News

Home

RR Merchandise

RR Sponsors

Team Zone

News

Game Day

Tickets

Promotions

Community

Arena

Contact

FAQ

Weekly Update: January 16, 2006

Weekly Update: January 16, 2006

<DIV class=Section1> <H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 2in; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">Cedar Rapids 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 16, 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> Wednesday, January 18, 7:05PM @ Sioux Falls Arena<o:p></o:p> Cedar Rapids RoughRiders vs. Sioux Falls Stampede<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Friday, January 20, 7:35PM @ Buccaneer Arena, Urbandale<o:p></o:p> Cedar Rapids RoughRiders vs. Des Moines Buccaneers<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Saturday, January 21, 7:05PM @ Cedar Rapids Ice Arena<o:p></o:p> Chicago Steel vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> RECORDS <o:p></o:p> Cedar Rapids<o:p></o:p> 21-9-3, 45 points, 2nd place East Division <o:p></o:p> Sioux Falls<o:p></o:p> 30-3-2, 62 points, 1st place West Division<o:p></o:p> Des Moines<o:p></o:p> 22-8-4, 48 points, 1st place East Division<o:p></o:p> Chicago<o:p></o:p> 12-22-3, 27 points, 6th place East Division<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> COMING IN<o:p></o:p>             The RoughRiders are unbeaten in regulation (3-0-1) in their last four games.  The Riders earned one point for a 4-3 shootout loss to Omaha last Friday at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.  The Riders shutout the Chicago Steel 3-0 last Saturday on home ice.<o:p></o:p>             The Riders have narrowed the Des Moines Buccaneers’ lead in the race for the top spot in the United States Hockey League’s East Division to three points.  The Riders have one game in hand on the Bucs<o:p></o:p>             The Riders head into the week in possession of the second best road record in the USHL (13-4-2).  <o:p></o:p>             The Riders’ Ted Purcell set a new team career assist record last Friday.  Purcell picked up two assists in the game against Omaha to lift his career total to 76, breaking the old record of 75 assists set by Jon Grabarek.  Purcell added another assist one night later in the win over Chicago.<o:p></o:p>             Chad Costello (17-30-47) broke loose for a five point weekend (two goals, three assists) to take over sole possession of the league point scoring lead.  Costello and Purcell (12-30-42) are tied for the league lead in assists.<o:p></o:p>             Al Stalock stopped 30 Chicago shots last Saturday to post his first shutout of the season.<o:p></o:p>             With four goals in nine opportunities last weekend, the Riders took over the league lead in power play efficiency (22.1 percent).  <o:p></o:p> <H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in">Earlier today, the RoughRiders announced the trade of forward Aaron Bendickson and a first round pick in this May’s USHL draft to the Indiana Ice in exchange for forward Sean Dolan.  Dolan (5-5-10) has been selected to play in the 2006 USHL All-Star/Prospects Game on February 7 in Sioux City.  The Chesterfield, Missouri, native joins Ted Purcell, Phil Axtell, Chad Costello, Ray Kaunisto, Kevin Wehrs and Al Stalock as part of what was already the largest Rider all-star contingent in team history.  The Riders’ total of seven all-stars also matches the league high for this year’s game.<o:p></o:p></H1>             The Riders and the Stampede will both have seven representatives in Sioux City.  Thus, there are likely to be 14 all-stars in uniform when the two clubs meet Wednesday evening in Sioux Falls.<o:p></o:p>             Along with Ray Kaunisto and Gary Steffes, Dolan is one of three RoughRiders to make the National Hockey League Central Scouting Service’s just-released mid-season rankings of players eligible for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.  Kaunisto ranks one hundred twenty-fourth among North American-based skaters, while Dolan is ranked one hundred forty-fifth and Steffes two hundred ninth.<o:p></o:p>             The league-leading Stampede is unbeaten in regulation (19-0-2) in its last 21 games.  Sioux Falls last suffered a regulation loss on November 11 when it fell in Waterloo 3-1.  The following evening the Stampede started its streak with a 4-0 win in Cedar Rapids.<o:p></o:p> Sioux Falls picked up a pair of one goal wins over the weekend.  The Stampede shut out Des Moines 1-0 last Saturday in Urbandale.  Yesterday Sioux Falls came from behind to down Tri-City in overtime 4-3.<o:p></o:p> The Stampede now holds a comfortable 14 point lead over Des Moines in the race for first place overall and has opened up a whopping 21 point gap over Omaha in the West Division.<o:p></o:p> Sioux Falls’ last six games have all been decided by a single goal.  The Stampede has gone 4-0-2 during that stretch.<o:p></o:p> The Stampede has posted a league best 16-1-1 home record.  Sioux Falls has gone unbeaten in regulation (15-0-1) in its last 16 home games since suffering its only home regulation loss to Omaha on September 30.  The Stampede has won 15 straight home games since a 3-2 home shootout loss to Chicago on October 14.<o:p></o:p> The Stampede is the stingiest team in the league, having allowed an average of just 2.1 goals per game.  The goaltending duo of Alex Kangas and John Murray has been at the heart of Sioux Falls’ success.  Kangas leads the league in goals against average (1.80) and save percentage (.941) while Murray ranks third in goals against average (2.13) and fourth in save percentage (.928).<o:p></o:p> Sioux Falls’ Andreas Nodl (22-15-37) is tied for the league lead in goals and tied for sixth in points.<o:p></o:p> The Buccaneers suffered back-to-back shutout losses on home ice last weekend.  The Bucs fell to Chicago 2-0 last Friday and were nipped by Sioux Falls last Saturday.<o:p></o:p> Last weekend marked the first time this season the Buccaneers have endured back-to-back regulation defeats.<o:p></o:p> Last weekend’s losses brought the Bucs’ five game home winning streak to a halt and also ended Des Moines’ eleven game home unbeaten streak (9-0-2).  Last Friday’s loss was the Bucs’ first in regulation at home since October 7.<o:p></o:p> The Bucs have gone 135 minutes and 45 seconds since last scoring.  Ken Rowe scored the last Des Moines goal 4:15 into the third period of a 4-1 win at Waterloo on January 8.<o:p></o:p> Despite that drought, the Buccaneers remain the top offensive team in the league.  The Bucs average 3.7 goals per game.<o:p></o:p> Des Moines’ Trevor Lewis (22-20-42) is tied for the league lead in goals and is tied for second in point scoring.  Kyle Okposo (20-21-41) ranks fourth in points and is tied for fourth in goals.  In addition, Okposo (+28) and Lewis (+24) boast the top two plus/minus ratings in the league.<o:p></o:p> The Buccaneers penalty kill has been far and away the most successful in the USHL.  Des Moines has survived 90.4 percent of its opponents’ power plays.  The Bucs have also scored a league-best 14 shorthanded goals.<o:p></o:p> After opening last weekend with a 2-0 shutout win in Des Moines, the Steel dropped back-to-back games: last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat in Cedar Rapids and an 8-1 drubbing at the hands of the Lincoln Stars on home ice yesterday.  <o:p></o:p> The league cellar-dwelling Steel is just one point behind fifth place Indiana in the East Division, but has played four more games than the Ice.  No team has played more games (37) to this point in the season than Chicago.<o:p></o:p> The Steel ranks last in the league in both goals scored (2.7) and goals allowed (4.1) per game.<o:p></o:p> The road has not been kind to Chicago.  The Steel has the worst away record (5-12-2) in the league.  Chicago is 1-6-1 in its last eight road games.  <o:p></o:p> Former Rider Nate Perkovich (20-14-34) is the Steel’s top scorer.  Perkovich is tied for fourth in the league in goals and is tied for ninth in points.<o:p></o:p> The Steel is in the midst of a hectic January.  After playing three games in under 48 hours last weekend, Chicago is right back in action tomorrow night against Green Bay.  The Steel will host Waterloo this Friday before playing its sixth game in just nine days Saturday in Cedar Rapids.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> LAST WEEK<o:p></o:p> Cedar Rapids<o:p></o:p> Friday, January 13: Omaha 4  Cedar Rapids 3 (SO)<o:p></o:p> The Riders jumped in front 3-1 with three first period power play goals, but were unable to hold the lead.  Chad Costello scored twice while David Strathman provided the other Cedar Rapids goal.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Saturday, January 14: Cedar Rapids 3  Chicago 0<o:p></o:p> Al Stalock stopped all 30 Chicago shots on the way to the shutout.  Nik Sellers’ second period power play goal proved to be the game winner.  The Riders put the Steel away with third period goals from Sergei Kolosov and Andy Miele.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Sioux Falls<o:p></o:p> Saturday, January 14:  Sioux Falls 1  Des Moines 0<o:p></o:p> John Murray turned aside 36 Des Moines shots and Mark Magnowski scored the game’s only goal at 7:34 of the third period during a 5-on-3 power play.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Saturday, January 14: Sioux Falls 4  Tri-City 3 (OT)<o:p></o:p> Mark Magnowski scored with 11 seconds left in overtime to complete a Stampede comeback.  Sioux Falls trailed 3-2 until Andreas Nodl tied the game with just 1:20 remaining in regulation.  The Stampede earlier erased a 2-0 Tri-City first period lead with goals from Travis Vermeulen and Chris Berenguer.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Des Moines<o:p></o:p> Friday, January 13: Chicago 2  Des Moines 0<o:p></o:p> The Bucs fell despite outshooting the Steel 43-23.  Des Moines gave up goals in the final minute of both the first and second periods.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Saturday, January 14:  Sioux Falls 1  Des Moines 0<o:p></o:p> Consecutive third period penalties against Jeff Petry and Alan Dorich cost the Bucs as the Stampede cashed in on the ensuing two-man advantage for the game’s only goal.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Chicago<o:p></o:p> Friday, January 13: Chicago 2  Des Moines 0<o:p></o:p> Eric Pfligler made 43 saves to whitewash the Bucs.  Chris Clackson gave the Steel the lead with just 19 seconds left in the first period.  With only 53 seconds remaining in the second period, Nate Perkovich made it 2-0.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Saturday, January 14:  Cedar Rapids 3  Chicago 0<o:p></o:p> The Steel played the Riders even until Cedar Rapids finally broke a scoreless deadlock just past the midway point of the game with a power play goal.  A pair of Rider third period goals quashed Chicago’s comeback hopes.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Sunday, January 15:  Lincoln 8  Chicago 1<o:p></o:p> The Steel gave up eight straight Lincoln goals before Brian Keane finally got Chicago on the scoreboard with just 4:14 left in the third period.  Chicago was outshot 46-20.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> TOP POINT SCORERS<o:p></o:p></DIV><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <DIV class=Section2> Cedar Rapids                GP            G            A            PTS<o:p></o:p> Chad Costello                33            17            30            47<o:p></o:p> Ted Purcell                    30            12            30            42<o:p></o:p> Phil Axtell                     30            18            11            29<o:p></o:p> Nik Sellers                    33            11            16            27<o:p></o:p> David Strathman            33            7            11            18<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Sioux Falls                   GP            G            A            PTS<o:p></o:p> Andreas Nodl                 35            22            15            37<o:p></o:p> Mark Magnowski            35            17            15            32<o:p></o:p> Casey Parenteau            35            6            23            29<o:p></o:p> Drew Akins                    35            10            11            21<o:p></o:p> (two players tied with 18 points)<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section3> Des Moines                  GP            G            A            PTS<o:p></o:p> Trevor Lewis                  31            22            20            42<o:p></o:p> Kyle Okposo                 31            20            21            41<o:p></o:p> Colin Vock                    32            9            19            28<o:p></o:p> Richard Purslow            33            10            17            27<o:p></o:p> Aaron Palushaj              32            7            18            25<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Chicago                       GP            G            A            PTS<o:p></o:p> Nate Perkovich              36            20            14            34<o:p></o:p> Chris Clackson              37            13            20            33<o:p></o:p> Dan Kissel                    37            13            18            31<o:p></o:p> Randy Guzior                37            12            14            26<o:p></o:p> Eric Lampe                    30            7            17            24<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section4>  <o:p></o:p> LEADERS<o:p></o:p> Cedar Rapids<o:p></o:p> Goals- Phil Axtell (18)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Chad Costello, Ted Purcell (30)<o:p></o:p> Points- Chad Costello (47)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Sergei Kolosov (+13)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Phil Axtell (122)<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 leads the league in points, is tied for the lead in assists, ranks seventh in power play goals (5) and is tied for ninth in goals (17)…Purcell is tied for the league leads in assists and is tied for second in points (42) …Axtell leads the league in power play goals, ranks eighth in goals and ranks third in penalty minutes…Nik Sellers is tied for second in game winning goals (5)…David Strathman is tied for eighth in power play goals (6) and, among defensemen, is tied for fourth in goals (7) and tied for sixth in points (18)…Among defensemen, Kevin Wehrs is tied for tenth in assists (13)<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Sioux Falls<o:p></o:p> Goals- Andreas Nodl (22)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Casey Parenteau (23)<o:p></o:p> Points- Andreas Nodl (37)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Nate Prosser (+20)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Drew Akins (72)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Andreas Nodl (8)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Drew Akins (2)<o:p></o:p>             <o:p></o:p> Nodl is tied for the league lead in goals, is tied for third in power play goals and is tied for sixth in points…Parenteau ranks fifth in assists…Prosser ranks third in plus/minus and, among defensemen, is tied for fourth in assists (16) and tied for sixth in points (18)…Chris Berenguer is tied for fourth in plus/minus (+19) and, among defensemen, is tied for sixth in points (18), tied for eighth in goals (5) and tied for tenth in assists (13)…Chris Peluso is tied for eighth among defensemen in assists (14)<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Des Moines<o:p></o:p> Goals- Trevor Lewis (22)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Kyle Okposo (21)<o:p></o:p> Points- Trevor Lewis (42)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Kyle Okposo (+28)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Donnie Hallmark (88)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Trevor Lewis (6)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Trevor Lewis, Kyle Okposo (4)<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Lewis is tied for the league lead in goals and shorthanded goals, ranks second in plus/minus (+24), is tied for second in points and is tied for eighth in power play goals…Okposo leads the league in plus/minus, is tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals, is tied for second in game winning goals (5), ranks fourth in points (41), is tied for fourth in goals (20) and tied for ninth in assists…Colin Vock is tied for fifth in shorthanded goals (3)…Chase Ryan is tied for fourth in plus/minus (+19)…Aaron Palushaj is tied for eighth in plus/minus (+17)…Ken Rowe is tied for eighth in plus/minus (+17)…Alan Dorich ranks tenth in plus/minus (+16)…Hallmark is tied for eighth in penalty minutes (88)…Among defenseman, John Vadnais ranks fourth in points (23) and is tied for fourth in goals (7) and assists (16)…Shane Sims is tied for eighth among defensemen in goals (5)<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Chicago<o:p></o:p> Goals- Nate Perkovich (20)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Chris Clackson (20)<o:p></o:p> Points- Nate Perkovich (34)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Eric Lampe (+13)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Randy Guzior (128)<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 is tied for third in power play goals, is tied for fourth in goals and ranks ninth in points… Guzior leads the league in penalty minutes…Clackson is tied for fourth in penalty minutes (113)… Sami Liimatainen is tied for eighth in penalty minutes (88)<o:p></o:p>             <o:p></o:p> GOALTENDERS<o:p></o:p> Cedar Rapids                GP            MIN                  GAA            W-L-SOL      SO            SPCT   <o:p></o:p> Alex Stalock                  23            1394:58            2.32            16-7-0               1            .932<o:p></o:p> Pat McGann                  10            612:28              2.65            5-2-3                 1            .921<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Stalock is tied for the league lead in wins, ranks second in saves (745) and save percentage, is tied for fourth in goals against average and ranks fourth in minutes played<o:p></o:p>                         <o:p></o:p> Sioux Falls                   GP            MIN                  GAA            W-L-SOL     SO            SPCT<o:p></o:p> Alex Kangas                  17            1034:49            1.80            15-1-1               2            .941<o:p></o:p> John Murrary                 18            1096:05            2.13            15-2-1               2            .928<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Kangas leads the league in goals against average and save percentage, is tied with Murray for second in wins and ranks tenth in saves (291)…Murray ranks third in goals against average, fourth in save percentage and tenth in minutes played<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Des Moines                  GP            MIN                  GAA            W-L-SOL      SO            SPCT<o:p></o:p> Troy Davenport               23            1396:53            2.32            15-5-3               2            .930<o:p></o:p> Brian Foster                  11            662:30              2.08            7-3-1                 0            .927<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Davenport is tied for second in wins, ranks third in save percentage, minutes played and saves (715) and is tied for fourth in goals against average<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Chicago                       GP            MIN                  GAA            W-L-SOL      SO            SPCT<o:p></o:p> Eric Pfligler                    3            158:12              3.03            1-2-0                 1            .925<o:p></o:p> Shaun Williams             27            1481:31            3.69            8-15-2               0            .893<o:p></o:p> Jared Demichiel             5<SPAN style