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RoughRiders’ Vokes, Ricci, Purcell Light up USHL Prospects/All-Star Game
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RoughRiders’ Vokes, Ricci, Purcell Light up USHL Prospects/All-Star Game
<p>February 9, 2005- Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Matt Vokes, Rob Ricci and Ted Purcell had one goal and one assist apiece to lead Team World to a 5-3 win over Team USHL in last night’s United States Hockey League Prospects/All-Star Game in Grand Forks, North Dakota.</P>
<p>Vokes was named Team World’s player of the game. The second year Rider scored Team World’s first goal on assists from Ricci and Purcell 16:16 into the first period. </P>
<p>Ricci scored at 18:18 of the second to snap a 2-2 tie. </P>
<p>Purcell scored the clincher late in the third period with an assist from Vokes. Purcell’s goal came at 16:49 and gave Team World a 5-3 lead.</P>
<p>“This is something our entire organization can be very proud of,” said RoughRiders coach and general manager Mark Carlson. “All of our guys did a tremendous job last night. To put in the kind of effort they did against the best players in our league says an awful lot.”</P>
<p>Vokes, Ricci and Purcell were only part of the Cedar Rapids All-Star contingent. Riders assistant coach Scott Meyer served as an assistant for Team World, while Riders forward Justin Abdelkader skated for Team USHL.</P>
<p>Ricci, the Riders’ captain, was added to the Team World roster last week as an injury replacement for Cedar Rapids teammate Phil Axtell. A knee injury prevented Axtell from playing in the game.</P>
<p>Vokes is the third RoughRider to earn All-Star player of the game honors. Former Rider goaltender Bobby Goepfert (Team World) and defenseman P.J. Atherton (Team USHL) were named their teams’ players of the game at the 2002 All-Star Game in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.</P>
<p>This season also marked the third straight year that at least four RoughRiders were selected to play in the Prospects/All-Star game and the third time in the last four years that a Rider assistant coach was behind an All-Star bench.</P>
<p>Prospects/All-Star Game participants were selected by the USHL in conjunction with the National Hockey League’s Central Scouting Service. Approximately 30 percent of the 40 players chosen were selected specifically by NHL Central Scouting. The players were then split into Team USHL and Team World. </P>
<p>The league-leading Riders (30-6-4, 64 points) return to action this Friday against the Chicago Steel in Bensenville, Illinois. A win Friday would extend the Riders’ road winning streak to thirteen straight games and set a new USHL record for longest overall road winning streak. The Riders have already set the league record for longest road winning streak in one season by winning their last 12 away from home. The Riders will face another road game Saturday night, when they travel to Waterloo to meet the arch rival Black Hawks.</P>
<p>There is also a chance the Riders could clinch a fifth straight berth in the Clark Cup playoffs this Friday night. The Riders will secure a spot in the post season if they defeat Chicago and the Green Bay Gamblers lose their game against Waterloo in regulation Friday.</P>
<p>The RoughRiders return home next Tuesday night at 7:05 to host the West Division-leading Omaha Lancers. Tickets for that 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 Wednesday, February 09, 2005 (Archive on Wednesday, February 09, 2005)
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