THIS WEEK
Friday, March 2, 7:05PM @ Mid-America Center, Council Bluffs
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders vs. Omaha Lancers
Saturday, March 3, 7:05PM @ Young Arena, Waterloo
Waterloo Black Hawks vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders vs.
RECORDS
Cedar Rapids
27-14-3, 57 points, tied 1st place East Division
Omaha
27-13-4, 58 points, 1st place West Division
Waterloo
27-12-3, 57 points, tied 1st place East Division
COMING IN
The RoughRiders picked up three of a possible four points last week. The Riders shutout the Indiana Ice 5-0 last Wednesday and earned one point for a 3-2 overtime loss at Sioux City last Saturday.
The Riders are unbeaten in regulation (2-0-1) in their last three games and have suffered just one regulation loss in their last six games (4-1-1).
The Riders moved into a tie with the Waterloo Black Hawks in the race for the top spot in the United States Hockey League’s East Divison by picking up a point last Saturday. The Black Hawks, whose scheduled game against Lincoln last Saturday was postponed, do have two games in hand on the Riders. The Riders and Hawks are both just one point behind Omaha in the battle for the overall league lead.
The Riders are the second highest scoring team in the USHL. Cedar Rapids averages four goals per game.
Jacob Cepis (30-30-60) scored his thirtieth goal of the season last Saturday and is now within one of the RoughRiders’ single season goal scoring record. Cepis is the first player in the league to reach the 30-goal plateau this season. Cepis is also tied for the league lead in points.
The Riders have killed off their opponents’ last 21 power plays. Cedar Rapids now ranks sixth in the league on the penalty kill (84.1 percent).
The Lancers are unbeaten in regulation their last 13 games (11-0-2). The Lancers routed the Chicago Steel 9-3 last Friday in Bensenville, Illinois, but the Steel bounced back to edge Omaha 5-4 in a shootout one night later. The Lancers did earn a single point for the shootout defeat.
The Lancers have gone 18-2-2 in their last 22 games after going 9-11-2 in their first 22 outings.
The start of Omaha’s turnaround coincided with the December 10 acquisition of goaltender Drew Palmisano from the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets. Since joining the Lancers, Palmisano has gone 13-2-1 with a 2.34 goals against average and a .921 save percentage.
Michal Valent, the Lancers’ other goaltender, has gone unbeaten in regulation (5-0-1) since joining Omaha last month.
Mark Olver (22-24-46) is far and away the Lancers’ top point producer.
The Black Hawks defeated the Tri-City Storm 4-3 in a shootout last Friday night. The weekend’s ice and snow storms prevented the Lincoln Stars from traveling to Waterloo for their scheduled game against the Black Hawks Saturday.
The Black Hawks are the top defensive team in the USHL. Waterloo surrenders just 2.5 goals per game.
The Black Hawks Joshua Turnbull (23-14-37) ranks third in the league in goal scoring.
James Marcou (16-29-45) is the Black Hawks’ top point scorer.
The Hawks’ Matthew DiGirolamo and Ryan Rondeau form a formidable goaltending tandem.
DiGirolamo leads the league in goals against average (2.35), ranks third in save percentage (.913) and is tied for fifth in wins, having gone 16-6-0 so far this season. Rondeau, who has gone 11-6-3, ranks second in goals against average (2.42).
LAST WEEK
Cedar Rapids
Wednesday, February 21: Cedar Rapids 5 Indiana 0
Richard Bachman made 41 saves to blank Indiana. Aaron Bogosian, Jacob Cepis, David Boehm, Ian Slater and Robin Bergman scored for the Riders.
Saturday, February 24: Sioux City 3 Cedar Rapids 2 (OT)
The Riders rallied from a 2-0 deficit on goals from Jacob Cepis and Danny Dries only to fall in overtime.
Omaha
Friday, February 23: Omaha 9 Chicago 3
Mark Olver had a hat trick and one assist and Barry Almeida also collected four points- one goal and three assists- as the Lancers romped.
Saturday, February 24: Chicago 5 Omaha 4 (SO)
The Lancers were unable to hold a 4-2 third period lead and were outscored 2-0 in the shootout. Matt Thurber, Barry Almeida and Andrew Conboy notched one goal and one assist apiece for Omaha.
Waterloo
Friday, February 23: Waterloo 4 Tri-City 3 (SO)
The Black Hawks won the shootout 3-2 after Blake Kessel tied the game at three at 12:23 of the third period.
TOP POINT SCORERS
Cedar Rapids GP G A PTS
Jacob Cepis 43 30 30 60
Pat Cannone 43 14 26 40
Robin Bergman 36 20 15 35
Kevin Wehrs 43 8 26 34
Rob Bordson 36 6 25 31
Omaha GP G A PTS
Mark Olver 41 22 24 46
Jarmo Jokila 42 15 15 30
Andrew Conboy 40 14 16 30
Brett Bruneteau 39 10 20 30
(two players tied with 27 points)
Waterloo GP G A PTS
James Marcou 40 16 29 45
Josh Turnbull 42 23 14 37
Matt Arhontas 42 13 18 31
Ryan Cramer 42 13 16 29
Kyle Reeds 33 17 10 27
LEADERS
Cedar Rapids
Goals- Jacob Cepis (30)
Assists- Jacob Cepis (30)
Points- Jacob Cepis (60)
Plus/Minus- Pat Cannone, Kevin Wehrs (+12)
Penalty Minutes- Kevin Wehrs (93)
Power Play Goals- Robin Bergman (13)
Shorthanded Goals- Aaron Bogosian (3)
Omaha
Goals- Mark Olver (22)
Assists- Mark Olver (24)
Points- Mark Olver (46)
Plus/Minus- Mark Olver (+22)
Penalty Minutes- Nick Petrecki (133)
Power Play Goals- Robby Dee (7)
Shorthanded Goals- Jarmo Jokila (3)
Waterloo
Goals- Joshua Turnbull (23)
Assists- James Marcou (29)
Points- James Marcou (45)
Plus/Minus- Kyle Reeds (+22)
Penalty Minutes- Pasko Skarica (110)
Power Play Goals- James Marcou (9)
Shorthanded Goals- Matt Arhontas, Tim Gilbert, Joshua Turnbull (2)
WHO’S HOT
Cedar Rapids
Pat Cannone: ten points (two goals, eight assists) in his last nine games
Jacob Cepis: 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in his last ten games
Richard Bachman: unbeaten in regulation (2-0-1) in his last three games with a 1.93 goals against average, a .953
save percentage and one shutout
Omaha
Barry Almeida: six points (two goals, four assists) in his last two games
Mark Olver: 11-game point scoring streak (11-12-23) ended last Saturday
Patrick Schafer: seven-game point scoring streak (6-6-12) ended last Saturday
Matt Thurber: six-game point scoring streak (3-6-9)…13 points (four goals, nine assists) in his last nine games
Drew Palmisano: unbeaten in regulation (6-0-1) in his last seven games with a 2.40 goals against average and a .917
save percentage
Michal Valent: 5-0-1 with Omaha with a 2.44 goals against average and a .915 save percentage
Waterloo
Matt Arhontas: seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last six games
James Marcou: 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in his last nine games
Kyle Reeds: 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in his last 20 games
Joshua Turnbull: seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last six games
Ryan Rondeau: has given up three goals or fewer in his last 15 games
GOALTENDERS
Cedar Rapids GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
Kent Patterson 23 1341:57 2.95 16-5-1 2 .911
Richard Bachman 16 967:22 3.23 8-6-2 2 .907
Omaha GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
Drew Palmisano 16 924:41 2.34 12-2-1 0 .921
Michal Valent 6 368:29 2.44 5-0-1 1 .915
Waterloo GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
Matthew DiGirolamo 23 1300:21 2.35 16-6-0 3 .913
Ryan Rondeau 22 1239:49 2.42 11-6-3 2 .903
WIN-LOSS
Cedar Rapids Omaha Waterloo
Home: 15-8-0 Home: 14-6-1 Home: 16-3-1
Away: 12-6-3 Away: 13-7-3 Away: 11-9-2
vs. East: 20-5-0 vs. East: 16-1-2 vs. East: 18-5-2
vs. West: 7-9-3 vs. West: 11-12-2 vs. West: 9-7-1
GOALS
Cedar Rapids Omaha Waterloo
Goals For: 4.00 (1) Goals For: 3.59 (5) Goals For: 3.57 (6)
Goals Against: 3.30 (6) Goals Against: 3.23 (5) Goals Against: 2.48 (1)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Cedar Rapids Omaha
Power Play: 18.7 61/327 (3) Power Play: 13.1 42/321 (11)
Penalty Kill: 84.1 39/246 (6) Penalty Kill: 81.1 60/317 (11)
Shorthanded Goals For: 10 Shorthanded Goals For: 10
Shorthanded Goals Against: 5 Shorthanded Goals Against: 3
Waterloo
Power Play: 14.0 43/308 (9)
Penalty Kill: 86.1 33/238 (1)
Shorthanded Goals For: 6
Shorthanded Goals Against: 2
SEASON SERIES
Cedar Rapids vs. Omaha
1/26/07 Omaha 4 at Cedar Rapids 1 3/2/07 Cedar Rapids at Omaha
2/17/07 Cedar Rapids 4 Omaha at 3 (SO) 3/16/07 Cedar Rapids at Omaha
GP W-L-SOL PTS H A OPP REC OPP PTS
2006-07 2 1-1-0 2 1-1-0 0-0-0 1-0-1 3
All-Time 33 12-18-3 27 7-8-3 5-10-0 21-7-5 47
Cedar Rapids vs. Waterloo
11/23/06 Cedar Rapids 3 at Waterloo 2
11/24/06 Waterloo 4 at Cedar Rapids 3
12/31/06 at Waterloo 3 Cedar Rapids 2
1/27/07 at Cedar Rapids 3 Waterloo 0
3/3/07 Cedar Rapids at Waterloo
3/30/07 Waterloo at Cedar Rapids
3/31/07 Cedar Rapids at Waterloo
4/14/07 Waterloo at Cedar Rapids
GP W-L-SOL PTS H A OPP REC OPP PTS
2006-07 4 2-2-0 4 1-1-0 1-1-0 2-2-0 4
All-Time 50 25-21-4 54 14-8-2 11-13-2 25-21-4 54
Top Point Scorers/Season Series
Cedar Rapids GP G A PTS
Evan Stephens 2 1 1 2
Ian Slater 2 0 2 2
Scott Wietecha 2 0 2 2
Omaha GP G A PTS
Mark Olver 2 1 3 3
Patrick Schafer 2 2 0 2
Corey Toy 2 0 2 2
Cedar Rapids vs. Waterloo
Cedar Rapids GP G A PTS
Jacob Cepis 3 3 1 4
Scott Wietecha 3 3 0 3
(three players tied with two points)
Waterloo GP G A PTS
Brett Barta 3 1 2 3
Vince LoVerde 2 0 3 3
(five players tied with two points)
Goaltenders/Season Series
Cedar Rapids vs. Omaha
Cedar Rapids GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
Richard Bachman 1 65 2.77 1-0-0 0 .925
Kent Patterson 1 57:34 4.17 0-1-0 0 .897
Omaha GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
Drew Palmisano 2 125 1.92 1-0-1 0 .952
Cedar Rapids vs. Waterloo
Cedar Rapids GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
Richard Bachman 3 177:52 1.69 2-1-0 1 .953
Kent Patterson 1 58:56 4.07 0-1-0 0 .892
Waterloo GP MIN GAA W-L-SOL SO SPCT
Matthew DiGirolamo 2 118:40 2.53 1-1-0 0 .878
Ryan Rondeau 2 120 3.00 1-1-0 0 .908
COACHES
Cedar Rapids
Mark Carlson, 8th year (244-174-40)
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 i