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USHL Update - Week Three

October 20, 2009 - United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release


Around the League

Ice Raise Banner...After playing their first three games on the road, the Indiana Ice played their home opener on Saturday in front of 4,133 fans. The Ice celebrated the 2008-09 Clark Cup championship with a banner-raising ceremony then went on to defeat Team USA by the score of 4-1. Defenseman Anthony Bitetto scored three points (1g, 2a) and was on the ice for all four Indiana goals, earning a plus-four rating. The Ice are now 4-2-0 in USHL home openers and currently lead the League in penalty killing, stopping 14 of 15 (93.3%) shorthanded situations this season.

Powerful Force...The Fargo Force won consecutive games and much of the success can be attributed to the power play unit which currently leads the USHL (33.3%) scoring a League high 12 power play goals. In the two victories during the weekend, the Force converted 6 of 15 (40%) on the man advantage...Defenseman Nate Schmidt has at least one point in his first six games...Eamonn McDermott dished out three assists in the 5-2 win vs. Omaha on Saturday.

Herd on a Roll...The Sioux Falls Stampede are the only remaining team in the USHL that has yet to lose in regulation (4-0-2). The club set a League season high when it scored six power play goals during the 9-1 victory vs. Waterloo on Friday, including five in the second period. Michael Voran (3a), Matt Zarbo (2g, 1a), and Chad Ruhwedel all had three-point nights in the win.

Steel Strong...The Chicago Steel handed the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders their first loss of the season on Saturday. Despite being outshot 37-17, the Steel skated away with a 3-1 win after Nick Pisellini made 36 saves in net for Chicago...Sahir Gill remains the League's scoring leader with 10 points (2g, 8a) and Mark Anthoine is tied for the USHL lead with five goals. Defenseman Kevin Lind is tied for the USHL lead with a plus-seven rating.

Road Warriors...All three wins for the Green Bay Gamblers this season have come on the road. The club earned a 3-2 shootout victory over Sioux Falls on Saturday. Green Bay has played two shootouts this season and Reed Seckel has converted on both of his shootout attempts.

Musketeers Win Two...After scoring just two goals total over their first three games, the Sioux City Musketeers scored six goals in a pair of wins vs. Team USA. Clinton Bourbonais scored two goals, his first points in the USHL, in Friday's 4-2 victory. Despite being outshot 41-17 on Saturday, the Musketeers claimed their second straight victory as Willie Yanakeff made 40 saves for his first win of the season...Matt Skoff is tied for the lead among USHL goaltenders with a 1.81 GAA while Yanakeff leads the League with a .928 SV%.

It's Been Awhile...Joe Phillippi made the most of his USHL regular season debut stopping all 13 shots by Green Bay on Friday and recording the first shutout for the Omaha Lancers since March 8th, 2008, a span of 71 games. Matt White scored his first goal of the season, a shorthanded tally, and then added a second goal less than three minutes later in the 5-0 victory.

Leaders of the East...Cedar Rapids suffered their first loss of the season but won two out of three games during the week to remain at the top of the East Division standings. Goaltender Matt Hemingway made his first appearance of the season helping the Riders to a thrilling 5-4 shootout win vs. Green Bay on Tuesday. Troy Grosenick, the other half of the RoughRiders goaltending tandem, earned his first shutout of the season when he stopped all 14 shots by Des Moines in Sunday's 5-0 victory. Defenseman Bryce Aneloski had a big week posting five points (2g, 3a).

Good Timing...After being held without a point through the first four games of the season, Ben Lynch scored two goals including the overtime winner in Friday's 7-6 victory vs. Youngstown. Teammate Tucker Brockett netted his first two USHL goals in the win and Jarrod Mermis collected his first points of the season dishing out three assists for the Stars.

Notes...Tri-City Storm forward Radoslav Illo has scored four goals over his past three games while teammate Anthony DeCenzo (3g, 3a) has scored at least one point in all four games this season...Youngstown Phantoms forward Brian Dowd scored two goals in a span 30 seconds in the first period then added an assist later in the frame during Friday's 7-6 OT loss to Lincoln.

Alumni News...Former Lincoln Stars forward J.J. Crew was named CCHA Offensive Player of the Week after scoring six points (4g, 2a) in two wins for Western Michigan over the weekend. Crew played parts of two seasons for the Stars (2006-08)...The Miami University RedHawks (3-0-1) are ranked #1 for the second straight week in men's college hockey polls. On the RedHawks roster are 16 former USHL players.

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United States Hockey League Stories from October 20, 2009


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