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Record Breaking RoughRiders Hit the Road; Purcell, Ricci Coming off Milestone Weekends
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Record Breaking RoughRiders Hit the Road; Purcell, Ricci Coming off Milestone Weekends
<p>March 24, 2005- Led by record setters Ted Purcell and Rob Ricci, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders will hit the road for a pair of games this weekend. The Riders will visit the Sioux City Musketeers Friday night at 7:35 and meet the Tri-City Storm in Kearney, Nebraska, Saturday evening at 7:05.</p>
<p>The Riders (40-11-5, 85 points), who are in first place overall in the United States Hockey League, enter action this weekend after winning three games in three nights last week. The Riders defeated the Green Bay Gamblers 6-1 last Thursday, routed the Chicago Steel 8-2 last Friday, and downed the Waterloo Black Hawks 4-1 last Saturday.</p>
<p>Purcell (20-41-61) broke the RoughRiders record for most points in a season and tied the team single season assist record as he broke loose for seven points in the Riders’ three wins last week. </p>
<p>After picking up one assist last Thursday, Purcell rang up four assists the following night against Chicago. With his third assist in that win over the Steel, Purcell reached 58 points, breaking Jon Grabarek’s club record of 57 points set last season. </p>
<p>Purcell tied the club single season assist record with his fourth helper in the win over the Steel. Purcell has now matched the previous team high set by Micah Wouters, who piled up 41 assists in 1999-2000. </p>
<p>Purcells’ four-assist outing against the Steel also tied the team record for most assists in a single game. Purcell is the fourth player in club history to pick up four assists in one game. </p>
<p>Purcell’s record breaking feats became official only after a series of corrections made this week altered the official scoring on several of the goals the Riders scored in their wins last weekend.</p>
<p>Purcell himself scored twice in the Riders’ win last Saturday in Waterloo to reach 20 goals on the season and join Matt Vokes (27), Justin Abdelkader (26) and Ricci (24) as the fourth Rider to have scored at least 20 goals this year, breaking the team record for most 20-goal scorers in one season. Nate Meyers (27), Kevin Brooks (21) and Ted O’Leary (20) reached the 20-goal plateau for the Riders in 2001-02.</p>
<p>Ricci, the Riders’ captain, has recorded points in eleven straight games, breaking the team record for longest point scoring streak. Ricci has scored nine goals and totaled 17 points during that run, which started on February 19. Ricci has surpassed the old club record of points in ten straight games set by Jon Grabarek from October 24 through November 21, 2003.</p>
<p>Both Ricci (24-31-55) and Purcell are among the USHL’s offensive leaders. Purcell ranks third in the league in assists and fifth in point-scoring, while Ricci is tied for eighth in points. Ricci has also scored seven game-winning goals, second most in the league.</p>
<p>The records set by Purcell and Ricci are just the most recent among a host of milestones reached by the Riders the season. The Riders have already set a new USHL record for most road wins (22) this season and set new team records for most wins and points in a season.</p>
<p>RoughRiders first round Clark Cup playoff tickets are now on sale at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office (261-4625). Playoff ticket prices range from $9 to $18. Tickets for only the first round of the playoffs are currently available. Tickets for the second and third rounds- should the Riders advance- will go on sale at a later date. </p>
<p>The first round of the playoffs will start no earlier than Tuesday, April 5 and will end no later than Saturday, April 16. All playoff series are best-of-five. The RoughRiders have already clinched home ice advantage in the first and- should they advance- second rounds of the playoffs.</p>
<p>Both of this weekend’s games- and all of the RoughRiders’ regular season and playoff contests- will be broadcast on AM-1360 The Fan. </p> |
Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 (Archive on Thursday, March 24, 2005)
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