COMING IN
The RoughRiders went 2-0-1 last week and have gone 4-0-1 in their last five games. The Riders defeated the Sioux City Musketeers 6-4 last Wednesday, earned one point for a 5-4 overtime loss last Friday at Omaha and dropped Ohio 7-1 last Saturday.
The Riders are one point ahead of the Waterloo Black Hawks in the race for first place in the United States Hockey League’s East Division. The Black Hawks have one game in hand on the Riders.
The Riders are the second highest scoring team in the USHL. Cedar Rapids averages 4.1 goals per game on the season and has scored 26 goals- and average of 5.2 per contest- over its last five games.
The Riders tied a team record by scoring five power play goals in last Wednesday’s win over Sioux City. Robin Bergman scored twice on the man advantage in that game to set a new Rider record for most power play goals in one season (15).
Pat Cannone scored the Riders’ team record-setting twelfth shorthanded goal of the season in the win over Ohio last Saturday.
The Riders’ Jacob Cepis (30-34-64) is within one of the RoughRiders’ single season goal scoring record. He is the only player in the league to have reached the 30-goal plateau this season. Cepis is also tied for third in the league in points.
The Steel split a home-and-home series with Indiana last weekend. The Steel won 5-2 last Friday at home before falling 3-2 one night later in Indianapolis.
Chicago remains in last place overall in the USHL. The Steel has won four of its last 11 games- a respectable stretch considering the fact that Chicago won just six of its first 37 games.
The Steel has gone 6-19-1 since Steve Poapst took over the head coaching reins from Chris Imes in December.
The Steel give up an average of 4.1 goals per game, tied for the most in the league. Chicago scores 2.5 goals per outing, second fewest in the league.
Former Rider Andy Miele- who came over to the Steel along with goaltender Pat McGann in the November trade that brought goaltender Richard Bachman to Cedar Rapids- has scored eight goals and collected 28 points with Chicago and has totaled 15 goals and 43 points overall this season.
Sean Dolan (18-28-36) is the team goal scoring leader and has produced more points in a Chicago uniform than any other player this season.
The Blue Jackets lost a pair of games in eastern Iowa last weekend, dropping a 6-1 decision in Waterloo last Friday before falling in Cedar Rapids one night later. The loss to the Riders’ was Ohio’s third defeat in a row.
The Blue Jackets have gone 5-8-0 in their last 13 games to climb out of the league basement. Ohio won just four of its first 39 games.
The Blue Jackets have gone 3-3-1 in their last seven home games after going just 3-14-2 in their first 19 games in Columbus.
The Blue Jackets are the only team in the league that scores fewer than two goals per game (1.8). Ohio has scored just twice in its last three games combined. The Blue Jackets are also- along with Chicago- one of just two clubs that allow four or more goals per contest (4.1).
The Ohio attack has not been much livelier on the power play. The Blue Jackets rank last in the league on the man advantage (9.4 percent).
Tim Hall (14-12-26) leads the Blue Jackets in goals and points.
Goaltender Corson Cramer has given up just 15 goals in seven games since joining Ohio last month.
LAST WEEK
Cedar Rapids
Wednesday, March 14: RoughRiders 6 Sioux City Musketeers 4
The Riders scored five power play goals- two of them provided by Robin Bergman- on the way to the win.
Friday, March 16: Omaha Lancers 5 RoughRiders 4 (OT)
The Riders surrendered the game winner with just 22 seconds left in overtime after coming from behind to tie the game on three separate occasions in regulation. Doug Jones, Mike Seidel, Tyler Thompson and Tommy Wingels scored the Cedar Rapids goals.
Saturday, March 17: Cedar Rapids 7 Ohio 1
Doug Jones (two goals and one assist) and Ian Slater (one goal, two assists) led a balanced Rider attack with three points apiece. The Riders put Ohio away with four third period goals.
Chicago
Friday, March 16: Chicago 5 Indiana 2
Rob Madore made 48 saves, including 20 in the second period alone, to backstop Chicago to the win. Corey Chakeen keyed the Steel attack with one goal and one assist.
Saturday, March 17: Indiana 3 Chicago 2
The Steel was unable to recover after falling behind 3-0. Corey Chakeen and Andy Miele scored for Chicago.
Ohio
Friday, March 16: Waterloo 6 Ohio 1
The Blue Jackets gave up five unanswered goals after Chris Reed scored the only Ohio goal in the first period.
Saturday, March 17: Cedar Rapids 7 Ohio 1
The Blue Jackets gave up six unanswered goals after Danny Hobbs scored the only Ohio goal in the first period.
LEADERS
Cedar Rapids
Goals- Jacob Cepis (30)
Assists- Jacob Cepis (34)
Points- Jacob Cepis (64)
Plus/Minus- Kevin Wehrs (+12)
Penalty Minutes- Kevin Wehrs (118)
Power Play Goals- Robin Bergman (15)
Shorthanded Goals- Aaron Bogosian (4)
Chicago
Goals- Sean Dolan (18)
Assists- Andy Miele, Luka Vidmar (20)
Points- Sean Dolan (36)
Plus/Minus- Mike Beck (+22)
Penalty Minutes- Simon Olsson (+3)
Power Play Goals- Sean Dolan (9)
Shorthanded Goals- Andy Miele, Tyler Murovich (1)
Ohio
Goals- Tim Hall (14)
Assists- Chris Reed (18)
Points- Tim Hall (26)
Plus/Minus- Zac MacVoy (-1)
Penalty Minutes- Derek Roehl (91)
Power Play Goals- Tim Hall, Dan Hobbs (4)
Shorthanded Goals- Dan Hobbs, Eric Rex (1)
WHO’S HOT
Cedar Rapids
Pat Cannone: five points (one goal, four assists) in his last three games
Danny Dries: six goals in his last seven games
Doug Jones: six points (three goals, three assists) in his last three games
Mike Seidel: seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last three games…six game point scoring streak (3-7-10)
Ian Slater: four game point scoring streak (2-5-7)
Tyler Thompson: six points (four goals, two assists) in his last five games
Chicago
Corey Chakeen: 11 points (five goals, six assists) in his last eight games
Sean Dolan: 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in his last 13 games
Andy Miele: 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in his last ten games
Ohio
Tim Hall: 16 points (seven goals and nine assists) in his last 14 games
COACHES
Cedar Rapids
Mark Carlson, 8th year (248-175-41)
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.
Chicago
Steve Poapst, 1st year (6-19-1)
Steve Poapst replaced Chris Imes as Steel head coach on December 26, 2006. Poapst spent eight seasons in the National Hockey League as defenseman. He played a total of 307 NHL games for four teams- the Washington Capitals, Chicago Black Hawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues.
The Cornwall, Ontario, native played college hockey at Colgate from 1987 through 1991.
Ohio
Jack Fritsche, 1st year (9-36-7)
Jack Fritsche became the first head coach of the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets in June after spending one season as coach of the Cleveland Barons of the junior A North American Hockey League. He led the Barons to a 35-19-4 record and an NAHL North Division playoff title last year.
Prior to taking over behind the Barons’ bench, Fritsche was associate head coach of Ambri-Piotta in the Swiss Nationalliga. He also served as coach of the Ambri-Piotta junior team.
Fritsche enjoyed a lengthy playing career, spending much of it in Switzerland, where he skated for Zug, Lugano and Ambri-Piotta. He also played for the Moncton Hawks- then the American Hockey League affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets- in 1993-94. Fritsche represented the United States at the 1990 World Hockey Championships.
Fritsche is the uncle of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dan Fritsche and Ohio State forward (and Colorado Avalanche draft pick) Tom Fritsche.
HISTORY
Robin Bergman scored a pair of power play goals in the win over Sioux City last Wednesday to set a new Rider record for most power play goals in one season (15), surpassing the old mark of 14 set by Phil Axtell last year.
Pat Cannone scored the Riders’ team record-setting twelfth shorthanded goal of the season in the win over Ohio last Saturday. The old record of 11 shorthanded goals was originally set in 1999-2000.
Jacob Cepis is within one of the RoughRiders goal scoring record. Cepis scored his thirtieth goal of the season on February 24 in Sioux City. Chad Costello set the club record with 31 goals last season.
Aaron Bogosian has scored four shorthanded goals to break the team record originally set by Brandon Svendsen. Svendsen scored three times while shorthanded in 2004-05.
Last Wednesday’s win over Sioux City was the Riders’ thirtieth of the season. This is the Riders’ fourth straight 30-win campaign and also the sixth time in the last seven years that the Riders have picked up at least 30 victories.
The Riders have gone 19-8-0 at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena this season and have matched the team record for most home victories in a 30-game home schedule. The Riders also won 19 times in 30 home games in 2001-02. The most home wins the Riders have ever picked up in one season is 20 over a 32-game home slate in 2000-01.
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.
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.
The expansion Blue Jackets won the first regular season game in team history, defeating the Waterloo Black Hawks 3-2 in overtime on October 7.
COLLEGE COMMITMENTS
Cedar Rapids (12)
Richard Bachman (Colorado College), Robin Bergman (Notre Dame), David Boehm (Massachusetts), Aaron Bogosian (St. Lawrence), Rob Bordson (Minnesota-Duluth), Jacob Cepis (Bowling Green), Brett Dickinson (Quinnipiac), Evan Stephens (Dartmouth), Matt Tomassoni (Miami of Ohio), Kevin Wehrs (Minnesota), Scott Wietecha (Ferris State), Tommy Wingels (Miami of Ohio)
Chicago (5)
Sean Dolan (Wisconsin), Matt Godlewski (Princeton), Andy Miele (Miami of Ohio), Matt Moulakelis (Merrimack College), Tyler Murovich (Western Michigan)
Ohio (5)
Charles Brockett (Yale), Danny Hobbs (Massachusetts), Danny Markowitz (Dartmouth), Chris Reed (Ohio State), Dennis Urban (Robert Morris)
TICKETS
The RoughRiders are again this season offering the Flex Plan, which enables fans to purchase books of ten ticket vouchers that can be redeemed in any quantity for any regular season home game during normal box office hours. Fans who purchase the flex plan receive a significant discount ($21 off game day ticket prices) by investing in bulk tickets and can still enjoy the games of their choice in the seats they want.
Single game tickets are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office, over the phone at (319) 261-4625 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 to $17 in advance and from $8 to $18 on game days.
ON THE AIR/ON LINE
RoughRiders regular season and playoff games are broadcast on AM-1360 The Fan in Cedar Rapids. Courtesy of B2 Networks, free audio webcasts of Riders games will also be available at www.roughridershockey.com. Brian Lavelle provides play-by-play.
The RoughRiders and B2 have also teamed up to offer pay-per-view video webcasts of all RoughRiders games. Fans can click on the “Watch RoughRiders’ Games Live” icon at www.roughridershockey.com to watch and listen to the game. The broadcast is available to fans with a high speed DSL or cable modem internet connection. The charge for video webcasts is $6 per game.
The RoughRiders Coach’s Show with Mark Carlson airs Wednesday nights at 6:00 live from Union Station on 16th Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids on AM-1360 The Fan.
Real time updates of all USHL games are available on line at www.pointstreak.com/prostats.