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RoughRiders’ Ricci, Stalock, Loupee Make College Commitments

RoughRiders’ Ricci, Stalock, Loupee Make College Commitments

January 18, 2005- Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward Rob Ricci has committed to Merrimack College, while fellow Rider forward Billy Loupee is bound for Miami (Ohio) University and goaltender Alex Stalock will play college hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, the RoughRiders announced to day. Ricci and Loupee will begin their college careers next season, while Stalock will head to Duluth in the fall of 2006. “I couldn’t be more excited for each of these guys,” said RoughRiders coach and general manager Mark Carlson. “They have all shown great commitment and work ethic during their time here and I expect that all three will have a lot of success at the college level.” Ricci, 20, is the Riders’ captain. The Brampton, Ontario, native has scored nine goals and picked up 21 assists for 30 points while playing in each of the Riders’ first 33 games this season. Ricci is the Riders’ third-leading point scorer and is also tied for ninth in the United States Hockey League in assists. Ricci scored one goal and assisted on another in the Riders’ last game, a 6-0 shutout of the arch rival Waterloo Black Hawks Saturday night. “Rob has been a tremendous leader for us this season,” said Carlson. “He sets a great example with his dedication and work ethic.” Last season- his first with the Riders- Ricci rang up 17 goals and totaled 39 points, third most on the team. Ricci will join former Rider defenseman Jordy Hart at Merrimack next season. So far this season, Merrimack has gone 8-16-2 overall. The rebuilding Warriors are 1-12-1 in Hockey East play. Loupee, 20, is also in his second year with the RoughRiders. The Bloomfield, Michigan, native has scored four goals and notched 12 points in 31 games this season. Loupee also scored in the Riders’ rout of Waterloo last Saturday. “Billy has worked very hard at improving himself as a player since he first arrived here,” said Carlson. “It’s very gratifying to see all of his efforts rewarded.” In his first season in Cedar Rapids, the speedy Loupee had eight goals and 19 points in 54 games. Loupee is the fourth current RoughRider to commit to Miami. Teammates Gary Steffes, Ray Eichenlaub and Alex Martinez will also skate for the Red Hawks. Eichenlaub will join Loupee at Miami next season, while Martinez and Steffes are set to begin their college careers in the fall of 2006. Miami has gone 8-12-4 overall this season. Coach Enrico Blasi’s Red Hawks are tied for eighth place in the powerhouse Central Collegiate Hockey Association with a 4-9-3 conference record. Last season Miami went 23-14-4 and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in six years. Still in his first season in the USHL, Stalock, 17, has already emerged as one of the league’s top goaltenders. The St. Paul-born netminder has gone 13-3-2 in 18 games this season. Stalock ranks fourth in the league in wins, fifth in goals against average (2.63), seventh in save percentage (.908) and tenth in minutes played (1072:52). Stalock has been red hot in recent days. After making 28 saves in a 3-2 overtime win over Waterloo last Friday, he has now won five straight games. Stalock is unbeaten in regulation (9-0-2) in his last eleven games and is within one game of tying the club record Dan Tormey set earlier this season by going twelve games (11-0-1) without a regulation loss. “Alex has come in this season and battled night-in and night-out for us,” said Carlson. “He’s done a very good job of making the adjustment from high school hockey to our league.” The Riders acquired Stalock last July in a trade with the Sioux Falls Stampede. Stalock starred for South St. Paul High School last season before being selected by the Stampede in the second round of last May’s USHL draft. Minnesota-Duluth has gone 9-11-4 overall this season. With a 7-9-2 conference record, the Bulldogs are in sixth place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Last season UMD went 28-13-4 and made its first NCCA tournament appearance in over a decade, advancing all the way to the Frozen Four before falling to eventual champion Denver in the national semi-finals. Twelve members of the 2004-05 RoughRiders have now made college commitments, as Ricci, Loupee and Stalock join Justin Abdelkader (Michigan State), Phil Axtell (Michigan Tech), Greg Collins (New Hampshire), Ray Eichenlaub (Miami of Ohio), Shane Lovedahl (Alaska-Anchorage), Alec Martinez (Miami of Ohio), Ted Purcell (Maine), Gary Steffes (Miami of Ohio) and Matt Vokes (Brown). The league-leading RoughRiders (26-4-3, 55 points) return to action with three games this week. The Riders will host the Green Bay Gamblers tomorrow night at 7:05. That game was originally scheduled for Thursday, January 6, but was postponed because of snow. Tickets for the January 6 game will be honored tomorrow night. The Riders will visit Green Bay for a rematch with the Gamblers Friday evening before returning home to take on the Chicago Steel Saturday evening at 7:05. The clash between the Riders and Steel will cap off a RoughRider/Hawkeye hockey double header Saturday. Before the Riders hit the ice, fans will first have a chance to cheer on the Hawkeyes as the University of Iowa men’s hockey team faces off against the University of Northern Iowa at 4:05PM at the ice arena. Tickets for this week’s games and all remaining RoughRiders home dates are now on sale at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office. Tickets can be purchased over the phone at (319) 261-4625 or in person at the ice arena. 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 $8.00 to $17.00 including a 50-cent facility fee.

Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 (Archive on Tuesday, January 18, 2005)

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