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USHL Update - Week 11

December 4, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release


AROUND THE LEAGUE

Hawks Are No Turkeys ...The Waterloo Black Hawks had a successful three games in three nights as they picked up three victories along the way. Starting with their annual Thanksgiving game on Thursday, a long-standing tradition that has included playing on the holiday every year since 1996, the Hawks earned a 3-2 win over the rival Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. They followed up with 3-0 shutout in Cedar Rapids on Friday before earning a 3-2 win over the Sioux City Musketeers on Saturday, their 15th win of the season. Peter Krieger scored a pair of goals over the three-game span, including a hand in all three goals (1g, 2a) on Saturday. Liam Pecararo scored two goals on Saturday while Patrick Russell dished out three assists after scoring his team-leading 10th goal of the season on Thursday. Tyler Sheehy was stellar special teams, scoring on the power play Thursday before netting a shorthanded goal on Friday. The Hawks have successfully denied all 13 opponent power plays during their current four-game win streak.

Icy Hot ...The Indiana Ice won all three of their games during the holiday week, extending their win streak to four games and giving them points in 10 of their last 11 games (9-1-1). The Ice did not allow a power play goal last week, turning aside all 11 opponent man-advantage opportunities. Tyler Pham scored the winner in overtime of Wednesday's 4-3 victory against Youngstown. Goaltender Samu Perhonen returned from six weeks on injured reserve to make 27 saves in the 4-1 win over Chicago on Saturday. Jason Pawloski then posted a 16-save effort in Sunday's 3-1 victory against Cedar Rapids, his third victory in as many starts. The 17 shots against on Sunday marked the fourth time this season the Ice have allowed fewer than 20 shots on goal. They lead the USHL allowing just 24.95 shots per contest.

Filling It Up ...The Green Bay Gamblers found their scoring touch as they earned three victories over the Muskegon Lumberjacks, outscoring them 17-6 in the process. Ryan Lough scored four of the goals, including his first USHL hat trick in Friday's 7-2 win. He scored his three goals three different ways - even strength, power play, shorthanded. Matt Weis recorded two goals in the same game before Drew Best netted a pair in Saturday's 6-3 victory. Over the three-game series, the Gamblers got the best of the special teams battle as they were 5-of-12 on the power play over the final two games while successfully killing off all 13 Muskegon man-advantage opportunities over the three contests. Jared Rutledge was in net for all three wins, posting a 2.00 GAA and .939 SV%.

Stampede Stoppers ...The Sioux Falls Stampede recorded consecutive shutouts as part of their three-win week. David Jacobson stopped all 35 shots he faced in Wednesday's 3-0 victory over the Lincoln Stars to post his second shutout in a span of three starts. His goaltending partner Art Brey was equally as good on Friday as he made a USHL career high 38 saves in the Stampede's 3-0 win against Dubuque, Brey's former team that he helped lead to the Clark Cup last season. It is the first time the Stampede have recorded consecutive shutouts since Stephon Williams and Juho Olkinuora each posted a shutout in back-to-back games for the team in March 2011.

Big Ten ...The Sioux Falls Stampede kept their winning streak going in bold fashion on Saturday as they exploded for a 10-4 win against Team USA. It was the most goals scored by one team in a USHL game this season and the most for the Stampede since they scored 11 goals on February 16th, 2007 (11-3 vs. Indiana). Five of their goals came in a span of 8:46 minutes of game action during the second period in which Logan O'Conner tallied his first USHL goal, the eventual game-winner. Sioux Falls finished the night with four power play goals, three of them coming off the stick of Zeb Knutson who recorded his second four-goal game of the season.

Never Too Late ...The Omaha Lancers had some late game heroics this weekend which resulted in a couple of victories. Both of their game-winning goals in the two-game sweep of the Tri-City Storm were scored in the final minute of play. Tyler Vesel netted the winner with just 30 seconds remaining in regulation and added an empty netter moments later in Friday's 5-3 victory. Defenseman Connor Light made it a repeat on Saturday as he broke a tie with only 28 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Lancers a 2-1 victory and their League-leading 17th win.

Crazy Eight ...The Dubuque Fighting Saints responded in a big way after being shut out on Friday, 3-0 to Sioux Falls, as they equaled a team record for goals during an 8-1 victory over Fargo on Saturday. Jacob Benson, Seamus Malone, and Jarrid Privitera each scored two goals while Karson Kuhlman netted his sixth goal in his last six games. The eight goals in one game tie the team's Tier 1 era record they established and accomplished twice last season.

Streak Marks ...USHL leading scorer Jake Randolph was held off the scoresheet for only the second time in 22 games this season as the Omaha Lancers earned a 5-3 win on Saturday. It halted his point streak at a League season high 14 games. He recorded 28 points (8g, 20a) and posted a plus-18 rating during that stretch, leading the Lancers to a 10-2-2 record. Randolph's teammate Tyler Vesel now owns the USHL's longest active streak as he has produced points in 12 consecutive games (10g, 9a), including four goals over the last three games. Vesel leads the League with 19 goals this season.

Youngster in Youngstown ...Forward Kyle Connor netted a pair of goals for the Youngstown Phantoms in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to Indiana. It extended his goal streak to five games, the second-longest goal streak in the USHL this season. Connor, who celebrates his 17th birthday next week, has netted six goals during his streak and has scored seven goals over his last seven games. He is currently tied for fourth in League with 11 total goals.

Super Savers ...Several USHL goaltenders turned in big performances during the week while seeing plenty of pucks come their way. Brendan Jensen made a USHL career high 49 saves on Wednesday, including 21 in the first period, to lead the Fargo Force to a 5-4 win over Team USA. He has made over 45 saves in each of his last two wins. Des Moines Buccaneers netminder Billy Christopoulos made a career high 51 saves in Friday's 4-1 loss to Chicago. It was the second time in his last four starts that he has faced at least 50 shots. Chicago Steel goaltender Chris Nell equaled a USHL career high with 45 saves in Friday's 4-1 win over Des Moines. Jared Rutledge stopped a career high 46 shots for the Green Bay Gamblers on Saturday, guiding his team to a 6-3 win and earning his 11th victory of the season which is tied for the USHL lead.

Moving Up ...With the three victories by the Waterloo Black Hawks last week, head coach P.K. O'Handley has now won 518 games in the USHL, moving him into third place on the League's all-time list. He surpassed Bob Ferguson (517) for third place behind Mike Hastings (529) and Dave Siciliano (522). O'Handley is in his 12th season with Waterloo and 19th overall in the USHL. He is the first to coach 1,000 games in the League and currently holds an overall record of 518-441-73.

Olympic Stripes ...A pair of former USHL officials are among select company as they were chosen to be part of the 28-man officiating crew for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia this February. Referee Ian Walsh, who currently works in the NHL, and linesman Chris Woodworth, who currently works in the AHL, are both graduates of the USHL.

Noteworthy ...Sioux City Musketeers forward Jake Montgomery netted three of his team's six goals as they split a pair of games during the week. He has scored six of his goals this season over his last nine games...John Baiocco posted a USHL career high four-point game (1g, 3a) in Wednesday's 5-4 victory over Team USA to help the Fargo Force snap a five-game home losing streak...Chicago Steel forward Artem Artemov recorded his second multi-goal game of the season in Friday's 4-1 win over Des Moines...Danny Elser scored a goal in all three games for the Des Moines Buccaneers last week...Defenseman Corey Schueneman scored his first goal of the season for Des Moines, a shorthanded tally, with just over two minutes remaining in regulation on Saturday to force overtime. The Bucs would eventually win in a shootout...Lincoln Stars forward Magnus Hoff netted two goals in Saturday's loss to Des Moines...Muskegon Lumberjacks forward Matt Iacopelli scored his first USHL shorthanded goal in Saturday's loss to Green Bay. It was his 14th goal of the season, third-most in the League...Dennis Yan netted two goals for Team USA in Wednesday's loss to Fargo.

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