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USHL Tri-City Storm

Storm Starts Iowa Road Trip on Season's Last Weekend

April 7, 2017 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


Cedar Rapids, Ia. - The Tri-City Storm (20-30-6-2, 48 pts., 7th Western) begins its final weekend of the regular season Friday at 7:05 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (12-42-3-1, 28 pts., 9th Eastern). Tri-City has two games left in the season and finishes the campaign against Des Moines on Saturday, April 8 at 7:05 p.m.

The Storm has only played Cedar Rapids once this season and won, 6-0, on October 14. Last weekend, Tri-City won the front end of a three-in-three but dropped the last two games.

Cedar Rapids has the fewest points in the league and is on a three-game losing streak.

Listen to the Storm's final weekend on The Breeze 94.5 FM, with coverage starting at 6:45 p.m. with the Viaero Wireless Pregame Show.

Season tickets are available for the 2017-18 season and more information is at stormhockey.com or the Viaero Center Box Office at 308-338-8144. Normal box office hours run from 11-6 on Monday-Friday.

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Viaero Wireless Pregame Show at 6:45 p.m. Radio: The Breeze 94.5 FM | Listen Live | Mobile: Free audio on your mobile device with the Tri-City Storm Mobile App (iPhone App Store // Google Play ) Streaming Video: Pay-to-watch on http://USHL.HockeyTV.com Social: @TriCityStorm for in-game updates and broadcaster @RealDavidFine

Remaining Schedule (Download here ). Fri., April 8 at Cedar Rapids, 7:05 p.m. Sat., April 9 at Des Moines, 7:05 p.m.

13 and counting Eric Dop has made 13 straight starts, appearing in every Storm game since February 24. With a start Friday, Dop ties Aaron Rock for the second-longest Storm streak. During the 13 games, Dop is 5-7-1-0 with one shutout, a 2.74 goals against average and .913 save percentage. He has faced 31.8 shots and game during the stretch and made an average of 29 saves.

In 2005-06, Rock appeared in 27 straight games and had a stretch of 14 consecutive starts and 12 straight calls. Tri-City's Mike Zacharias made 19 straight starts from January 22, 2005 to March 19, 2005.

Dop has been pulled once during the streak, in a 9-1 loss on March 17 to Muskegon. He came back into that game (a relief appearance) after backup Harrison Feeney surrendered four goals. During Rock's 14-game start run (January 5, 2006 - February 17, 2006), he was pulled four times and went 7-5-1-0 with a 2.62 goals against average and .879 save percentage. Zacharias was pulled three times during his 19-game streak and went 10-7-0-1 with a 2.58 goals against average and .891 save percentage.

Penalty update Tri-City has taken a USHL-low 696 penalty minutes this season and remains on pace for the fewest in a Storm single season. Last season, the Storm established its new record by taking 726 PIMs (12.1 per game), the fifth-fewest in the Tier 1 history of the league. This season, the Storm averages 12 PIMs/game.

Cedar Rapids holds the record for fewest penalty minutes in a season, taking 689 (11.48/game) in 2008-09.

Not as road-friendly The Storm has seven road victories, second-fewest in the league. In 2015-16, Tri-City went 17-8-4-1 away from the Viaero Center, good for 39 points and one short of a team-record 40 (2006-07).

Tri-City has earned at least a point in 14 of 28 road games.

History against Cedar Rapids The Storm has taken points in four straight games against Cedar Rapids (3-0-0-1) and last lost in regulation on November 14, 2014.

Over the last five seasons, the Storm is 6-3-0-1 against the RoughRiders and hasn't lost a season series since 2011-12.

In the league's Tier 1 history (since 2002-03), Tri-City is 27-20-1-1 against the RoughRiders and 12-11-1-0 at the Stable.

Uncharted territory Cedar Rapids will finish the 2016-17 season with its fewest regular season points. The RoughRiders second-worst season (43 points) came in its inaugural campaign, 1999-2000. Mark Carlson, 48, has coached Cedar Rapids since its opening year, guiding the club to the postseason in all but three seasons.

Before playing in Cedar Rapids, the franchise played in Mason City, Iowa as the North Iowa Huskies. In 1993-94, the Huskies accumulated a team-worst 18 points (five wins) under the direction of P.K. O'Handley, now Waterloo's coach and the winningest head man in USHL history.

Season Series Recap In the only game of the season series, Tri-City's Dayton Rasmussen shut out the RoughRiders with 18 saves in a 6-0 win. The Storm out shot Cedar Rapids, 46-18.

Wyllum Deveaux notched his only multi-goal game (2g) and Wyatt Bongiovanni had a tally. Zack LaRocque was pulled early in the second period after allowing five goals on 18 shots. Drew DeRidder stopped 27 of 28 in relief.

Both team's rosters are significantly different since the last meeting; only 11 RoughRiders and 10 Storm players that played that night remain.

Scouting the RoughRiders The RoughRiders started the season 0-16-0-2 and earned their first win on November 26 against Waterloo, 3-0. Since January 7, Cedar Rapids has not lost more than four straight games.

Allowing a league-worst 3.81 goals against per game, Cedar Rapids has relied on Drew DeRidder in net. DeRidder is 10-24-1-0 with two shutouts, a 3.29 goals against average and .891 save percentage. LaRocque is 2-15-2-0 with a 3.90 goals against average and .879 save percentage in 24 games. Mark Carlson has pulled his netminders nine times this season.

Offensively, Cedar Rapids scrapes out a USHL-low 1.83 goals per game. Bobby Hampton has 24 points in 51 games. Zac Robbins is second on the team with 23 points. Hampton and Dalton Messina has a club-high 12 goals.

On Deck The season finale begins at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, April 8 at Des Moines. Coverage starts at 6:45 p.m. on The Breeze 94.5 FM with the Viaero Wireless Pregame Show.

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