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Weekly Update: January 9, 1006

Weekly Update: January 9, 1006

<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> January 9, 2006<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, January 13, 7:05PM @ <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City> Ice Arena<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> Lancers vs. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City> RoughRiders<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, January 14, 7:05PM @ <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City> Ice Arena<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City> Steel vs. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place> RoughRiders <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> 20-9-2, 42 points, 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> 19-13-1, 39 points, 2nd place West Division<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 11-20-3, 25 points, 6th place West Division<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> COMING IN<o:p></o:p>             The RoughRiders swept a home-and-home series with the Waterloo Black Hawks last weekend.  The Riders won 3-2 in overtime last Friday in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City> and rolled to a 5-1 victory the following evening on home ice.<o:p></o:p>             The Riders are now six points behind the Des Moines Buccaneers in the race for first place in the United States Hockey League’s East Division.  The Riders have one game in hand on the Bucs.<o:p></o:p>             Last weekend’s wins came on the heels of the Riders’ first three game winless streak (0-2-1) of the season.<o:p></o:p>             The Riders are now 13-4-2 on the road.  No USHL team has won more road games than the RoughRiders.  <o:p></o:p>             Forwards Ted Purcell and Gary Steffes and goaltender Al Stalock returned to USHL action last weekend after missing the Riders’ prior three games.  Steffes and Stalock were away helping the United States Junior Select 18-and-Under Team to a bronze medal at the Viking Cup international tournament in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Camrose</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Alberta</st1:State></st1:place>.  Travel delays prevented Purcell from rejoining the Riders after the USHL’s holiday break until last week.  Purcell and Steffes picked up an assist apiece last Friday in their first game back.  Stalock made 77 saves while backstopping the Riders to both wins over the weekend.<o:p></o:p> Chad Costello (15-27-42) now ranks second in the league in point scoring after a four point weekend.  Costello and Purcell (12-27-39) are tied for the lead in assists.  Purcell ranks fourth in point scoring.<o:p></o:p> The Lancers split a pair of road games against <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nebraska</st1:place></st1:State> rivals last weekend.  The Lancers fell 6-2 last Friday in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City></st1:place> but rebounded to shutout Tri-City 1-0 last Saturday.<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City> has gone 7-6-1 over its last 14 games after starting the season 12-7.  The Lancers have, however, won three of four games since returning from the holiday break and have allowed one or no goals in each of those three wins.<o:p></o:p>             With last Saturday’s win, the Lancers snapped a four game road losing streak and a five game (0-4-1) winless streak on the road.  The victory was <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City>’s first away from home since a 7-6 overtime win in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City></st1:place> on November 23.<o:p></o:p> The Lancers rank last in the league on the power play (12.3 percent).<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Omaha</st1:place></st1:City>’s Matt Schepke (20-10-30) is tied for third in the league in goals.<o:p></o:p> Nick Schaus (6-21-27) leads USHL defensemen in assists, is tied for second among defenseman in points and is tied for fifth among blue liners in goals.  <o:p></o:p> The Steel played just one game last weekend, falling to the Des Moines Buccaneers 6-3 last Friday.  That loss ended <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place>’s three game (2-0-1) unbeaten streak.  The Steel has not gone more than three games without a regulation loss this season.<o:p></o:p> The league cellar-dwelling Steel is just one point behind fifth place <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:State> in the East Division, but has played three more games than the Ice.  No team has played more games (34) to this point in the season than <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p> The Steel ranks last in the league in both goals scored (2.8) and goals allowed (4.2) per game.<o:p></o:p> The road has not been kind to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City>.  The Steel has the worst away record (4-11-2) in the league.  <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City> is winless (0-5-1) in its last six road games.  <o:p></o:p> Former Rider Nate Perkovich (19-14-33) is the Steel’s top scorer.  Perkovich is tied for fourth in the league in goals and is tied for eighth in points.<o:p></o:p> The Steel is the only team in the league that can boast four players who have scored at least a dozen goals- Perkovich, Dan Kissel (13), Chris Clackson (12) and Randy Guzior (12).<o:p></o:p> The Steel opens this weekend with a game against the Bucs in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:place></st1:City> on Friday.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> RECENT ACTION<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> Friday, January 6: <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> 3  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place> 2 (OT)<o:p></o:p> Scott Wietecha scored the game winner at 2:32 of overtime.  The Black Hawks scored twice in the third period to force overtime after power play goals from Nik Sellers and Chad Costello gave the Riders a 2-0 lead.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, January 7: <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> 5  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place> 1<o:p></o:p> Phil Axtell (who also had one assist) and Ryan Gunderson scored two goals apiece as the Riders were able to pull away from the Black Hawks.  Andy Miele provided the other <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City> goal while Al Stalock made 39 saves in the Rider net.<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> Friday, January 6:  <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City> 6  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City></st1:place> 2<o:p></o:p> The Lancers surrendered six unanswered goals after Matt Moulakelis and Nicholas Fanto had scored to give <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City></st1:place> a 2-0 first period lead.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, January 7: <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City></st1:place> 1  Tri-City 0<o:p></o:p> Matt Moulakelis scored the game’s only goal at 7:45 of the second period.  Michael Spillane made 22 saves to shutout the Storm.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Friday, January 6: <st1:City w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:City> 6  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place> 3<o:p></o:p> Ben Beaudoin scored the first two <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City> goals, but the Bucs broke open a 2-2 game by scoring four straight goals.<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> <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chad</st1:place></st1:country-region> Costello               31         15         27         42<o:p></o:p> Ted Purcell                    28         12         27         39<o:p></o:p> Phil Axtell                     29         18         11         29<o:p></o:p> Nik Sellers                     31         10         13         23<o:p></o:p> David Strathman           31         6          11         17<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City></st1:place>                         GP       G          A          PTS<o:p></o:p> Matt Schepke                33         20         10         30<o:p></o:p> Nick Schaus                  33         6          21         27<o:p></o:p> Tony Lucia                    31         10         15         25<o:p></o:p> Chris Moran                  33         8          17         25<o:p></o:p> Ryan Raven                  30         11         11         22<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section3> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place>                       GP       G          A          PTS<o:p></o:p> Nate Perkovich              34         19         14         33<o:p></o:p> Chris Clackson              34         12         20         32<o:p></o:p> Dan Kissel                    34         13         17         30<o:p></o:p> Randy Guzior                34         12         13         25<o:p></o:p> Eric Lampe                   27         7          16         23<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 (18)<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 (27)<o:p></o:p> Points- Chad Costello (42)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Phil Axtell (+12)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Phil Axtell (117)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Phil Axtell (12)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Jacob Cepis, Gary Steffes (1)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Costello is tied for the league lead in assists, ranks second in points, is tied for eighth in power play goals (5) and is tied for tenth in goals (15)…Purcell is tied for the league leads in assists and ranks fourth in points (39) …Axtell leads the league in power play goals, is tied for sixth in goals and ranks second in penalty minutes… Nik Sellers is tied for third in game winning goals (4)…David Strathman is tied for eighth in power play goals (5) and, among defensemen, is tied for fifth in goals (6) and ranks seventh in points (17)…Among defensemen, Kevin Wehrs is tied for seventh in assists (13)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> Goals- Matt Schepke (20)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Nick Schaus (21)<o:p></o:p> Points- Matt Schepke (30)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Nick Schaus (+12)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Chris Hepp (79)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Matt Schepke (7)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Matt Schepke (4)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Schepke is tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals and game winning goals (5), tied for third in goals and tied for sixth in power play goals…Schaus is tied for fifth in assists and, among defensemen, is tied for the league lead in assists, tied for second in points and tied for fifth in goals…Hepp ranks ninth in penalty minutes…Jake Marto is tied for third among defensemen in assists and is tied for eighth among blue liners in points (16)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Goals- Nate Perkovich (19)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Chris Clackson (20)<o:p></o:p> Points- Nate Perkovich (33)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Eric Lampe (+13)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Randy Guzior (115)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Nate Perkovich (8)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Chris Clackson, Eric Lampe, Brandon Coccimiglio (1)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Perkovich ranks fifth in goals and is tied for eighth in points…Clackson is tied for fifth in penalty minutes and tied for ninth in assists…Guzior is tied for third in penalty minutes…Sami Liimatainen is tied for eighth in penalty minutes<o:p></o:p>             <o:p></o:p> GOALTENDERS<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City>               GP       MIN                  GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT   <o:p></o:p> Alex Stalock                  22         1334:58 2.43      15-7-0               0          .930<o:p></o:p> Pat McGann                  9          547:28              2.63      5-2-2                 1          .920<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Stalock is tied for the league lead in wins, ranks second in saves (715), is tied for second in save percentage and ranks fifth in goals against average and minutes played<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            19         1047:51 2.58      11-5-0               1          .911<o:p></o:p> Eddie Neville                 19         932:23              3.28      8-8-1                 2          .898<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Spillane is tied for fifth in wins, ranks sixth in goals against average and save percentage, ninth in minutes played and tenth in saves (462)…Neville ranks tenth in save percentage and is tied for tenth in wins<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place>                       GP       MIN                  GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT<o:p></o:p> Shaun Williams              27         1481:31 3.69      8-15-2               0          .893<o:p></o:p> Jared Demichiel                        5          306:28              3.72      2-2-1                 0          .896<o:p></o:p> Williams leads the league in minutes played and saves (756) and is tied for tenth in wins<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> 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: four points (three goals, one assists) in his last three games<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Chad</st1:country-region></st1:place> Costello: seven game point scoring streak (4-7-11)…six game assist streak (seven assists)<o:p></o:p> Nik Sellers: four game point scoring streak (1-5-6)…eight points (three goals, five assists) in his last seven games<o:p></o:p> Gary Steffes: seven points (four goals, three assists) in his last six games<o:p></o:p> Al Stalock: stopped 77 of 80 <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place> shots over two games last weekend…three game winning streak (1.97, .944)…<o:p></o:p>             has allowed three goals or fewer in seven straight games (5-2, 1.97, .943)<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> Chris Moran: six points (two goals, four assists) in his last six games<o:p></o:p> Ryan Raven: six points (four goals, two assists) in his last six games<o:p></o:p> Michael Spillane: 6-1-0 in his last eight games (1.66, .934)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Stewart Carlin: six points (three goals, three assists) in his last four games<o:p></o:p> Chris Clackson: seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last four games<o:p></o:p> Randy Guzior: five points (three goals, two assists) in his last four games<o:p></o:p> Eric Lampe: five points (two goals, three assists) in his last five games<o:p></o:p> Nate Perkovich: 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in his last nine 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">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Home: 7-5-0                  Home: 11-7-0                 Home: 7-9-1<o:p></o:p> Away: 13-4-2                 Away: 8-6-1                   Away: 4-11-2<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> vs. East: 11-6-0             vs. East: 10-6-1             vs. East: 7-7-2<o:p></o:p> vs. West: 9-3-2              vs. West: 9-7-0              vs. West: 4-13-1<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">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Goals For: 3.5 (3)           Goals For: 3.2 (6)           Goals For: 2.8 (11)<o:p></o:p> Goals Against: 2.61 (3)   Goals Against: 3.15 (6)   Goals Against: 4.18 (11)<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section4> <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:       20.9  40/191  (2)            Power Play:       12.3  21/171  (11)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Kill:       84.0  23/144  (6)            Penalty Kill:       85.4  25/171  (4)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Shorthanded Goals For: 2                       Shorthanded Goals For: 4<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals Against: 8                 Shorthanded Goals Against: 7<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Power Play:       14.6  23/158  (9)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Kill:       80.1  45/226  (9)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Shorthanded Goals For: 3<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals Against: 6<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <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> 4 at <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> 2                   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             at <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> 2 <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> 1 (SO)           2/11/06             <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> 1/1/06               at <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> 4 <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City> 1<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> GP       W-L-SOL           PTS      H          A                      OPP REC         OPP PTS<o:p></o:p> 2005-06             3          2-1-0                 4          1-0-0     1-1-0                 1-1-1                 3<o:p></o:p> All-Time                        29         10-17-2             22         5-7-2     5-10-0               19-6-4               42<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> vs. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> 10/21/05            <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> 3 at <st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City> 2                 3/1/06               <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 10/22/05            <st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City> 5 at <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> 4                 3/24/06             <st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 1/14/06             <st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City> at <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City>                       3/25/06             <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> 1/21/06             <st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City> at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; TEX