USHL Update - Week 19

Published on February 10, 2010 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release

Around the League

Streak-Busting Storm

...The Tri-City Storm put an end to lengthy winning streaks of two USHL teams during the week. On Friday, goaltender Carsen Chubak stopped all 34 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the season in the 3-0 win over Green Bay. It halted Green Bay's winning streak at 15 games, their first loss since December 12th. Radoslav Illo scored two goals in the victory, including his team-leading fourth game-winner. The following night, Tri-City put an end to the seven-game win streak for Cedar Rapids with a 3-2 overtime victory. Chubak made 39 saves and Maxwell Tardy netted the overtime winner for the Storm. Jaden Schwartz (1g, 2a) figured in all three goals in the win and now leads the USHL in scoring with 64 points (23g, 41a).

New Leaders in the West

...After earning three wins in three nights, the Fargo Force moved into first place in the USHL West Division, overtaking the Omaha Lancers who have held the top spot all season. An impressive stretch of 19 games (16-0-3) without a regulation loss has vaulted the Force into the West lead and just four points behind Green Bay for the overall League lead. During their current six-game win streak, Fargo has won three on home ice and three on the road, tying them for the USHL lead with 15 road victories. Corey Leivermann recorded five points (3g, 2a) during the three-win week and was the only player to convert in the shootout during Thursday's 5-4 victory over Sioux Falls. He is riding a six-game point streak and is now tied for the team scoring lead with 40 points (13g, 27a) in 40 games. On Friday, Garrett Allen and Nate Condon both scored shorthanded just 22 seconds apart on the same penalty kill during the 4-3 win vs. Omaha. Chase Grant netted the game-winner in that contest, his fourth straight game with a goal.

Black Hawks Road Trip

...After pulling off a two-game weekend sweep in Youngstown, the Waterloo Black Hawks moved their record to over.500 (19-18-2) for the first time since winning their opening game of the season. Derek Arnold has five goals during his four-game streak and has scored all nine of his goals this season over the past 11 games. Tyler Barnes became the eighth USHL player to reach the 20-goal mark when he scored in Friday's 3-1 victory. Waterloo wrapped up their five-game road trip on Monday and returned home with a 3-2-0 record during that stretch.

Ice Chips

...Indiana Ice defenseman Anthony Bitetto had a record-breaking night when he recorded five points (2g, 3a) figuring in on all five goals during the 5-1 win over Youngstown on Thursday. It was most points in one game by an Ice player in USHL history. Antti Roppo has scored five goals over his last five games and now has 20 for the season. Defenseman Nick Bailen is riding a six-game point streak (2g, 4a). The line of Max Cook, Bryon Paulazzo, and Shane Berschbach have combined for 36 points (12g, 24a) over the last 12 games for the Ice. On Monday, goaltender Cab Morris made a season high 44 saves in the 4-2 win over Waterloo. He leads all USHL goaltenders with a.924 save percentage.

Four for Team USA

...Goaltender Andy Iles made it four straight wins for Team USA when he recorded his first USHL shutout making a season high 34 saves in the 3-0 victory vs. Lincoln on Friday. He has allowed just two goals over his last three appearances. Brandon Saad netted two goals in the win and has now scored eight goals over the last four games and registered a plus-nine rating during that span. Austin Czarnik is riding a nine-game point streak (8g, 11a) which includes goals in his last six USHL games.

Gamblers Reach 30 Wings

...Despite having their 15-game win streak come to an end, the Green Bay Gamblers picked up two victories during the week to become the first USHL team this season to reach 30 wins (31-7-3). Reed Seckel had a four-point night (2g, 2a), his third straight multi-point game, during the 7-5 win over Tri-City on Wednesday while defenseman Scott Czarnowczan recorded two points (1g, 1a), including his second goal over a three-game span. Goaltender Steve Summerhays was in net for both victories and has now won 17 straight starts which is one shy of tying the USHL record for consecutive victories by a goaltender (Matt Carney, Des Moines in 1998-99). Anders Lee scored the game-winning goal in both wins and has the game-winner in three of the last four Green Bay victories. He has scored four game-winners in his last nine games and leads the USHL with seven total.

RoughRiders Make it Eight

...The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders have earned points in the standings in eight straight contests (7-0-1). Three of their last four games have gone past regulation. On Friday, the team overcame a 2-0 deficit by scoring five straight goals, including three during the third period in the 5-2 win vs. Chicago. Zach Lehrke scored two goals in a span of 14 seconds during the third, the first of which was the game-winner. He leads the team with five game-winners this season. Jordan DiGiando also netted a pair of goals which was his second multi-goal game in a span of five games. David Boehm (3g, 5a) has a point in five of the six games he has played since joining the team in January.

Across the Pond

...Des Moines Buccaneers forward Connor Brickley has joined the U.S. National Under-18 Team as they traveled to Belarus to play in the Six Nations Cup. Team USA has won the tournament in each of the last three years. It is the second international competition for Brickley this season as he was part of the U.S. Select Team, which had 21 USHL players that won gold at the World Junior A Challenge in November. He will re-join the Buccaneers next week after the completion of the Six Nations Cup.

Notes

...Sioux Falls Stampede forward Josh Holmstrom registered two points (1g, 1a) in Saturday's 5-1 win over Sioux City extending his point streak to four games. He has seven points (3g, 4a) and a plus-eight rating over that span while teammate Matt Lindblad has eight points (3g, 5a) over that same stretch...Sioux Falls defenseman Conor Allen has a goal in each of the team's last three victories...Sioux City Musketeers defenseman Dan Ford scored a goal in regulation and in the shootout during the 2-1 win over Des Moines on Friday. He leads the USHL with five shootout goals...Five of the last seven games for the Des Moines Buccaneers have gone past regulation. The team is 2-2-3 over that stretch....Omaha Lancers goaltender Jeff Teglia stopped all 34 shots he faced to record his third shutout of the season in Tuesday's 4-0 win vs. Sioux City...Lancers forward Erik Haula had his four-game goal streak snapped on Saturday. He tallied seven goals over a six-game span...Lincoln Stars forward Kyle Gibbons recorded a hat trick in Saturday's 6-5 shootout loss to Des Moines.

United States Hockey League Stories from February 10, 2010

• Furne Commits To Michigan Tech - Green Bay Gamblers
• Force Look To Continue Their Winning Ways Against The Roughriders - Fargo Force
• Omaha Lancers Weekly - Omaha Lancers
• U.S. National U18 Team Downs Belarus, 11-0, At 6 Nations Cup - U.S. National Team
• Pistone To Play For Army Next Season - Tri-City Storm
• Storm Add Defenseman Michael Malady To Roster - Tri-City Storm
• Phantom Philes: The Road Beckons - Youngstown Phantoms
• USHL Update - Week 19 - USHL

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