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Weekly Update: October 31, 2005

Weekly Update: October 31, 2005

<DIV class=Section1> <H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 2in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place> RoughRiders <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></H1> <H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 2in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">Weekly Update<o:p></o:p></H1> October 31, 2005<o:p></o:p> <H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">                                                            <o:p></o:p></H1> <o:p> </o:p> THIS WEEK<o:p></o:p> Friday, November 4, 7:05PM @ Mid-America Center, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Council Bluffs</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> RoughRiders vs. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City></st1:place> Lancers<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, November 5, 7:05PM @ State Fair Coliseum, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Nebraska</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> RoughRiders vs. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City></st1:place> Stars<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> RECORDS <o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> 6-3-0, 12 points, tied 2nd place East Division <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 7-4-0, 14 points, 2nd place West Division<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 4-6-0, 8 points, 5th place West Division<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> COMING IN<o:p></o:p>             The RoughRiders have lost their last two games- the Riders’ first back-to-back defeats of the season.  The Riders fell to the Des Moines Buccaneers 4-3 last Saturday.  With the win, the Buccaneers moved past the Riders into first place in the United States Hockey League’s East Division.  The Riders are now tied for second in the east with the Indiana Ice.<o:p></o:p>             The Riders remain the highest scoring team in the league, averaging 4.1 goals per game.  The Riders also boast the USHL’s second most efficient power play (22.4 percent).<o:p></o:p>             Ted Purcell (5-9-14) is the Riders’ top point producer and is tied for third in the league in points.  Phil Axtell (7-4-11) has scored in a team record six straight games and is tied for fifth in the league in goal scoring.<o:p></o:p>             The Riders have allowed nine goals in their last two games, seven of them on special teams (five power play, two shorthanded).<o:p></o:p>             <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> won three road games in five days last week and now trails <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City> by two points in the race for first place in the West Division.<o:p></o:p>             After defeating Tri-City 3-1 last Tuesday, the Lancers swept a pair of games from <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:State> over the weekend.  <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City> defeated the Ice 4-2 last Friday and scored a 5-4 shootout victory last Saturday.<o:p></o:p>             Lancer forward Matt Schepke (11-2-13) is the league’s top goal scorer.  No other Lancer has scored more than three goals- a total Schepke topped in one game when he scored a league season high four goals last Saturday in Indianapolis.  On the season, Schepke has provided exactly one third of the 33 goals the Stars have scored as a team.<o:p></o:p>             First year goaltender Michael Spillane has gotten his junior career off to a strong start.  He ranks second in the league in both goals against average (2.05) and save percentage (.936).<o:p></o:p>             As a team, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City> ranks third in goals against average (2.73).  <o:p></o:p>             The Lancers boast the league’s second best penalty kill (91.8 percent).<o:p></o:p>             The Stars have lost three of their last four games to fall into the West Division basement.  <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City> split a pair of road games last weekend.  The Stars came from behind to defeat Tri-City 5-4 in overtime last Friday before dropping a 3-1 decision to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux City</st1:place></st1:City> last Saturday.<o:p></o:p>             <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City>’s Mike Davies (7-8-15) is the league’s second leading point scorer.  No other Star has more than 9 points.<o:p></o:p>             The Stars have given up an average of 3.9 goals per game, the second most in the league.<o:p></o:p>             <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City> will open this weekend with a home game against <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Green Bay</st1:place></st1:City> Friday.<o:p></o:p>             <o:p></o:p> LAST WEEK<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> Saturday, October 29: <st1:City w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:City> 4  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place> 3<o:p></o:p> The Riders came from behind three times but fell after <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:place></st1:City>’ Trevor Lewis scored the shorthanded game winner just under four minutes left in the third period.  Aaron Bendickson, Ted Purcell and David Strathman scored the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City> goals.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City>                                                                                                   <o:p></o:p> Tuesday, October 25: <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City></st1:place> 3  Tri-City 1<o:p></o:p> The Lancers took command with second period goals from Nick Schaus and Nick Fanto and then put Tri-City away when Ryan Turek scored late in the third period.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Friday, October 28: <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> 4  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Indiana</st1:State></st1:place> 2<o:p></o:p> Chris Moran (who had two goals on the night) and Tony Lucia scored 33 seconds apart late in the third period to snap a 2-2 tie.  Michael Spillane made 38 saves at the Lancers won despite being outshot 40-27.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, October 29: <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> 5  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Indiana</st1:State></st1:place> 4 (SO)<o:p></o:p> Matt Shepke scored all four <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City> goals, including two in the third period to erase a 4-2 <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Indiana</st1:State></st1:place> lead.  Schepke also scored the clinching goal in the shootout.  Michael Spillane stopped 37 Ice shots in regulation and overtime and three of four in the shootout.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Friday, October 28: <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City></st1:place> 5  Tri-City 4<o:p></o:p> Mike Davies scored the game winner at 2:50 of overtime after tying the game with 2:38 left in regulation.  Davies also assisted on the first two <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City></st1:place> goals as the Stars battled back from 3-0 and 4-2 deficits.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, October 29: <st1:City w:st="on">Sioux City</st1:City> 3  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City></st1:place> 1<o:p></o:p> The Stars fell behind 3-0 and could muster no further response after J.J. Koehler scored late in the second in the second period.  <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City> went down despite outshooting <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux City</st1:place></st1:City> 37-26.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> TOP POINT SCORERS<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section2> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place>               GP       G          A          PTS<o:p></o:p> Ted Purcell                    9          5          9          14<o:p></o:p> <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chad</st1:place></st1:country-region> Costello               9          3          9          12<o:p></o:p> Phil Axtell                     9          7          4          11<o:p></o:p> Jacob Cepis                 9          4          5          9<o:p></o:p> (three players tied with seven points)<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City>                         GP       G          A          PTS<o:p></o:p> Matt Schepke                11         11         2          13<o:p></o:p> Nick Schaus                  11         2          10         12<o:p></o:p> Tony Lucia                    11         3          5          8<o:p></o:p> Ryan Raven                  11         3          5          8<o:p></o:p> Chris Moran                  11         3          5          8<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section3> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City>                                    GP       G          A          PTS<o:p></o:p> Mike Davies                  10         7          8          15<o:p></o:p> J.J. Koehler                  9          4          5          9<o:p></o:p> Eli Vlaisavljevich           10         3          6          9<o:p></o:p> Chris Vande Velde         10         5          1          6<o:p></o:p> (two players tied with six points)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> LEADERS<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> Goals- Phil Axtell (7)<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Assists-</st1:City> <st1:country-region w:st="on">Chad</st1:country-region></st1:place> Costello, Ted Purcell (9)<o:p></o:p> Points- Ted Purcell (14)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Sergei Kolosov (+6)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Phil Axtell (38)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Phil Axtell (4)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Gary Steffes (1)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Purcell ranks fourth in the USHL in points and is tied for fourth in assists…Axtell is tied for second in power play goals, tied for fifth in goals and ranks sixth in penalty minutes…Chad Costello is tied for fourth in assists…Kolosov is tied for fifth in plus/minus and is tied for eighth in penalty minutes (36)… Among defenseman, David Strathman is tied for eighth in points (7) and assists (5)…Kevin Wehrs is tied for third among blue liners in assists (6) and tied for eighth in points (7)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Goals- Matt Schepke (11)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Nick Schaus (10)<o:p></o:p> Points- Matt Schepke (13)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Matt Schepke (+5)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Chris Hepp (24)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Matt Schepke (4)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Matt Schepke (2)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Schepke leads the league in goals, is tied for second in power play goals and shorthanded goals and tied for fifth in points (13)…Schaus ranks third overall in assists and, among defensemen, ranks first in assists and second in points (12)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Goals- Mike Davies (7)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Mike Davies (8)<o:p></o:p> Points- Mike Davies (15)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Derek Roehl (+1)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Ben Grotting (48)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Mike Davies (3)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- none<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Davies is tied for second in the league in points, tied for fifth in goals, ranks ninth in assists and is tied for fourth in power play goals…Among defensemen, Eli Vlaisavljevich is tied for third in goals (3), assists (6) and points (9) …Grotting leads the league in penalty minutes…Brandon Bollig ranks ninth in penalty minutes (35)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> GOALTENDERS<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place>               GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT   <o:p></o:p> Alex Stalock                  8          476:25  2.64      5-3-0                 0          .920<o:p></o:p> Pat McGann                  1          60         3.00      1-0-0                 0          .893<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Stalock ranks second in the league in wins, fourth in save percentage, minutes played and total saves (243) and sixth in goals against average<o:p></o:p>                         <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City>                         GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT<o:p></o:p> Michael Spillane            6          350:25  2.05      4-1-0                 0          .936<o:p></o:p> Eddie Neville                 6          307:49  3.12      3-3-0                 1          .898<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Spillane leads the league in goals against average, ranks second in save percentage, is tied for fourth in wins, ranks sixth in saves (175) and ranks ninth in minutes played…Neville is tied for ninth in goals against average and ranks tenth in save percentage and total saves (141)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City>                                    GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT<o:p></o:p> Bryan Hogan                 5          295:46  3.45      1-4-0                 0          .886<o:p></o:p> Steve Jakiel                  5          302:42  4.16      3-2-0                 0          .863<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section4> WHO’S HOT<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> Phil Axtell: six game goal and point scoring streak (6-3-9)<o:p></o:p> <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chad</st1:place></st1:country-region> Costello: has recorded at least one point in each of his first nine games (3-9-12)<o:p></o:p> Ted Purcell: eight game point scoring streak (5-9-14)…at least two points in three of his last four games and five of his <o:p></o:p>             seven<o:p></o:p> David Strathman: six points (two goals, four assists) in his last five games<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Nick Schaus: four points (one goal, three assists) in his last three games<o:p></o:p> Matt Schepke: four goals last Saturday against <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:State><o:p></o:p> Michael Spillane: made a total of 75 saves in back-to-back wins last weekend…has won three straight games<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Mike Davies: six points (three goals, three assists) in his last three games…nine points (four goals, five assists) in his<o:p></o:p>             his last five games<o:p></o:p> J.J. Koehler: six points (four goals, two assists) in his last four games<o:p></o:p> Eli Vlaisavljevich: five points (one goal, four assists) in his last five games<o:p></o:p>                          <o:p></o:p> WIN-LOSS <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City>               <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City>                         <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Home: 2-2-0                  Home: 3-3-0                  Home: 2-3-0<o:p></o:p> Away: 4-1-0                   Away: 4-1-0                   Away: 2-3-0<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> vs. East: 3-3-0               vs. East: 3-1-0               vs. East: 0-2-0<o:p></o:p> vs. West: 3-0-0              vs. West: 4-3-0              vs. West: 4-4-0<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> GOALS<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City>               <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City>                         <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Goals For: 4.1 (1)           Goals For: 3.0 (7)           Goals For: 3.1 (6)<o:p></o:p> Goals Against: 2.78 (5)   Goals Against: 2.73 (3)   Goals Against: 3.9 (10)<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section5> <o:p> </o:p> SPECIAL TEAMS <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City>                                       <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Power Play:       22.4  15/67  (2)              Power Play:       12.9  4/51  (7)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Kill:       83.3  8/48  (7)                Penalty Kill:       91.8  6/73  (2)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Shorthanded Goals For: 1                       Shorthanded Goals For: 2<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals Against: 3                 Shorthanded Goals Against: 2<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:City>                                    <o:p></o:p> Power Play:       18.5      12/65  (3)          <o:p></o:p> Penalty Kill:       84.3      11/70  (6)          <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Shorthanded Goals For: 0                       <o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals Against: 3<o:p></o:p>             <o:p></o:p> SERIES<o:p></o:p> vs. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> 11/4/05             <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City>                         1/13/06             <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> 12/3/05             <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City>                         2/11/06             <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 1/1/06               <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City>                         <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> GP       W-L-SOL           PTS      H          A                      OPP REC         OPP PTS<o:p></o:p> 2004-05             4          1-1-2                 4          0-0-2     1-1-0                 3-1-0                 6<o:p></o:p> All-Time                        26         8-16-2               18         4-7-2     4-9-0                 18-5-3               39<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> vs. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> 11/5/05             <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City>                         2/3/06               <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 12/2/05             <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City>                         3/18/06             <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 12/30/05            <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> GP &am