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Weekly Update, October 11, 2004

Weekly Update, October 11, 2004

  <META content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered)" name=Generator> <STYLE>  </STYLE> <DIV class=Section1> <H1 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 4in"> </H1> <H1 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 4in"> </H1> <H1 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 4in"> </H1> <H1 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 4in"> </H1> <H1 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 2in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"> </H1> <H1 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 2.5in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">Cedar Rapids</H1> <H1 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 2.5in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">RoughRiders </H1> <H1 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 2.5in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">Weekly Update</H1> October 11, 2004 <H1>                                                            </H1>   THIS WEEK Saturday, October 16, 7:05PM @ Cedar Rapids Ice Arena Waterloo Black Hawks vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders   Sunday, October 17, 5:05PM @ Pepsi Coliseum, Indianapolis, Indiana Cedar Rapids RoughRiders vs. Indiana Ice   RECORDS Cedar Rapids 2-0-1, 5 points, 1st place East Division Waterloo 1-1-1, 3 points, 5th place East Division Indiana 2-2-0, 4 points, 2nd place tie East Division   COMING IN The RoughRiders play their home opener against their arch rivals, the Waterloo Black Hawks, this Saturday.  Saturday’s game also marks the renewal of the battle for the i wireless Corridor Cup, the trophy awarded to the winner of the Cedar Rapids-Waterloo season series.  The Black Hawks have taken home the i wireless Corridor Cup each of the last two seasons. Sunday’s game is the three hundredth regular season game in RoughRiders history and, thus, also Rider coach Mark Carlson’s three hundredth contest behind the Cedar Rapids bench. The RoughRiders suffered their first loss of the season, a 5-4 shootout defeat, in Lincoln last Friday night.  The Riders did earn one point for the shootout setback.  The RoughRiders remain unbeaten in regulation and are the only team in the East Division with a winning record. Last Friday’s game also ended the RoughRiders’ season opening stretch of three straight road games. Waterloo fell in 4-2 at Indiana last Saturday night.  The loss was the Black Hawks’ first regulation defeat of the season after a 1-0-1 start.  This Saturday’s game is the second of two this weekend for Waterloo.  The Black Hawks host the Green Bay Gamblers Friday night. The Black Hawks are the reigning Clark Cup champions.  The Hawks bring back 11 player’s from last season’s title winning team.   The Black Hawks have used a different goaltender in each of their first three games.  Drew O’Connell backstopped the Hawks to their only win, a 4-2 opening night victory in Sioux Falls. The Danville Wings moved to Indiana in the off-season to become the Ice.  Last Saturday’s win over the Black Hawks came in the Ice’s first ever USHL home game.  The victory halted a mini-skid that had seen Indiana drop back-to-back road games. This Sunday’s game will be the third in four nights for the Ice.  Indiana will host the Chicago Steel Thursday night and the Des Moines Buccaneers Friday evening. Danville eliminated the RoughRiders in the first round of the playoffs last spring three games to one.  Just five players who skated in Danville last year are on the Indiana roster this season.         LAST WEEK Cedar Rapids Friday, October 8: Lincoln 5  Cedar Rapids 4 (so) The RoughRiders were unable to hold on to 3-1 and 4-2 leads against the Stars.  The Riders got goals from Greg Collins, Erik Felde and Brandon Svendson in a span of just one minute thirty-four seconds in the second period.  Justin Abdelkader scored in the third period.  Collins paced the attack with one goal and two assists- his first three points of the season.  The Stars outshot the RoughRiders 39-34 on the night and 15-6 while outscoring the Riders 3-1 in the third period.  Dan Tormey made 35 saves for Cedar Rapids.   Waterloo Saturday, October 8: Indiana 4  Waterloo 2 The Black Hawks fell despite outshooting the Ice 30-22.  Veterans David Meckler and Jim Jensen scored the Waterloo goals.  Joe Grossman (18 saves) suffered the loss in goal.   Indiana Saturday, October 9: Indiana 4  Waterloo 2 Nick Deutz scored a pair of goals, including the eventual game winner.  After opening the scoring in the first period, Deutz, scored shorthanded to snap a 2-2 tie at 5:36 of the second period.  Tomas Klempa and Travis Winter provided the other Ice goals.  B.J. O’Brien made 28 saves, including 12 in the third period, to hold off the Black Hawks.   TOP POINT SCORERS</DIV> <DIV class=Section2> Cedar Rapids               GP       G          A          PTS Justin Abdelkader          3          2          1          3 Greg Collins                  3          1          2          3 Zach Miskovic               3          1          1          2 Erik Felde                     3          1          1          2 Rob Ricci                      3          0          2          2   Waterloo                      GP       G          A          PTS Corey Quirk                   3          2          1          3 Jim Jensen                    3          1          1          2 Garrett Regan                3          1          1          2 Nathan Lawrence           3          1          1          2 Josh Duncan                 3          0          2          2</DIV> <DIV class=Section3> Indiana                         GP       G          A          PTS Travis Winter                 4          4          1          5 Nick Deutz                    4          2          1          3 Eddie Del Grosso           4          1          2          3 A.J. Panchenko             4          0          3          3 (several players tied with 2 points)   LEADERS Cedar Rapids Goals- Justin Abdelkader (2) Assists- Greg Collins, Rob Ricci (2) Points- Justin Abdelkader, Greg Collins (3) Plus/Minus- Erik Felde (+3) Penalty Minutes- Zach Miskovic (8) Power Play Goals- Zach Miskovic (1) Shorthanded Goals- none   Waterloo Goals- Corey Quirk (2) Assists- Josh Duncan (2) Points- Corey Quirk (3) Plus/Minus- Josh Duncan, Zach Bearson (+3) Penalty Minutes- Dustin Molle (7) Power Play Goals- Jim Jensen (1) Shorthanded Goals- none   Indiana Goals- Travis Winter (4) Assists- A.J. Panchenko (3) Points- Travis Winter (5) Plus/Minus- Travis Winter (+4) Penalty Minutes- Sergei Kukushkin (27) Power Play Goals- Ryan Peckskamp (1) Shorthanded Goals- Nick Deutz (1)   Winter is tied for third in the league in goals and is tied for fifth in points…Kukushkin ranks fourth in penalty minutes…Deutz is one of just three players to have scored a shorthanded goal this season…Eddie Del Grosso is tied for third among USHL defenseman in points (3)…A.J. Panchenko is tied for third among blueliners in assists (3).   GOALTENDERS Cedar Rapids               GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT   Alex Stalock                  1          60         1.00      1-0-0                 0          .950 Dan Tormey                  2          130       3.23      1-0-1                 0          .891   Waterloo                      GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT Drew O’Connell             1          60         2.00      1-0-0                 0          .931 Bud Johnson                1          63:20    3.79      0-0-1                 0          .857 Joe Grossman              1          60         4.00      0-1-0                 0          .818   Indiana B.J. O’Brien                  3          179:38  2.67      2-1-0                 0          .915 Jake Maida                   1          58:48    3.06      0-1-0                 0          .875  </DIV> <DIV class=Section4> WHO’S HOT Cedar Rapids Justin Abdelkader: scored in each of his last two games, recorded points in each of his first three games Greg Collins: one goal, two assists last Saturday night   Waterloo Jim Jensen: a goal and an assist in his last two games Nathan Lawrence: a goal and an assist in his last two games   Indiana Travis Winter: points in each of his first four games Nick Deutz: two goals last Saturday night A.J Panchenko: two assists last Saturday night   WIN-LOSS Cedar Rapids                           Waterloo                                  Indiana Home: 0-0-0                              Home: 0-0-1                              Home: 1-0-0 Away: 2-0-1                               Away: 1-1-0                               Away: 1-2-0   vs. East Division: 2-0-0              vs. East Division: 0-1-0              vs. East Division: 2-0-0 vs. West Division: 0-0-1             vs. West Division: 1-0-1             vs. West Division: 0-2-0   GOALS Cedar Rapids                                       Waterloo                                              Indiana Goals For Per Game: 3.3 (3)                   Goals For Per Game: 3.0 (tied 4)            Goals For Per Game: 3.0 (tied 4) Goals Against Per Game: 3.0 (5) Goals Against Per Game: 3.3 (8) Goals Against Per Game: 3.3 (7)</DIV> <DIV class=Section5></DIV> <DIV class=Section6> SPECIAL TEAMS Cedar Rapids                                       Waterloo                                              Indiana Power Play:       7.7% 1/13  (10)              Power Play:       12.5%  1/8  (4)               Power Play:       5.9%  1/17  (11) Penalty Kill:       100%  0/11  (tied 1)       Penalty Kill:       83.3%  2/12  (tied 7)      Penalty Kill:       83.3  4/24  (tied 7)   Shorthanded Goals For: 0                       Shorthanded Goals For: 0                       Shorthanded Goals For: 1 Shorthanded Goals Against: 1                 Shorthanded Goals Against: 1                 Shorthanded Goals Against: 0   SERIES vs. Waterloo                 GP       W-L-SOL           PTS      H          A                      OPP REC         OPP PTS 2003-04             8          3-4-1                 7          1-2-1     2-2-0                 5-3-0                 10 All-Time                        31         12-15-4             28         7-7-1     5-9-2                 19-12-0             38   vs. Indiana/Danville      GP       W-L-SOL           PTS      H          A                      OPP REC         OPP PTS 2003-04             6          4-2-0                 8          2-1-0     2-1-0                 2-4-0                 4 All-Time                        6          4-2-0                 8          2-1-0     2-1-0                 2-4-0                 4  </DIV> <DIV class=Section7> Top Point Scorers/Season Series (2003-04) Cedar Rapids vs. Waterloo Cedar Rapids               GP       G          A          PTS                  Waterloo                       GP       G          A          PTS James Brannigan           8          4          1          5                      Matt Fornataro              8          2          5          7 Billy Loupee                  8          4          0          4                      Joel Hanson                  8          1          6          7 Jon Grabarek                8          2          2          4                      Joe Pavelski                 7          4          2          6 Brian Pouliot                 6          2          2          4                      Mike Radja                    8          2          3          5</DIV> <DIV class=Section8> Rob Ricci                      8          2          2          4                      (several players tied with four points)   Cedar Rapids vs. Danville Cedar Rapids               GP       G          A          PTS                  Danville                         GP       G          A          PTS Brian Pouliot                 6          4          3          7                      Alex Foster                   5          4          3          7 James Brannigan           6          3          3          6                      Derek Patrosso             5          0          7          7 Rob Ricci                      6          1          5          6                      Tomas Klempa              6          3          3          6 (several players tied with five points)                                          Bryan Marshall              6          2          4          6                                                                                                 Nino Musitelli                4          1          3          4  </DIV> <DIV class=Section9> Goaltenders/Season Series (2003-04) Cedar Rapids vs. Waterloo Cedar Rapids               GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT   Joe Fallon                     7          382:59  2.51      3-3-1                 2          .927 Dan Tormey                  1          59:51    3.01      0-1-0                 0          .919 A.J. Drago                    1          40         4.50      0-0-0                 0          .842   Waterloo                      GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT   Kevin Regan                 8          474:12  2.53      5-3-0                 0          .907 Bud Johnson                1          8.42      0.00      0-0-0                 0          1.000   Cedar Rapids vs. Danville Cedar Rapids               GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT   Joe Fallon                     3          180       1.00      3-0-0                 1          .964 Dan Tormey                  1          60         1.00      1-0-0                 0          .962 A.J. Drago                    2          117:37  5.61      0-2-0                 0          .800   Danville                        GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT Justin Tobe                   6          349:40  3.60      2-4-0                 0          .885 Ken Reiter                     1          7:21      0.00      0-0-0                 0          1.000   ROUGHRIDERS ROSTER Defenseman Alec Martinez made his USHL debut last Saturday.  Martinez missed the first two games with and ankle injury. The status of forward Phil Axtell (knee) is uncertain for this weekend.  Axtell has missed the Riders’ first three games.             COACHES Cedar Rapids Mark Carlson, 6th year (145-125-28) Mark Carlson has been the RoughRiders’ coach since the team arrived in Cedar Rapids in 1999-2000.  He has led the RoughRiders to four straight winning seasons and four straight berths in the Clark Cup playoffs.  The Riders are one of just three USHL teams to have reached the post season each of the last four years.  Carlson is just five wins short of the 150 victory plateau.  He earned his one hundredth coaching win on January 11, 2003 when the RoughRiders defeated the Sioux City Musketeers 3-1 in Sioux City.  Carlson has coached 298 regular season games over the course of the Riders’ five-plus seasons. Prior to taking over the RoughRiders in 1999, Carlson spent four seasons as a collegiate assistant coach at Northeastern and Massachusetts-Lowell.  In his playing days, Carlson was a forward at Lowell and was a 1987 draft pick of the National Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Penguins.   Waterloo P.K. O’Handley, 9th year (209-232-30); 3rd year Waterloo (69-44-9) O’Handley is in the third year of a highly successful tenure with the Black Hawks.  Last season, he piloted the Hawks to the Clark Cup title.  Two seasons ago he led the Hawks to a first place finish in the East Division. O’Handley spent seven years (1991-98) as the head coach of the North Iowa Huskies, the team that moved from Mason City to Cedar Rapids to become the RoughRiders after the 1998-99 campaign.  He posted a 140-187-21 record behind the Huskies bench.  Prior to returning to the USHL with Waterloo, O’Handley was an assistant coach in the pro ranks for four seasons.             Indiana Red Gendron, 1st year (2-2-0)             Gendron became the first coach of the Indiana Ice after spending eleven years in the New Jersey Devils organization, the last two as head coach of the Devils’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Albany River Rats.  Gendron earned three Stanley Cup rings (1995, 2000 and 2003) as part of the Devils’ organization.             Prior to joining the Devils, Gendron was an assistant coach at the University of Maine.  He was behind the Black Bears’ bench as Maine claimed the 1993 NCAA title.   HISTORY Forward Jon Grabarek is second in RoughRider history in career goals (37), just one behind club record holder Gerry Hickey.  Grabarek also ranks second in team history behind Chase Watson in career assists (49) and points (86).  He ranks fifth in club history in power play goals (11).  Grabarek did not record a point in the Riders’ first three games. With last Saturday night’s shootout defeat, the RoughRiders came up just short in their bid to match the longest season-opening winning streak in club history.  The Riders opened the 2001-02 campaign with three straight victories.  The RoughRiders have equaled the team mark for most games without a regulation defeat at the start of a season. Third year defenseman Zach Miskovic has not missed a regular season game during his RoughRider career.  Miskovic ranks fourth in club history in career games played (123). The RoughRiders exploded for three goals in just one minute thirty-four seconds in the second period of last Saturday night’s game in Lincoln.  That outburst, while noteworthy, did not match the club record.  The Riders got goals from Matt Vokes, Billy Loupee and Zach Miskovic in a span of just one minute two seconds in the first period of a 4-2 over the Waterloo Black Hawks last November 26. Last season’s Clark Cup title was the first in team history for the Black Hawks.  After finishing fourth in the East Division (30-27-3, 63 points), the Black Hawks upended Chicago, Danville and Tri-City on the way to the title.  They defeated the Anderson Cup (regular season) champion Storm in four games in the finals. The 2002-03 division title was the first in twenty-four years for the Black Hawks.  Prior to that campaign, Waterloo last finished at the top of a division in 1979-80, the USHL’s first season as a junior league.  That season the Hawks won the three-team South Division with a 27-19-2 record and 56 points in 48 games. Last season was the Danville Wings’ first and only season in the USHL.  The Wings finished third in the East Division in 2003-04 with a 29-23-8 record and toppled the RoughRiders in the first round of the Clark Cup playoffs.   Prior to moving to the USHL, the Wings were a power in the junior A North American Hockey League.  The Wings claimed back-to-back Robertson Cup NAHL championships in 2000 and 2001.     COLLEGE COMMITMENTS Cedar Rapids Justin Abdelkader (Michigan State), Phil Axtell (Michigan Tech), Greg Collins (New Hampshire), Ray Eichenlaub (Miami of Ohio), Matt Vokes (Brown) Waterloo Zach Bearson (Wisconsin), Cory Quirk (Massachusetts), Kevin Regan (New Hampshire), David Meckler (Yale) Indiana Brian Gifford (Denver), Tomas Klempa (Nebraska-Omaha), Todd McIlrath (Bowling Green), Nick Stalock (Air Force)   UPCOMING EVENTS All fans attending the RoughRiders’ home opener against the Waterloo Black Hawks this Saturday night will receive free RoughRiders 2004-05 magnet schedules courtesy of AM-1360 The Fan, Aspen Athletic Club, i wireless and Lindale Mall.  After the game, fans will also be treated to a brief fireworks display outside the arena.             The RoughRiders will also host their first food drive night this Saturday.  The Riders and the Cedar Rapids Jaycees will team for monthly food drives to benefit the HACAP Food Reservoir. The Jaycees will collect canned food items at the RoughRiders’ first Saturday home game of each month.                 It’s Mascot Day when the RoughRiders host the Des Moines Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon, October 24 at 4:00.  Ricochet, the Riders’ furry equine mascot, will be joined by a host of equally huggable mascots from all over eastern Iowa during the game.             On Saturday, November 13 fans will have the chance to get up close with the Dale Earnhardt Jr. #8 Budweiser Born On Date Car.  The Born On Date car will be on display during the RoughRiders’ game against the Green Bay Gamblers. Earnhardt, one of NASCAR’s top young drivers, has won nine Nextel Cup races during his five year career, including this year’s Daytona 500. Earnhardt Jr. is the son of the late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr.             Christian rock group Ramshackle will perform after the RoughRiders’ game against the Lincoln Stars on Friday, November 19.             Marvel Comics’ Spiderman will land at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Saturday night, November 27.  Everyone’s favorite web-slinging superhero will sign autographs and pose for photos as the RoughRiders host the Indiana Ice.   TICKETS Individual game tickets for RoughRiders first half home dates- including this Saturday’s home opener- 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. 2004-05 season tickets are currently available through the RoughRiders’ business office (247-0340).  In addition to their seats, season ticket holders also receive a host of exclusive benefits.  In addition to full season tickets, the RoughRiders also offer three different mini-plan packages. Fans can watch the Riders take on their archrivals, the Waterloo Black Hawks, with an i wireless Corridor Cup Mini-Plan or enjoy weekend games with five or ten game packages. The Family Pack enables fans to get four green zone seats, four hot dogs, four fountain drinks and a game program all for just $44. The Family Pack is available for all of the RoughRiders’ Friday and Sunday home games. The first Family Pack Night is Sunday afternoon, October 24 when the Riders host the Des Moines Buccaneers at 4:00.   ON THE AIR RoughRiders regular season and playoff games are broadcast on AM-1360 The Fan in Cedar Rapids and AM-800 KXIC in Iowa City this season.  Brian Lavelle provides play-by-play. Because of a conflict with St. Louis Cardinals baseball, this Sunday’s evening’s RoughRiders’ game will be broadcast on a tape-delayed basis on AM-1360 after the conclusion of game four of the National League Championship Series.  The RoughRiders’ broadcast will begin at approximately 10:00PM.  This Saturday’s game will be carried live on AM-1360 beginning at 7:00PM.             Up-to-the-minute live game updates for all USHL action are available on line at www.pointstreak.com/prostats.              </DIV>

Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 (Archive on Tuesday, October 12, 2004)

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