Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week 28
Published on April 4, 2012 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Omaha, Neb. - The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) will have just one chance this weekend to add to their Western Conference-leading point total when the team travels to Sioux City on Friday for a showdown with the Musketeers.
Omaha (35-19-3, 73 pts.) is coming off a split in its critical home-and-home series last weekend with the Lincoln Stars. The Lancers opened the series with the team's sixth straight victory over the Stars in a convincing 5-2 win at the Lincoln IceBox. Kenney Morrison scored two goals while Jimmy Murray and Greg Gozzo each chipped in three points as Omaha captured its Western Conference-leading 35th victory of the season. But the Stars responded just 24 hours later and trimmed Omaha's lead in the Conference back down to a single standings point after a come-from-behind 5-4 win at the Civic Auditorium. Matt Friese registered a hat trick while the league's leading scorer Kevin Roy added a goal and three assists as Lincoln finished the season just 2-5-1 against the Lancers.
Omaha returns to action Friday with its only game of the week when the Lancers travel to the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City for the final time this season for the team's second-to-last regular season meeting with the Musketeers. Sioux City (27-28-1, 55 pts.) won three games in three days last weekend to stretch its current winning streak to five consecutive games. The Musketeers' weekend began with a 4-1 win in Des Moines on Friday before Sioux City returned home Saturday and Sunday for 3-0 and 3-2 victories over Fargo and Des Moines respectively. Sioux City has now won five straight games and seven of its last eight overall. The Musketeers have outscored their opposition 17-6 during their recent five-game surge. After Sioux City hosts Omaha on Friday, the Musketeers close their weekend Saturday in Tri-City.
Omaha Notes:
Omaha Lancers - 35-19-3, 73 pts. (1st Western Conference)
- Omaha has clinched a berth in the Clark Cup Playoffs for a USHL record 23rd consecutive season. The Lancers enter the week one standings point ahead of second-place Lincoln. The Stars have played one fewer game to date than Omaha. With an eight-point lead on fourth place Fargo, the Lancers are guaranteed to finish among the top three in the Western Conference.
- The Lancers are 18-8-2 on the road this season and have outscored their opponents 101-83 in 28 prior road games. Entering the week, Omaha has won six of its last seven road games and has produced a 10-2-1 record in the team's last 13 games away from the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
- F Jimmy Murray continues to lead all Lancers and is third among all USHL skaters in scoring with 66 points (18 goals, 48 assists). Committed to St. Cloud State University, Murray leads all USHLers with 48 assists this season, which passes former Lancers Matt White and Paul Stastny for the most assists by an Omaha skater in the last 10 years. Omaha's record for most assists in a single season remains 55 set by Donny Riendeau during the 1989-1990 season and Steve Suk during the 1990-1991 campaign.
- D Nolan Zajac enters the week leading all Lancers defensemen and is tied for the USHL lead among blueliners in scoring with 39 points (11 goals, 28 assists) this season. Committed to the University of Denver, Zajac is tied for second among all USHL defensemen with 14 power play assists this season.
- D Kenney Morrison was named co-CCM Defensive Player of the Week last week after notching two goals, three assists and a +3 rating in two games. Committed to Western Michigan University, Morrison is tied for the USHL lead among defensemen with 15 goals this season and currently leads all USHL blueliners with 21 power play points (12 goals, nine assists) this year.
- Omaha's penalty kill has surrendered just four power play goals-against over the last 11 games. The Lancers' penalty kill has successfully gone 45-for-49 (91.8%) during that stretch and enters the week ranked second overall at 86.5%.
Opponents Notes:
Friday, April 6 @ Sioux City Musketeers - 27-28-1, 55 pts. (5th Western Conference)
- Sioux City has clinched a berth in the Clark Cup Playoffs for the second straight season and third time in the last five years. The Musketeers enter the week 10 standings points back of fourth-place Fargo and five points up on sixth-place Tri-City.
- Friday's meeting is the seventh of eight meetings during the 2011-2012 regular season between Omaha and Sioux City. The Lancers are 3-2-1 against the Musketeers this season while Sioux City has produced a 3-3 record against Omaha this year. Sioux City has won three straight meetings with the Lancers including a 6-3 win over Omaha in the most recent get-together on February 21st. The Lancers are 1-1-1 at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City this season.
- F Jimmy Murray currently leads all scorers in the season series with eight points (three goals, five assists) while Sioux City's Brad Robbins ranks second with seven points (four goals, three assists).
- Sioux City is 14-14-1 at home this season and has scored 84 goals-for while allowing 84 goals-against in 29 prior home contests.
- F David Goodwin leads all Musketeers and is currently tied for 14th among all USHL skaters in scoring with 49 points (21 goals, 28 assists) this season. Meanwhile, F Brad Robbins ranks second with 48 points (24 goals, 24 assists) this year.
- G Matt Skoff enters the week having started 11 consecutive games in goal for the Musketeers. Committed to Penn State University, Skoff is 7-4 during that stretch and has posted a 24-21-1 overall mark this season. The veteran goaltender currently ranks second among all USHL netminders with six shutouts this season.
- Sioux City's power play ranks 11th overall at 15.5% while the Musketeers' penalty kill ranks sixth overall at 83.7%. Sioux City's power play is 2-for-18 (11.1%) against the Lancers this season while Omaha's man-advantage is 7-for-25 (28.0%) against the Musketeers.
United States Hockey League Stories from April 4, 2012
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