Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Weekly Update November 27th 2006
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Weekly Update November 27th 2006

THIS WEEK

Friday, December 1, 7:05PM @ Cedar Rapids Ice Arena

Indiana Ice vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

 

Saturday, December 2, 7:05PM @ Cedar Rapids Ice Arena

Chicago Steel vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders                   

 

RECORDS

Cedar Rapids

11-5-0, 22 points, 2nd place East Division

Indiana

8-7-1, 17 points, tied 3rd place East Division

Chicago

3-11-1, 7 points, 5th place East Division

 

COMING IN

            The RoughRiders went 2-1-0 while playing three one-goal games in three nights last weekend.  Cedar Rapids won 3-2 on Thanksgiving night in Waterloo, suffered a 4-3 loss to the Black Hawks one night later on home ice and overcame the Gamblers 4-3 in overtime Saturday night in Green Bay.  The Riders trail Waterloo by two points in the race for first place in the United States Hockey League’s East Division.

            The Riders have won six of their last seven games and have gone 8-2-0 in their last ten. 

Last Saturday’s win was the Riders’ fifth straight road victory.  The Riders boast the league’s best road record (7-1-0).

            The Riders remain the highest scoring team in the USHL, though their per-game output has dropped below five goals to 4.8 per contest.

            The Riders’ Jacob Cepis (13-13-26) scored three goals and totaled seven points in three games last weekend.  On the season, Cepis leads the league in goals and points.

Richard Bachman was in goal for both of the Riders’ wins last weekend, making 29 saves last Thursday and 31 last Saturday.  Bachman was acquired from the Chicago Steel in exchange for goaltender Pat McGann and forward Andy Miele last Monday.  This Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between the Riders and Steel since the trade.

The Riders and Ice will get together Saturday for the first time since Cedar Rapids defeated Indiana in five games in the first round of last spring’s Clark Cup playoffs.

            The Ice beat the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets three times in less than 48 hours last weekend.  After a hard fought 4-3 overtime victory last Friday night in Indianapolis, the Ice rolled to a pair of convincing wins in Columbus, downing the Ice 5-1 Saturday evening and 5-2 yesterday afternoon.

            The Blue Jackets proved to be the cure for what was ailing the Ice after Indiana had gone just 1-4-0 in five games prior to last weekend.  The Ice won twice in Columbus over the weekend after going 0-5-1 in its first six road games. 

            The Ice’s John Kemp (6-16-22) is tied for the league lead in assists and tied for fourth in points.  Teammate Garrett Roe (7-13-20) is tied for eighth in assists and tied for ninth in points.

            Alex Kangas, who came over to Indiana in a draft day deal with Sioux Falls in May, is tied for fourth among goaltenders in save percentage (.907).

            The struggling Steel fell to Green Bay 3-2 in overtime last Friday and dropped a 4-1 decision to Waterloo last Saturday.  Chicago is winless (0-3-1) in its last four games and has gone just 1-8-1 in its last ten.

            The Steel has the second worst record in the USHL.  Chicago is just two points ahead of the league cellar-dwelling Blue Jackets. 

            Only Ohio scores fewer or gives up more goals per game than Chicago.  The Steel scores an average of 2.5 per contest and surrenders 4.3 per game.

            The Steel has not been helped much by special teams.  Chicago has the league’s second worst shorthand unit (77.7 percent) and third worst power play (12.3 percent).

            Miele picked up an assist in his Steel debut last Friday.  He scored seven goals and totaled 15 points in 13 games with the Riders before the trade.  McGann has not yet played for Chicago.

Mike Embach (6-6-12) is Chicago’s top point scorer.

           

LAST WEEK

Cedar Rapids

Thursday, November 23:  Cedar Rapids 3  Waterloo 2

Jacob Cepis scored two goals including the third period game winner.  Scott Wietecha provided the other Cedar Rapids goal while Richard Bachman made 29 saves to earn the win in goal in his Rider debut.

 

Friday, November 24:   Waterloo 4  Cedar Rapids 3

The Black Hawks scored the game’s last three goals after goals from Jacob Cepis, Evan Stephens and Scott Wietecha gave the Riders a 3-1 lead.

 

Saturday, November 25:  Cedar Rapids 4  Green Bay 3

Pat Cannone scored at 47 seconds of overtime to give the Riders a come-from-behind win.  Cedar Rapids rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits in the third period on two goals from David Boehm and one from Kevin Wehrs.  Boehm forced overtime by scoring his second goal with just 1:35 left in regulation.  Richard Bachman made 31 saves in the Rider net.

 

Indiana

Friday, November 24:  Indiana 4  Ohio 3 (OT)

Garrett Roe’s power play goal 3:15 into overtime gave the Ice the win.  Roe also picked up two assists.  John Kemp (one goal, three assists) had a hand in all four Indiana goals, while Eric Kattelus scored twice and added an assist.  The Ice outshot the Blue Jackets 46-21.

 

Saturday, November 25:  Indiana 5  Ohio 1

Three third period goals- two of them from Jake Skjodt- enabled the Ice to put the Blue Jackets away.  John Kemp scored the other Indiana goal in the third and assisted on both of Skjodt’s.

 

Sunday, November 26:  Indiana  5  Ohio 2

The Ice jumped out to a 4-0 first period lead and never looked back.  Brent Gwidt scored the first two goals of the game to kick-start the Indiana onslaught.

 

Chicago

Friday, November 24:  Green Bay 3  Chicago 2 (OT)

The Steel fell after jumping out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Troy Mattila early in the first period and Brian Keane early in the second.  Rob Madore made 36 saves to help the Steel to one point.

 

Saturday, November 25:  Waterloo 4  Chicago 1

The Steel gave up four unanswered goals after Cory Chakeen put Chicago up 1-0 at 4:26 of the first period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP POINT SCORERS

Cedar Rapids                    GP       G          A          PTS

Jacob Cepis                 16         13         13         26

Pat Cannone                 16         5          11         16

Rob Bordson                15         3          12         15

David Boehm                16         6          9          15

(two players tied with 14 points)

Indiana                              GP       G          A          PTS

John Kemp                   16         6          16         22

Garrett Roe                   16         7          13         20

Mike Phillippi                 15         4          10         14

Jake Skjodt                   14         7          6          13

(two players tied with eight points)

 

Chicago                             GP       G          A          PTS

Mike Embach                14         6          6          12

Sean Dolan                   14         5          4          9

Scott Kozlak                 15         2          6          8

Tim Buttery                   15         0          8          8

Troy Mattila                   15         3          4          7

 

LEADERS

Cedar Rapids

Goals- Jacob Cepis (13)

Assists- Jacob Cepis (13)

Points- Jacob Cepis (26)

Plus/Minus- Jacob Cepis (+8)

Penalty Minutes- Ian Slater (37)

Power Play Goals- Robin Bergman (4)

Shorthanded Goals- Aaron Bogosian (2)

 

Indiana

Goals- Garrett Roe, Jake Skjodt (7)

Assists- John Kemp (16)

Points- John Kemp (22)

Plus/Minus- Garrett Roe, Jake Skjodt, Ron Cramer (+3)

Penalty Minutes- Ryan Scott (63)

Power Play Goals- John Kemp, Garrett Roe, Jake Skjodt, Michael Gurtler (4)

Shorthanded Goals- Michael Gurtler, Gregory Squires, Brian Arrigoni, Brett Peterson (1)

                                                    

Chicago

Goals- Mike Embach (6)

Assists- Tim Buttery (8)

Points- Mike Embach (12)

Plus/Minus- Mike Janda (+6)

Penalty Minutes- Mike Embach (37)

Power Play Goals- Mike Embach, Scott Kozlak, Dan Lawson (2)

Shorthanded Goals- Brian Keane (1)

 

WHO’S HOT

Cedar Rapids              

Pat Cannone: ten points in his last six games (two goals, eight assists)…14 points in his last ten games (three goals,

            11 assists)

Jacob Cepis: seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last three games

Scott Wietecha: five points (four goals, one assist) in his last five games

 

Indiana

Eric Kattelus: five points (two goals, three assists) in his last two games...eight points (four goals, four assists) in his

            last six games

John Kemp: nine points (three goals, six assists) in his last three games

Mike Phillippi: five assists in his last five games
Garrett Roe: five points (two goals, three assists) in his last three games
Jake Skjodt: seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last six game
Alex Kangas: three game winning streak (1.97, .912)

 

Chicago

Sean Dolan: five points (three goals, two assists) in his last five games

Mike Embach: six points (three goals, three assists) in his last seven games

Troy Mattila: five points (two goals, three assists) in his last six games

 

GOALTENDERS

Cedar Rapids                   GP       MIN          GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT  

Richard Bachman          2          130:47      2.48      2-0-0                 0          .923

Kent Patterson              8          482:03      3.36      6-2-0                 0          .891

                       

Indiana                                 GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT

Alex Kangas                 13         764       3.14      7-5-1                 0          .907

Cody Reichard              4          197:45  5.16      1-2-0                 0          .873

 

Chicago                               GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT

Rob Madore                  10         535:20  3.59      1-6-1                 0          .897

 

WIN-LOSS

Cedar Rapids               Indiana                         Chicago

Home: 4-4-0                  Home: 6-2-0                  Home: 1-5-1

Away: 7-1-0                   Away: 2-5-1                   Away: 2-6-0

 

vs. East: 8-2-0               vs. East: 5-5-0               vs. East: 2-6-1

vs. West: 3-3-0              vs. West: 3-2-1              vs. West: 1-5-0

 

GOALS

Cedar Rapids               Indiana                         Chicago

Goals For: 4.75 (1)         Goals For: 3.38 (8)         Goals For: 2.47 (11)

Goals Against: 3.44 (7)   Goals Against: 3.69 (8)   Goals Against: 4.27 (11)

                                                                                   


SPECIAL TEAMS

Cedar Rapids                                       Indiana                                                 Chicago

Power Play: 19.7  25/127  (5) Power Play: 20.9  23/110  (4)  Power Play: 12.4  10/81  (10)

Penalty Kill: 80.6  20/103  (10)  Penalty Kill: 82.4  24/136  (4)  Penalty Kill: 77.7  10/81  (11)

 

Shorthanded Goals For: 4                       Shorthanded Goals For: 4                       Shorthanded Goals For: 1

Shorthanded Goals Against: 2                 Shorthanded Goals Against: 0                 Shorthanded Goals Against: 6

 

SEASON SERIES

Cedar Rapids vs. Indiana

12/1/06             Indiana at Cedar Rapids

1/6/07               Cedar Rapids at Indiana

2/9/07               Cedar Rapids at Indiana

2/10/07             Cedar Rapids at Indiana

2/21/07             Indiana at Cedar Rapids

4/7/07               Indiana at Cedar Rapids

4/13/07             Cedar Rapids at Indiana

 

                GP       W-L-SOL           PTS      H          A                      OPP REC         OPP PTS

2005-06     7          5-2-0                 10         2-2-0     3-0-0                 2-5-0                 4

TOTALS   15         13-2-0               26         6-2-0     7-0-0                 2-12-1               5

Cedar Rapids vs. Chicago       


10/13/06            Cedar Rapids 10 at Chicago 3

10/14/06            at Cedar Rapids 6 Chicago 2

12/2/06             Chicago at Cedar Rapids

1/9/07               Cedar Rapids at Chicago

1/12/07             Chicago at Cedar Rapids

3/20/07             Cedar Rapids at Chicago

4/3/07               Cedar Rapids at Chicago

                GP       W-L-SOL           PTS      H          A                      OPP REC         OPP PTS

2006-07     2          2-0-0                 4          1-0-0     1-0-0                 0-2-0                 0

All-Time    41         27-12-2             56         14-7-0   13-5-2               14-25-2             30

 

Top Point Scorers/Season Series

Cedar Rapids vs. Indiana (2005-06)

Cedar Rapids                 GP       G          A          PTS

Ted Purcell                  7          6          7          13

Chad Costello               7          2          7          9
Ray Kaunisto                7          4          3          7

 

 

 

 

Indiana                         GP       G          A          PTS

Jay Sprague                 7          2          4          6
(three players tied with six points)

 

Cedar Rapids vs. Chicago (2006-07)

Cedar Rapids                  GP       G          A          PTS

Jacob Cepis                  2          4          2          6

Rob Bordson                 2          1          4          5

Andy Miele                    2          2          2          4

Chicago                       GP       G          A          PTS

(11 players tied with one point)

 

 

 

Goaltenders/Season Series

Cedar Rapids vs. Indiana (2005-06)

Cedar Rapids                   GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT  

Alex Stalock                  6          358:38  2.68      4-2-0                 0          .926

Pat McGann                  1          60         4.00      1-0-0                 0          .882

 

Indiana                             GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT  

Cody Reichard              7          374:39  3.04      2-4-0                 1          .911

Steve Jakiel                  1          20         9.00      0-0-0                 0          .700

Jay Clark                       1          22:13    8.10      0-0-0                 0          .727

 

Cedar Rapids vs. Chicago (2006-07)

Cedar Rapids                   GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT  

Pat McGann                  1          60         2.00      1-0-0                 0          .939

Kent Patterson              1          60         3.00      1-0-0                 0          .900

 

Chicago                           GP       MIN      GAA     W-L-SOL           SO       SPCT  

Rob Madore                  2          58:36    6.14      0-0-0                 0          .870

Richard Bachman          2          61:24    9.77      0-2-0                 0          .792

 

COACHES

Cedar Rapids

Mark Carlson, 8th year (229-164-38)

Mark Carlson has been the RoughRiders’ coach since the team arrived in Cedar Rapids in 1999.  In 2005-06 he led the Riders to their second straight East Division title. 

He has also piloted the Riders to six straight winning seasons and six straight Clark Cup playoff berths.  The Riders are one of just two USHL teams to have reached the postseason each of the last six years. 

The Riders are the only team to have advanced at least as far as the Clark Cup semi-finals/East Division finals each of the last two springs and four of the last five years.  On December 3, 2005 Carlson picked up his two hundredth career coaching win as the Riders defeated Omaha 2-1 in a shootout.  Carlson’s RoughRiders went 218-159-38 in his first seven seasons with the club.
            The high point of his tenure was leading the RoughRiders to the first Clark Cup (playoff) title in team history along with a share of the Anderson Cup regular season title and the East Division title in 2004-05.  The Riders went 42-13-5 during the regular season- the best record in club history- and swept through the first two rounds of the playoffs before defeating Sioux City three games to two in the finals. For his efforts, Carlson was named the 2004-05 USHL Coach of the Year.
            Carlson, a native of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell where he earned a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing. Also while at Lowell, Carlson skated in the highly competitive Hockey East conference as a forward on the River Hawks’ hockey team. His on-ice talent was recognized even before he arrived in Lowell when he was taken in the 1987 National Hockey League draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After graduating from UML, Carlson spent one season as an assistant coach at Lawrenceville School before returning to Lowell to serve as an assistant to head coach Bruce Crowder. After helping the River Hawks to a berth in the 1996 NCAA tournament, Carlson spent another three seasons beside Crowder as an assistant at Northeastern University in Boston, where he also acted as recruiting coordinator. He earned a master’s degree in education from N.U.

During his time at N.U. Carlson also acted as recruiting coordinator.  Among those he recruited for the Huskies were Jim Fahey, who now skates for the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks, and Mike Ryan, who would later be the top draft pick of the NHL’s Dallas Stars.

 

Indiana

Jack Bowkus, 2nd year (20-18-2)

Jack Bowkus replaced Dean Grillo as Indiana head coach on January 25, 2006 and guided the Ice to a 12-11-1 record and a berth in the 2006 Clark Cup playoffs.  Bowkus joined the Indiana staff at the start of the 2005-06 season as an assistant after coaching in the California Wave youth program for eight years.  As a player, Bowkus skated briefly for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers before spending four seasons (1984-88) with the Saskatoon Blades of the major junior Western Hockey League.

 

Chicago

Chris Imes, 2nd year (21-47-7)

            Chris Imes took over behind the Chicago bench last year after spending the 2004-05 season as an assistant with the Sioux Falls Stampede.  He was previously head coach of the North American Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Forge and an assistant coach with the Tri-City Storm.

            Imes enjoyed a stellar playing career.  He played for Team USA at the 1994 Olympics and was a four year standout at the University of Maine.  In 1994-95, as a Black Bear senior, he was the USA Hockey College Player of the Year, a Hobey Baker Award finalist, a First Team All-America and Hockey East Player of the Year.

            A 1993 draft choice of the Florida Panthers, Imes played professionally for two seasons with the Manitoba Moose of the International Hockey League.

 

HISTORY

After winning in Waterloo last Thursday, the Riders are now 5-1-1 all-time against the Black Hawks on Thanksgiving.  In the wake of last Friday’s loss, the Riders are now 3-2-0 all time in Thanksgiving week home games against the Hawks. 

            Last season was the Riders’ third straight 30-win campaign and also the fifth time in the last six years that the Riders have picked up at least 30 victories. 

The Riders went 42-13-5 on the road over the last two seasons combined.  The Riders’ road record was superior to their home record both last season season and in 2004-05.

The Riders are, along with the Omaha Lancers, one of just two teams who have reached the playoffs each of the last six years.  As all 12 USHL teams will qualify for the postseason this year, that streak will be stretch to seven consecutive playoff berths in April.

The Riders are the only USHL team to advance at least as far as the division finals each of the last two years.  Furthermore, Cedar Rapids is also the only team to reach the league’s final four in four of the last five years.  Only one team (Sioux City) has even reached the second round three times in the last five years.

The Ice moved to Indiana from Danville following the 2003-04 season. 

The Riders eliminated Indiana in the first round of the Clark Cup playoffs in both 2005 and 2006.

This is the Steel’s fifth season in Chicago.  The club moved from North Dakota in 2000 after spending four years as the Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks.

 

COLLEGE COMMITMENTS

Cedar Rapids (8)

Richard Bachman (Colorado College), Robin Bergman (Notre Dame), Jacob Cepis (Bowling Green), Doug Jones (Princeton), Matt Tommassoni (Miami of Ohio), Kevin Wehrs (Minnesota), Scott Wietecha (Ferris State), Tommy Wingels (Miami of Ohio)

 

Chicago (5)

Brandon Coccimiglio (Mercyhurst), Matt Godlewski (Princeton), Mike Janda (Rochester Institute of Technology), Brian Keane (Massachusetts), Andy Miele (Miami of Ohio)

 

 

 

 

Indiana (9)

Nick Bailen (Bowling Green), Michael Del Mauro (Harvard), Alex Kangas (Minnesota), Eric Kattelus (Michigan Tech), John Kemp (Nebraska-Omaha), Eric Olimb (Nebraska-Olimb), Brett Peterson (Minnesota State-Mankato), Mike Phillipi (Nebraska-Omaha), Garrett Roe (St. Cloud State)

 

NHL DRAFT PICKS

Cedar Rapids               Year     Round   Overall  Team

Sergei Kolosov             2004     5th         151       Detroit

Richard Bachman          2006     4th         120       Dallas

 

ROUGHRIDER ALUMNI

Division I                                                                     GP       G          A          PTS     

Justin Abdelkader (Michigan State/sophomore)               13         4          8          12

Phil Axtell (Michigan Tech/freshman)                              12         2          4          6

Casey Bickley (Army/senior)                                           14         3          8          11        

James Brannigan (Colorado College/junior)                     14         0          3          3

Jamie Carroll (Providence/senior)                                   14         3          1          4

Greg Collins (New Hampshire/sophomore)                      6          0          1          1

Chad Costello (Northeastern/freshman)                           12         5          6          11

Ray Eichenlaub (Miami of Ohio/sophomore)                   16         2          6          8

Jon Grabarek (Wayne State/sophomore)                         12         0          3          3         

Jordy Hart (Merrimack/junior)                                          8          1          0          1

Bryan Horan (Providence/senior)                                    13         1          2          3

Tyler Howells (Michigan State/senior)                              13         0          5          5

Ray Kaunisto (Northern Michigan/freshman)                    15         0          0          0

Steven Kaunisto (Lake Superior State/freshman)             13         0          3          3

Billy Loupee (Miami of Ohio/sophomore)                         11         1          2          3

Shane Lovdahl (Alaska-Anchorage/sophomore)              11         0          4          4

Alec Martinez (Miami of Ohio/sophomore)                      16         6          9          15

Zach Miskovic (St. Lawrence/sophomore)                       11         2          4          6

Sean Muncy (Brown/sophomore)                                    9          4          4          8

Brandon Naurato (Michigan/sophomore)                         14         4          2          6

Matt Olinger (Wisconsin/senior)                                      16         0          0          0

Zach Pearson (Ferris State/senior)                                  11         4          4          8         

Derek Peltier (Minnesota/junior