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USHL Teams Prepare for Hockey Weekend Across America

Published on February 16, 2012 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release


Chicago, IL - As USA Hockey prepares to celebrate its annual Hockey Weekend Across America presented by Reebok initiative, USHL Member Clubs get ready for another big weekend of regular season hockey that includes all 16 teams taking the ice.

Hockey Weekend Across America, with sponsor Reebok also a major marketing partner of the USHL, comes at a time when the USHL regular season is two-thirds complete. All 16 Member Clubs are still in contention for the 2012 Clark Cup Playoffs, and the postseason push has begun throughout the League.

A total of 17 USHL games are on the Hockey Weekend Across America schedule, including storied rivalries and matchups with significant playoff implications. The USHL is an "across America" league in 2011-12, with rosters featuring players from 33 different states - from Alaska to Florida, California to New York, Minnesota to Texas, and nearly everywhere in between.

USA Hockey's celebration follows up one of the biggest weekends in League history. More than 65,000 fans attended USHL games from February 10-12, the highest-attended three days ever for the USHL, surpassing the previous record by more than 4,000 fans.

The coming special weekend also continues a celebration of the USHL's tenth anniversary season as the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league - a designation from USA Hockey that began on August 23rd, 2002. The model of development under this structure is unmatched by any junior hockey league in the world and continues to raise the standard of producing the very best on and off the ice.

As a provider of players to NCAA Division I hockey, the League remains unmatched; the number of USHL players with top college commitments has surpassed 250 and continues to grow.

The pathway to the NHL from the USHL continues to grow as well. An all-time high 42 current USHL players were listed as top prospects by NHL Central Scouting in its mid-term rankings in advance of the 2012 NHL Draft. Several of those players were participants in the League's first-ever USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, held on January 24th before more than 100 NHL scouts in Muskegon, Michigan.

A number of USHL teams have concocted something special for this for Hockey Weekend Across America presented by Reebok - but for the USHL, these events are simply an extension of its long-standing and historic commitment to its communities, charities, and extraordinary fan base (which will top one million fans for the 13th consecutive season):

- The Tri-City Storm have taken inspiration from USA Hockey to create "Hockey Night in Kearney", a Thursday night event prior to its weekend games that promotes the team and its commitment to the community. Not only will the Storm hold its first-ever skills competition, it will also conduct a "Try Hockey Camp" for youth players, host sled hockey and youth hockey games, plus have an open skate as the team skates side-by-side with its fans.

- Both the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and Des Moines Buccaneers will follow USA Hockey's "Celebrate Local Hockey Heroes" theme during the weekend. On Saturday, the RoughRiders welcome hockey players and true heroes from the Cedar Rapids Police Department and Cedar Rapids Fire Department who are set to meet up in a "Guns and Hoses" hockey competition that will benefit local charities. The Buccaneers follow suit with their own "Gun and Hoses" game on Sunday that includes local police and fire departments and honors the work done by first responders in their community. Both games are projected as sellouts.

- The Waterloo Black Hawks continue their 50th anniversary season celebration by teaming up with another staple of the local community, the John Deere Company. The Hawks are wearing John Deere-themed jerseys throughout the weekend which will then be auctioned off with the proceeds benefitting local youth hockey organizations. Since its inception in 2008, this fund-raiser has generated over $40,000 for the region's youth hockey programs.

- The Chicago Steel are putting aside their regular uniforms to wear pink jerseys in the "Real Men Wear Pink" weekend. The special jerseys will be auctioned off following the weekend, with proceeds to benefit the Puck Cancer Foundation, an organization created by a local cancer survivor that helps those affected by the disease.

- The Sioux Falls Stampede join up with some four-legged friends on Saturday to benefit a local charity. The fifth annual "Wiener Dog Race" takes place during intermission of the Stampede game and proceeds go to the Dakota Dachshund Rescue organization.

Finally, USHL on-ice officials will get into the spirit of Hockey Weekend Across America in all nine USHL cities hosting games. Following in the footsteps of a similar NHL initiative, aspiring young hockey officials will have an opportunity to meet USHL referees and linesmen prior to the games. They will dress and accompany the USHL officials on the ice for warm-ups, and will be included in pregame introductions. After watching the game from the stands, the young officials will again have an opportunity to spend time with USHL referees and linesmen following the contest.

All of the USHL game action during Hockey Weekend Across America can be viewed live or on-demand via FASTHockey, the USHL's online broadcast partner, by visiting ushl.fasthockey.com.

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 16, 2012


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