is good for both games and fans will be allowed to leave and re-entry the facility once during the course of the day. Tailgating outside TD Ameritrade Ballpark can begin as early as 9 AM Saturday with doors set to open at 11:30 AM.
- Saturday's contest marks the seventh of 10 total meetings during the 2012-13 regular season between the Lancers and Lincoln Stars. Omaha is 5-1 against Lincoln this season and claimed the most recent get-together with a 5-2 victory at Ralston Arena back on January 19th. The Lancers are 2-1 at home against the Stars this year.
- Lincoln enters the week in sole possession of fifth place in the Western Conference. The Stars trails the Lancers by one standings point for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western. Lincoln has played two fewer games to date than Omaha.
- Lincoln's F Luke Johnson and F Eric Scheid lead all scorers in the season series with seven points each. Meanwhile, Chatham has paced all Lancers with five points through the first six meetings.
- Scheid leads all Lincoln skaters and ranks 13th in the USHL in scoring with 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists).
- Lincoln is 10-8 on the road this season and has been outscored 57-54 in 18 prior road contests.
- The Stars' power play enters the week ranked 14th overall at 14.7% and is 4-for-24 (16.7%) in six prior meetings with the Lancers. Meanwhile, Lincoln's penalty kill is 15th in the USHL at 79.9% and is just 20-for-27 (74.1%) this season against Omaha.
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