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RoughRider Alums Claim Collegiate Honors

RoughRider Alums Claim Collegiate Honors

March 23, 2006- A host of Cedar Rapids RoughRiders alumni claimed collegiate honors last weekend. Foremost among the former Riders earning Division I recognition is St. Cloud State goaltender Bobby Goepfert, who was a First Team All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association selection. In 38 games this season, Goepfert went 20-14-4 with a 2.20 goals against average, a .920 save percentage and three shutouts. Goepfert last weekend backstopped the upstart Huskies to the WCHA tournament final. Goepfert, who spent two seasons in Cedar Rapids, still holds nearly every RoughRider single season and career goaltending record. In 96 career games as a Rider, Goepfert went 52-28-9 with a 2.45 goals against average, a .926 save percentage and nine shutouts. In 2001-02, his final season in Cedar Rapids, Goepfert was named United States Hockey League Player of the Year after going 27-16-5 while turning in a 2.04 goals against average, a .936 save percentage and eight shutouts. Goepfert was a sixth round choice of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2002 National Hockey League draft. Minnesota State Goaltender Dan Tormey was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team after going 14-13-4 in 31 games with the Mavericks and posting a 2.83 goals against average, a .902 save percentage and two shutouts. Tormey, who spent a season and a half in Cedar Rapids, was part of last year’s Clark Cup-winning Rider team. Tormey went 34-4-2 last season while turning in a 2.25 goals against average, a .926 save percentage and three shutouts. He was named to the 2004-05 All-USHL Second Team. Denver alternate captain Ted O’Leary was named WCHA Student-Athlete of the year. O’Leary, who played a collegiate career high 38 games for Denver this season, was a member of the Pioneers’ back-to-back national championship teams in 2003-04 and 2004-05. O’Leary skated in 98 games for the RoughRiders in 2000-01 and 2001-02, scoring 26 career goals and 54 points. He notched 20 goals and 39 points in his final season with the Riders. Merrimack forward Rob Ricci was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie team. Ricci (10-16-26) led Merrimack in point scoring and was also the top point producer among Hockey East freshmen. Ricci, who spent two seasons in Cedar Rapids, captained the Riders to the Clark Cup title last year. He finished last season as the team’s second-leading point scorer, scoring 26 goals and totaling 60 points in 59 games. Ricci, who played 119 career games for the Riders, ranks third in team history in career goals (43) and points (99). Massachusetts-Lowell captain Danny O’Brien received Hockey East’s Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award. O’Brien (14-13-27) was the River Hawks’ second leading scorer during his senior season and has been a UML captain each of the last three years. O’Brien turned professional last week, making his debut for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. The South Boston, Massachusetts, native has collected two assists in three games with the Stingrays. O’Brien played for the RoughRiders during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. In 110 career United States Hockey League games, O’Brien scored 28 and picked up 42 assists for 70 points. He ended his junior career as the Riders’ career point scoring leader and still ranks seventh in team history in points. In his final season in Cedar Rapids, O’Brien captained the Riders to the first playoff series win in club history, a four game victory over the Lincoln Stars. This season’s edition of the RoughRiders (32-19-6, 70 points), enters the final weekend of the regular season tied for first place in the USHL’s East Division. The Riders close out the regular season with a home-and-home series with the Chicago Steel. After hosting Chicago tomorrow evening at 7:05PM, the Riders will take on the Steel in Bensenville, Illinois, 24 hours later. Tickets for tomorrow night’s game are on sale at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office. Tickets can be purchased over the phone at (319) 261-4625, in person at the ice arena or on line at www.roughridershockey.com. 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 $7.00 to $17.00 including a 50-cent facility fee. Seats for the Riders’ first two Clark Cup playoff games are also now available at the ticket office. Playoff ticket prices range from $8 to $18.

Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 (Archive on Thursday, March 23, 2006)

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