RoughRiders weekly
February 9, 2009 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders News Release
Headlines
Number One With a Bullet: The combination of the Riders earning three of a possible four points last weekend and the Green Bay Gamblers suffering back-to-back losses in Fargo enabled Cedar Rapids to move past Green Bay into first place overall in the United States Hockey League and in the East Division. The Riders will face each of the three teams nearest them in the East Division standings- Green Bay, Indiana and Waterloo- this week.
Barely a Blip: After last Friday's overtime loss at Tri-City ended the Riders' five game winning streak, the Riders bounced back to rally past Omaha in sudden death one night later. The Riders are now unbeaten in regulation (8-0-3) in their last 11 games.
Fine in '09: The RoughRiders have suffered just one regulation loss in 2009. They have gone 10-1-3 in January and February.
Mighty Mike: Mike Seidel scored a power play goal at 18:19 of the first period of last Saturday's win at Omaha to break the Rider career point scoring record. Seidel has now totaled 139 points in a Cedar Rapids uniform, eclipsing Ted Purcell's 138. Seidel has totaled 49 goals and 90 assists in three seasons with the RoughRiders. This year Seidel (19-30-49) ranks third in the league in points and assists and is tied for fifth in goals.
Workin' Overtime: The RoughRIders' last three games have all been decided in overtime- the Riders have won two of the three. Jeff Costello scored the sudden death winner in last Saturday's win over the Lancers.
Shining Stars: RoughRiders scored all the East Division goals in the East All-Stars' 4-1 win over the West Division in last Wednesday's USHL Prospects/All-Star Game in Sioux Falls. Kyle Flanagan was named the game's Most Valuable Player after scoring one goal and picking up three assists while Seidel, who scored twice and added one assist, earned East Division Player of the Game honors. Jeff Costello scored the other East goal and also had an assist. Mike Johnson earned the win in goal after stopping 16 of 17 shots while playing the first half of the game.
O from D: Defenseman Matt Donovan (14-17-31) leads USHL defenseman in goals and points and is tied for fifth among blueliners in assists. Donovan, who also played in the All-Star Game, scored two crucial third period goals and added an assist in last Saturday's win and has scored four goals and totaled eight points in his last five games.
Between the Pipes: Johnson has won five straight games. Troy Grosenick, the other half of the Riders' netminding tandem, is unbeaten in regulation (5-0-3) in his last nine games. On the season, Grosenick (8-2-3, 1.90, .925) leads the league in goals against average and save percentage. Johnson (18-6-1, 2.31, .911) is tied for the league lead in shutouts (2), ranks second in wins, ranks fourth in goals against average and is tied for fifth in save percentage
Ins and Outs: Forward Jeff Costello (broken hand) returned to the Rider lineup last Friday night after missing four games. Costello's first taste of action following his injury was actually last Wednesday's all-star game. Forward Tobias Nilsson-Roos (concussion) has missed the Riders' last six games. Forward Greg Burke (shoulder) will miss the remainder of the season. Burke will begin his college career at New Hampshire in the fall.
Alumni Spotlight: Quinnipiac sophomore defenseman Brett Dickinson (2005-2007) scored his first goal of the season last Friday night in the Bobcats' 2-1 overtime loss to Cornell.
Tenth Anniversary Tidbit: Seidel not only established a new team point scoring record by scoring last Saturday at Omaha, he also became just the second player in Rider history to reach the 50 career goal plateau. Jon Grabarek scored a club record 54 goals in a Cedar Rapids uniform.
Scouting Report
Green Bay: The Gamblers suffered back-to-back losses last weekend in Fargo after having won each of their prior 12 games...Green Bay fell 6-3 last Friday and dropped a 2-1 decision the following evening...The 12-game winning streak is the longest streak both in Gambler history and in the USHL this season...The Gamblers' loss last Friday was their first since a 2-1 shootout defeat at the hands of the Sioux City Musketeers on December 19...Mike Forney (16-22-38) is the Gamblers' top point scorer; William Rapuzzi (17-14-31) leads the Gamblers in goals...Goaltender Reid Ellingson (16-7-2, 2.62, .907) is tied for fourth in the league in wins, is tied for sixth in goals against average and is tied for ninth in save percentage ...Green Bay ranks third in the league in both goals scored (3.9 per game) and goals allowed (2.5 per game)...The Gamblers are the second most penalized team in the league, averaging 25 minutes per game...The Riders and Gamblers have split their first four meetings.
Indiana: The Ice rolled to a pair of road wins last weekend. Indiana drubbed Sioux City 8-4 last Friday and routed Des Moines 7-3 last Saturday...The Ice has gone 8-7-1 in its last six games after starting the season 18-4-1...Mike Cichy, who was acquired by the Ice in a trade with the Tri-City Storm last month, ranks fifth in the league in points (47) and assists (29) and is tied for ninth in goals (18). Cichy has scored eight goals and totaled 18 points in just nine games with Indiana...Brandon Richardson (14-28-42) ranks sixth in assists and seventh in points...Stanislav Galiev (18-23-41) ranks eighth in points and is tied for ninth in goals...Brett Bennett (23-10-2, 2.62, .911) leads USHL goaltenders in wins and minutes played (2015:53). Bennett has started six straight games and has played in 26 of the Ice's last 27 games...The Ice has won four straight road games...Joe Hartman (3-20-23) was named USHL Defensive Player of the Week after picking up two assists in each of the Ice's two wins last weekend and posting a plus/minus rating of +4 over the weekend...The Riders have gone 1-0-1 against Indiana this season.
Waterloo: The Black Hawks split a pair of games last weekend. The Hawks fell 8-4 in Des Moines last Friday but rebounded one night later to defeat Sioux Falls 3-2 in a shootout...Waterloo has gone 6-5-2 in its last 13 games after starting the season 18-7-1...The Black Hawks are the top scoring team in the league. Waterloo averages four goals per game. The Hawks are tied for second in the league in power play efficiency (19.1 percent)...Waterloo has gone 17-2-1 on home ice- by far the best home record in the league. The Hawks are actually below .500 on the road (7-10-2)...Craig Smith (19-31-50) ranks second in the league in points, is tied for second in assists and is tied for fifth in goals. ... Jordan Samuels-Thomas (19-16-35) is among those tied with Smith for fifth place among goal scorers...Joe Howe (16-8-1, 3.10, .891) has seen the bulk of the work in goal for Waterloo...The Riders and Hawks have split their first four meetings. Because one of the Riders' two wins over Waterloo came in the shootout, the Hawks have earned five points in the season series compared to the Riders' four.
Community
Horizon Meals on Wheels: Each Wednesday RoughRiders players help the Horizons Meals on Wheels program deliver meals to area seniors.
Promotions
Marvel Comics' Spiderman: Everyone's favorite web slinger, Marvel Comics' Spiderman, make his return to the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena when the RoughRiders face Indiana Friday night.
Watch/Listen
That's The Ticket!: RoughRiders single game tickets can be purchased in person at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office, over the phone at (319) 261-4625 or online at www.roughridershockey.com. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM on weekdays and from noon through the end of the second period on game days. Ticket prices range from $7 to $17 in advance and from $8 to $18 on game days.
On the Air: All RoughRiders regular season and playoff games are broadcast on AM-1360 The Fan in Cedar Rapids. Brian Lavelle provides play-by-play.
Catch the Coach: Catch up on all the latest Rider news with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders' Coach's Show with Mark Carlson Wednesday nights at 6:00 on AM-1360 The Fan. The half hour show is broadcast live from Union Station on 16th Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids. RoughRiders Coach and General Manager Mark Carlson and RoughRiders radio broadcaster Brian Lavelle are joined by Riders players on each edition of the Coach's Show.
Online: Courtesy of B2 Networks, free audio webcasts of Riders games are available at www.roughridershockey.com. The RoughRiders and B2 also offer pay-per-view video webcasts of all RoughRiders games. Fans can click on the "Watch RoughRiders' Games Live" icon at www.roughridershockey.com to catch the action. The broadcast is available to fans with a high speed DSL or cable modem internet connection. The charge for video webcasts is $6 per game.
United States Hockey League Stories from February 9, 2009
- RoughRiders weekly - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
- Hawks Help Humane Society - Waterloo Black Hawks
- USHL Weekly - USHL
- Valentine's Day On Ice This Saturday - Indiana Ice
- Storm Goaltender Named Goalie of the Week - Tri-City Storm
- USHL Names Players of the Week - USHL
- February 28th Game Time Changed - Tri-City Storm
- Stampede return home this weekend - Sioux Falls Stampede
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