Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week Six
November 1, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Ralston, Neb. - The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) will be looking for their third straight win overall and second consecutive victory at the Ralston Arena this Friday when the team returns to action against the Waterloo Black Hawks.
After a disappointing start to the Lancers' era at the Ralston Arena last Friday that came in the form of a 3-0 shutout to the Tri-City Storm, Omaha (4-7, 8 pts.) responded with back-to-back victories to close out the team's busy three-game weekend. The Lancers received goals from Alex Rauter, Tucker Poolman and Eli Lichtenwald on Saturday en route to a 3-1 win at the Des Moines Buccaneers. Cole Bruns recorded 17 saves on 18 Des Moines shots en route to his first victory of the season and Omaha's third win of the young season. The two teams then collided less than 24 hours later at the Ralston Arena as the Lancers earned their first victory in their new home with a 1-0 shutout of the Buccaneers. Kenny Gillespie scored the first Lancers goal in the history of Ralston Arena as Alex Lyon backstopped the win with a 16-save shutout.
Omaha returns to action this Friday evening as the team returns to the Ralston Arena for a 7:05 PM showdown with the Waterloo Black Hawks. Like the Lancers, Waterloo (9-1, 18 pts.) enjoyed a busy three-game weekend last weekend as the Black Hawks claimed three road victories in a span of less than 50 hours. First, Waterloo earned a 3-0 shutout win at the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Friday. Then, the Hawks earned a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Team USA's Under-17 squad on Saturday before closing the weekend with a convincing 8-3 victory at the Youngstown Phantoms. Waterloo enters the weekend having won seven consecutive games while outscoring its opposition 29-8 during that stretch. After visiting the Lancers on Friday, the Black Hawks conclude their road weekend Saturday in Des Moines.
Meanwhile, Omaha's weekend comes to an end Saturday when the team travels to Cedar Rapids for its first meeting of the year with the RoughRiders. Cedar Rapids (5-2-2, 12 pts.) split its two games last weekend earning a 5-1 victory at home over the Indiana Ice on Friday before falling in a 3-2 decision at the Dubuque Fighting Saints on Saturday. That setback snapped a three-game winning streak for the RoughRiders and ended a stretch of five straight games in which the team had earned at least one standings point. Before hosting Omaha on Saturday, Cedar Rapids will begin its weekend at home with a visit from the Tri-City Storm.
Omaha Notes:
Omaha Lancers - 4-7-0, 8 pts. (6th Western Conference)
- It took the Lancers 105:51 to record their first goal at the Ralston Arena. When it came, it was the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over the Des Moines Buccaneers and the second game-winning goal on the young season for F Kenny Gillespie.
- F Eli Lichtenwald leads all Lancers in scoring with seven points (three goals, four assists) through the team's first 11 games.
- Gillespie and F Connor Chatham lead all Lancers with four goals scored. Gillespie is tied for second among all USHL skaters with three power play goals.
- Omaha's power play enters the weekend ranked fifth in the USHL at 16.4% while the team's penalty kill ranks third overall at 92.1%. Omaha's penalty kill hasn't surrendered a power play goal against over the last five games going 16-for-16 during that stretch.
Opponents Notes:
Friday, Nov. 2 vs. Waterloo Black Hawks - 9-1-0, 18 pts. (T-1st Western Conference)
- Friday's contest will be the second of four total meetings during the 2012-2013 regular season between the Lancers and Waterloo Black Hawks. Omaha is 0-1 against the Black Hawks this season after a 2-0 setback in Waterloo on October 13th.
- F Taylor Cammarata, F Vince Hinostroza, F Justin Kloos, F Zach Stepan, D Ian McCoshen and G Eamon McAdam will not be available for Waterloo this weekend as they will be participating for Team USA at the World Jr. A Challenge in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
- Cammarata and Kloos lead all USHL skaters in scoring with 17 points. Cammarata has notched seven goals and 10 assists in nine games while Kloos has tallied six goals and 11 assists in 10 contests.
- Waterloo's power play enters the weekend ranked first in the league at 26.1% while the Black Hawks' penalty kill ranks fifth at 90.7%.
- Waterloo leads all 16 USHL teams in goals scored on a per-game basis (4.7) while the Hawks rank fourth in goals-against per game (2.4).
Saturday, Nov. 3 @ Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - 5-2-2, 12 pts. (4th Eastern Conference)
- Saturday's contest is the first of three meetings during the 2012-2013 regular season between the Lancers and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. The two teams face off next Saturday at the Ralston Arena before concluding the season series Wednesday, January 16 back in Omaha.
- Cedar Rapids' roster features eight returning skaters from last year's team. F Riley Bourbonnais is the team's leading returning scorer after notching 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) in 53 games last season.
- Bourbonnais currently leads all Cedar Rapids skaters in scoring and ranks fifth in the USHL with 14 points (five goals, nine assists).
- Cedar Rapids' power play currently ranks third in the league at 18.2% while the RoughRiders' penalty kill ranks fourth overall at 91.3%.
United States Hockey League Stories from November 1, 2012
- Fighting Saints Fall to Team USA in a Shootout, 2-1 - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Phantoms Acquire Forward Josh Nenadal from Waterloo - Youngstown Phantoms
- Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week Six - Omaha Lancers
- Dachshunds Take the Ice - Waterloo Black Hawks
- U.S. Teams to Compete During International Break - U.S. National Team
- Phantoms Snap Skid with 3-Goal 3rd - Youngstown Phantoms
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