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RoughRiders’ Ricci Added to USHL Prospects/All-Star Game Roster
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RoughRiders’ Ricci Added to USHL Prospects/All-Star Game Roster
<p>February 3, 2005- Cedar Rapids RoughRiders center Rob Ricci has been added to the Team World roster for next Tuesday’s United States Hockey League Prospects/All-Star Game in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the USHL announced today.</p>
<p>Ricci, the Riders captain, will replace teammate Phil Axtell. Axtell is unable to participate in the Prospects/All-Star Game because of a knee injury.</p>
<p>“We are obviously very disappointed for Phil that he is not able to take part in the all-star game,” said RoughRiders coach and general manager Mark Carlson. “At the same time this is a tremendous and well deserved honor for Rob, who is having an excellent season and has provided strong leadership both on and off the ice. He is one of the big reasons why we are where we are right now.”</p>
<p>Ricci (14-22-36) is the Riders’ second leading point scorer and is one of four RoughRiders in the top 16 in the USHL in point-scoring. The league-leading Riders are one just two USHL teams with four players among the league’s top 16 in points. </p>
<p>Ricci, 20, has twice this season been named Let’s Play Hockey/United States Hockey League Offensive Player of the Week. The second year Rider has shown a propensity for scoring at crucial times- he is tied for second in the league in game winning goals with five.</p>
<p>Ricci committed to Merrimack College last month. The Brampton, Ontario native will begin his Hockey East career in the fall.</p>
<p>Ricci will join teammates Matt Vokes and Ted Purcell on Team World at the all-star game. The Riders’ Justin Abdelkader will skate for Team USHL in the mid-season classic. Because the RoughRiders currently lead the USHL’s East Division, Riders assistant coach Scott Meyer will serve as an assistant for Team World. </p>
<p>This marks the third straight year that at least four RoughRiders have been selected to play in the Prospects/All-Star game and the third time in the last four years that a Rider assistant coach will be behind an all-star bench.</p>
<p>Prospects/All-Star Game participants are selected by the USHL in conjunction with the National Hockey League’s Central Scouting Service. On average, 30 percent of the 40 players chosen are selected specifically by NHL Central Scouting. The players are then split into Team USHL and Team World. Team USHL won last year’s game 4-3 in overtime.</p>
<p>This year’s Prospects/All-Star Game will be held at the Ralph Englestad Arena, home of the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux as well as the recently completed 2005 World Junior Championships.</p>
<p>Ricci and the rest of the high-flying RoughRiders (29-5-4, 62 points) return to action tonight when they visit the Des Moines Buccaneers. The Riders will be back at home to meet the arch rival Waterloo Black Hawks Saturday evening at 7:05. </p>
<p>The Riders, who lead the Omaha Lancers by three points in the race for first place overall in the United States Hockey League, have gone 13-2-1 in their last 16 games and 22-2-3 in their last 27 outings. The Riders have scored 147 goals in 38 games this season for a league-best average of 3.9 per game.</p>
<p>Tickets for Saturday’s game and all remaining RoughRiders home dates are now on sale at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office. Tickets can be purchased over the phone at (319) 261-4625 or in person at the ice arena. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM on weekdays and from noon through the end of the second period on game days. Ticket prices range from $8.00 to $17.00 including a 50-cent facility fee. </p> |
Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2005 (Archive on Thursday, February 03, 2005)
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