News

Home

RR Merchandise

RR Sponsors

Team Zone

News

Game Day

Tickets

Promotions

Community

Arena

Contact

FAQ

Weekly Update: February 28, 2006

Weekly Update: February 28, 2006

<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> February 28, 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, March 1, 7:35PM @ Edge Ice Arena, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Bensenville</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Illinois</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> RoughRiders vs. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City> Steel<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, March 4, 7:05PM @ Young Arena<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> RoughRiders vs. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City> Black Hawks<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sunday, March 5, 6:05PM @ <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City> Arena<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> RoughRiders vs. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City> Stampede<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> 27-16-5, 59 points, 2nd place East Division <o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> 15-33-3, 33 points, 6th place East Division<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 18-26-6, 41 points, 4th place East Division<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> 38-10-2, 78 points, 1st place West Division<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> COMING IN<o:p></o:p>             The RoughRiders won a pair of games last week, defeating the Des Moines Buccaneers 7-4 last Wednesday in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Urbandale</st1:place></st1:City> and dropping the Indiana Ice 5-2 last Friday on home ice.<o:p></o:p>             The Riders are unbeaten in regulation (3-0-1) in their last four games.<o:p></o:p>             The Riders’ magic number for clinching a playoff spot for the sixth straight year is three points.  Any combination of points gained by the Riders or not collected by the Waterloo Black Hawks totaling three will enable the Riders to secure a postseason berth.<o:p></o:p>             The Riders are now three points behind the first place Des Moines Buccaneers in the East Division.  The Riders are one point ahead of the third place Green Bay Gamblers.  The Riders have two games in hand on the Bucs and have played three fewer games than the Gamblers.<o:p></o:p>             Ted Purcell is closing in on Jon Grabarek’s RoughRider career points record.  Purcell, who is now in his second season with the team, has totaled 126 points in 102 games for the Riders.  Grabarek collected 129 points in 175 games over three seasons in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City>.             Purcell (15-44-59) currently leads the USHL in assists and ranks third in points, just behind league-leading teammate Chad Costello (25-39-64).  <o:p></o:p>             Rider goaltender Al Stalock is unbeaten in regulation in his last five games (4-0-1) and has made at least 40 saves in four of those five contests.<o:p></o:p>             Last Wednesday’s win was the Riders’ fortieth in 53 road games over the last two seasons.<o:p></o:p>             The Steel (15-33-3) has lost ten straight games- the longest losing streak in the USHL this season.  <st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City> hasn’t won since scoring a 6-2 victory at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Green Bay</st1:place></st1:City> on January 24.<o:p></o:p>             The Steel lost a pair of home games to the Omaha Lancers last weekend.  <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City> fell 4-1 last Friday and was shut out out 3-0 last Saturday.<o:p></o:p>             The Steel is also in the midst of a six game home losing streak.  <st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City>’s last win in Bensenville was a 5-2 defeat of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place> on January 20.<o:p></o:p>             <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place> is eight points behind the fifth place Indiana Ice in the East Division standings and nine points behind the Waterloo Black Hawks, who hold the fourth and final East Division playoff spot.<o:p></o:p>             The Steel is the only team in the league that averages better than four goals against per game (4.1).  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place> also ranks second to last in goals scored per contest (2.7).<o:p></o:p>             Nor has the Steel’s performance on special teams been anything to boast of.  <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City> is saddled with the work penalty killing in the USHL (77.1 percent) and the second poorest power play (14.1 percent).<o:p></o:p>             Former Rider Nate Perkovich (23-21-44) is <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place>’s top scorer.<o:p></o:p>             Junior veteran Eric Pfligler has been a workhorse in goal for <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City>.  Since joining the Steel last month, Pfligler has played 16 of 17 games.  He is currently in the midst of a nine game personal losing streak.<o:p></o:p>             The Black Hawks have lost four straight games and are winless (0-5-1) in their last six games.  The Hawks are just 3-10-2 in their last 15 outings.  <o:p></o:p>             <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City> endured three defeats last week.  The Black Hawks were shutout 5-0 last Tuesday in <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City>, fell 5-3 to <st1:City w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:City> last Friday and were whitewashed 3-0 by <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City> last Saturday.<o:p></o:p>             As a result of their recent struggles, the Black Hawks are just one point ahead of fifth place <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Indiana</st1:State></st1:place> in the race for the fourth and final East Division playoff spot.  The Ice has three games in hand on <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City>.<o:p></o:p>             The Black Hawks are the lowest scoring team in the USHL, averaging 2.7 goals per game.<o:p></o:p>             Mitch Ryan (17-20-37) is <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place>’s top scorer.  <o:p></o:p>             The  Black Hawks open the weekend with a home game against <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place> Friday night.<o:p></o:p>             The Stampede ended a season-worst three game losing streak with last Saturday’s 3-0 shutout of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place>.  That victory came one night after a 5-2 loss at arch rival <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux City</st1:place></st1:City>.  <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City> started the week with a 2-1 defeat at Tri-City last Tuesday.<o:p></o:p>             The Stampede has lost six of its last ten games (4-6-0) after suffering just four regulation losses over its first 40 games.  <o:p></o:p>             Despite a few hiccups of late, <st1:City w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:City> leads the West Division by 14 points over second place <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City></st1:place> (whom the Stampede will host on Thursday night).<o:p></o:p> With a 3-0 win at <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:place></st1:City> on February 10, the Stampede became the first team in the league this season to clinch a playoff berth.<o:p></o:p>             The Stampede has won just one of its last four home games after going 18-1-1 over its first 20 on home ice.  <o:p></o:p> No team gives up fewer goals than <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City>.  The Stampede surrenders and average of just 2.1 goals per game.  The goaltending duo of Alex Kangas and John Murray has been at the heart of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:City></st1:place>’ success.  <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Murray</st1:place></st1:City> leads the league in goals against average (1.94) and save percentage (.936) while Kangas ranks third in goals against average (2.13) and save percentage (.929).<o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City>’ Andreas Nodl (23-28-51) is tied for fifth in the league in goals and tied for sixth in points.<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> Thursday, February 22:  <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> 7  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:City></st1:place> 4<o:p></o:p> Seven different RoughRiders scored and Al Stalock made 34 saves.  The Riders scored five straight goals late in the first period and early in the second to break the game open.<o:p></o:p>                       <o:p></o:p> Friday, February 17:  <st1:City w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:City> 5  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Indiana</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p> The RoughRiders scored the game’s last three goals two pull away from the Ice.  Al Stalock made 40 saves in the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cedar Rapids</st1:place></st1:City> net.<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, February 24: <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> 4  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place> 1<o:p></o:p> The Steel surrendered four unanswered goals after Brandon Coccimiglio’s first period goal gave <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City> a short-lived 1-0 lead.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, February 25: <st1:City w:st="on">Omaha</st1:City> 3  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chicago</st1:City></st1:place> 0<o:p></o:p> The Steel gave up a pair of first period goals and were unable to claw back into the game.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> Tuesday, February 21: <st1:City w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:City> 5  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place> 0<o:p></o:p> The Stars put the game beyond the Black Hawks’ reach with three goals in just over three minutes early in the second period.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Friday, February 24: <st1:City w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:City> 5  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place> 3<o:p></o:p> The Black Hawks were unable to hold three separate one goal leads and fell after allowing the game’s final three goals.  Mike Testwuide, Mitch Ryan and Cody Chupp scored for <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City>.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, February 25: Sioux Falls 3  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place> 0<o:p></o:p> The Hawks were whitewashed despite outshooting <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City> 38-21.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Tuesday, February 21: Tri-City 2  Sioux Falls 1<o:p></o:p> Jacob Drewiske scored the only <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City> goal as the Stampede managed just 16 shots.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Friday, February 24: <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Sioux City</st1:City></st1:place> 5  Sioux Falls 2<o:p></o:p> After first period goals from Nate Prosser and Casey Parenteau gave the Stampede a 2-0 lead, the Musketeers roared back with five unanswered goals.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Saturday, February 25: Sioux Falls 3  <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place> 0<o:p></o:p> John Murray stopped all 38 <st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City> shots while Ben Holmstrom scored twice for <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City>.  Mark Magnowski put <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City> away with a late empty net goal.<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               47         25         39         64<o:p></o:p> Ted Purcell                    44         15         44         59<o:p></o:p> Phil Axtell                     40         21         14         35<o:p></o:p> Nik Sellers                     47         14         18         32<o:p></o:p> David Strathman           48         10         15         25<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City>                       GP       G          A          PTS<o:p></o:p> Nathan Perkovich          47         23         21         44<o:p></o:p> Chris Clackson              49         19         23         42<o:p></o:p> Dan Kissel                    50         15         24         39<o:p></o:p> Randy Guzior                49         17         21         38<o:p></o:p> Eric Lampe                   43         11         23         34<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section3> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City>                      GP       G          A          PTS<o:p></o:p> Mitch Ryan                    50         17         20         37<o:p></o:p> Cody Chupp                 47         13         18         31<o:p></o:p> Mike Testwuide              46         16         10         26<o:p></o:p> Matt Arhontas               45         11         15         26<o:p></o:p> Zach Bearson                46         11         13         24<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City>                   GP       G          A          PTS<o:p></o:p> Andreas Nodl                50         26         25         51<o:p></o:p> Casey Parenteau           49         16         28         44<o:p></o:p> Mark Magnowski            50         19         23         42<o:p></o:p> Drew Akins                    48         13         15         28<o:p></o:p> Nate Prosser                 49         3          21         24<o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section4> 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> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Goals-</st1:City> <st1:country-region w:st="on">Chad</st1:country-region></st1:place> Costello (25)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Ted Purcell (59)<o:p></o:p> Points- Chad Costello (64)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Sergei Kolosov (+10)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Phil Axtell (151)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Phil Axtell (13)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Jacob Cepis, Gary Steffes, David Strathman (1)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Costello leads the league in points, ranks second in assists, is tied for fifth in power play goals (10) and ranks sixth in goals…Purcell leads the league in assists and ranks third in points (59) …Axtell is tied for the league lead in power play goals (13), ranks fourth in penalty minutes (151) and is tied for tenth in goals (21)…Nik Sellers is tied for second in game winning goals (6)…David Strathman is tied for tenth in power play goals (8) and, among defensemen, ranks fourth in goals (10) and eighth in points (25)…Kevin Wehrs ranks ninth among defensemen in assists (17)<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- Nathan Perkovich (23)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Dan Kissel (24)<o:p></o:p> Points- Nathan Perkovich (44)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Eric Lampe (+12)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Randy Guzior (167)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Nate Perkovich, Chris Clackson (10)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Eric Lampe (3)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Perkovich is tied for fifth in power play goals and tied for seventh in goals…Guzior leads the league in penalty minutes…Clackson ranks fifth in penalty minutes (148) and is tied for fifth in power play goals…Sami Liimatainen is tied for tenth in penalty minutes (106)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p> Goals- Mitch Ryan (17)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Mitch Ryan (20)<o:p></o:p> Points- Mitch Ryan  (37)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Nick Grasso, Mike Testwuide (+2)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Mitch Ryan (101)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Cody Chupp (6)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Mike Testwuide (1)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Goals- Andreas Nodl (26)<o:p></o:p> Assists- Casey Parenteau (28)<o:p></o:p> Points- Andreas Nodl (51)<o:p></o:p> Plus/Minus- Chris Berenguer, Nate Prosser (+20)<o:p></o:p> Penalty Minutes- Channing Boe (106)<o:p></o:p> Power Play Goals- Andreas Nodl (9)<o:p></o:p> Shorthanded Goals- Drew Akins (2)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Nodl is tied for fifth in goals, tied for sixth in points and tied for eighth in power play goals…Berenguer and Prosser are tied for seventh in plus/minus…Parenteau is tied for tenth in plus/minus…Boe is tied for tenth in penalty minutes…Magnowski is tied for second in power play goals<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                  34         2037:06 2.47      20-10-2             3          .932<o:p></o:p> Pat McGann                  15         878:14              2.87      5-6-3                 1          .911<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Stalock leads the league in saves (1144), ranks second in save percentage, wins and minutes played, is tied for fourth in shutouts and ranks fifth in goals against average<o:p></o:p>                         <o:p></o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:City>                       GP       MIN                  GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT<o:p></o:p> Eric Pfligler                   16         822:48              3.65      4-12-0               1          .898<o:p></o:p> Jared Demichiel                        10         431:18              4.03      2-2-1                 0          .889<o:p></o:p>    (TOTALS)                   11         491:09              4.03      2-3-1                 0          .884<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City>                      GP       MIN                  GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT<o:p></o:p> Joe Grossman              35         1814:29 3.11      12-15-4             1          .887 <o:p></o:p></DIV> <DIV class=Section5> Daniel Rosen                5          255:11              3.53      0-3-1                 0          .881<o:p></o:p>   (TOTALS)                    32         1700:03 3.18      9-18-3               0          .900<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Grossman ranks fifth in minutes played and is tied for tenth in wins…Rosen ranks seventh in minutes played<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City>                   GP       MIN                  GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT<o:p></o:p> John Murray                  27         1609:11 1.94      21-4-1               3          .936<o:p></o:p> Alex Kangas                 24         1422:00 2.19      17-6-1               3          .929<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Murray</st1:place></st1:City> leads the league in goals against average and save percentage, ranks third in wins, is tied for third in shutouts and ranks tenth in minutes played…Kangas ranks third in goals against average and save percentage, is tied for third in shutouts and ranks seventh 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> Jacob Cepis: six assists in his last six games<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Chad</st1:country-region></st1:place> Costello: 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in his last seven games<o:p></o:p> Steven Kaunisto: two goals in his last two games after going without a goal in his first 43 games<o:p></o:p> Andy Miele: six points (three goals, three assists) in his last four games<o:p></o:p> Ted Purcell: ten points (three goals, seven assists) in his last six games<o:p></o:p> Al Stalock: unbeaten in regulation in his last five games (4-0-1, 2.56, .941)…has made at least 40 saves in four of his<o:p></o:p>             last five games<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> Brandon Coccimiglio: four game point scoring streak (four goals, two assists) ended last Saturday<o:p></o:p> Nathan Perkovich: 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in his last nine games<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Waterloo</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p> Mitch Ryan: eight points (two goals, six assists) in his last seven games<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sioux Falls</st1:place></st1:City><I styl