Omaha Lancers' 2006-2007 Season

[MTO]

This would be a good day to go down to the chilly cook-off and then later zip of to the MAC. Maybe make a pit stop at Spaghetti Works or Famous Daves as well.

GO LANCERS!

[Brad]

2 Shoot Out Wins for the Lancers this weekend!

Omaha Lancers rally for their third win over Ohio

Omaha 3
Ohio 2   SO
Attendance 2,415

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2290244

The Lancers defeated the USHL's first-year franchise 3-2 for the third time this season in a shootout in front of 2,412 at the Mid-America Center. Contrary to the two teams' prior meetings in Ohio in which the Lancers blew an early lead, Omaha got the win in comeback fashion after spotting the visiting team a 2-0, first-period lead.

Lancers pressed but top lowly Ohio in a shootout

Omaha 4
Ohio 3   SO
Attendance 2,915

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2290708

Ohio's bus pulled away from the Mid-America Center late Saturday night for its long journey home, and if one weren't mistaken, the boys loading up the Junior Blue Jackets' equipment might have been wearing orange and black.

The USHL's worst team continued to give Omaha fits, pushing the two teams' fourth and final meeting of the regular season to another shootout before falling 4-3 in front of 2,915 fans

[Brad]

Standings from http://www.ushl.com

[Brad]

Lancer Game Tonight

Tuesday December 5, 2006 7:05pm  --  Mid America Center

[Brad]

Lancers 1
Sioux City 6

And I am guessing 1500 people at the most

[Brad]

Tuesday
Omaha 1
Sioux City 6
Attendance 1,896

Lancers can't cash in despite shooting advantage
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2292201

Omaha's recent history of playing to the level of its competition reared its ugly head again on Tuesday night.

Saturday
Omaha 4
DesMoins 6

Lancers fall to Des Moines
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2294772

DES MOINES - Ben Van Lare's goal with a little more than 6 minutes left in the third period - his third of the game - became the game winner Saturday night as Des Moines skated past the Omaha Lancers 6-4 in the USHL.

[Brad]

From http://www.USHL.com

[Brad]

Friday

USHL: Lancers stop Des Moines in shootout, win third straight

DesMoins 2
Omaha 3        Shootout

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2305227

DES MOINES - A 3-2 shootout victory Friday night over Des Moines moved Omaha's win streak to three games and gave the Lancers their first win over the Buccaneers this season.

Omaha's Will O'Neill knotted the game at 2-2 nine minutes into the third period on assists from Patrick Schafer and Brendan Sheehan.

After the teams played a scoreless overtime and traded scores to open the shootout, Lancer goalie Drew Palmisano stopped the next two Des Moines attempts. Teammates Robby Dee, Mark Oliver and Schafer all converted their opportunities to give Omaha the victory.

Sunday

USHL: Lancers surprise Stars early

Lincoln  3
Omaha  6

COUNCIL BLUFFS - Omaha successfully completed its back-from-vacation trifecta Sunday night with a 6-3 United States Hockey League victory over rival Lincoln at the Mid-America Center.

A pair of power-play goals, one shorthanded conversion and three more lamp-lighters in an 89-second stretch of the second period helped catapult the Lancers from fifth to third place in the USHL's competitive West Division.

The Lancers improved to 14-11-2 after the victory over the rival Stars and a pair of wins the previous two nights over Des Moines. Omaha now has 30 points, one more than both Lincoln and Tri-City.

"In our division on any given week you can take the bottom and put it at the top and the top on the bottom," Lancers coach Mike Hastings said. "Our division is that deep, it's that tough."

The game started 30 minutes late because it took the Stars nearly two hours to make the 50-mile drive from Lincoln because of the snow and ice that fell most of the day in eastern Nebraska.

That extra wait time didn't bother Omaha, as it took the Lancers less than six minutes to score the first goal of the game before 2,742.

[Brad]

Standings from http://www.ushl.com

[Brad]

USHL: Lancers' Palmisano keeps Stars on the skids

Lincoln 2
Omaha 5

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2308925

LINCOLN - Omaha met up with Lincoln for the second time in six days and, much like last Sunday's Lancers victory, Friday night's game told a story of two teams headed in different directions.

The Lancers, who jumped to a 6-0 lead in the second period on New Year's Eve at home, quieted a crowd of 4,610 at the Ice Box by gaining a 4-0 lead after two periods on their way to a 5-2 win - the team's sixth in a row and Lincoln's fourth straight loss.

[Brad]

Tonight (Friday)

"Lady's Night" at the Lancers... Bacardi Specials and Such.

Tomorrow (Saturday)
Breast Cancer Night

Lancers wearing PINK uniforms and the Ref's are Wearing Pink and Black Uniforms.

[DTO Luv]

Tomorrow (Saturday)
Breast Cancer Night
 

The first 500 fans get Breast Cancer!!

Another reason to go to the Knights instead.

[Brad]

After a beat down the otherday.....
USHL: Lancers turn the table

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2312737

Sioux City 2
Omaha 5
Attendance 3,197

Sioux City has made a living this season by entering the third period with a lead and closing out the final 20 minutes strong to earn the win.

The Lancers put the first-place Musketeers in an uncomfortable position Friday night and it was Omaha that sealed the deal in the third period, breaking open a tie game with three goals for a 5-2 victory in front of 3,197 at the Mid-America Center.

A perfect 18-0 when leading after two periods, Sioux City wasn't afforded that luxury after Brett Bruneteau used a stop-and-go move to freeze both the Musketeers defense and goalie Jerry Kuhn before scoring with 1:54 left in the second period.

Fresh off a 7-1 defeat at Sioux City just six days ago, Omaha took advantage of a power play to open the third. Robby Dee's 10th goal of the season put his team up 3-2 and the Lancers never looked back.

Remember the good old days the whole aksarben coliseaum chanting "Sioux city sucks.....Sioux city sucks.....Sioux city sucks....."

[Brad]

USHL: Lancers fade at the end in loss to Stampede

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2313294

Sioux Falls 3
Omaha 2
Attendance 3,509

Chalk this one up to those pink jerseys and sticks.

Or, if you want a more pertinent list of reasons for Omaha's 3-2 loss Saturday night to Sioux Falls, coach Mike Hastings could reel off a couple.

"Our inability to win the special teams battle - they score two power-play goals and we get none," he said. "The difference between winning these type of games are the little things and they probably blocked twice as many shots as we did tonight."

Wearing special charity jerseys to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Lancers played Sioux Falls to a 2-2 draw through the first 40 minutes in front of 3,509 at the Mid-America Center.

But unlike Friday night's 5-2 win against Sioux City, Omaha (16-13-2) let the Stampede (15-13-2) grab the lead in the third period and never mounted much of a comeback. The Lancers managed just six shots in the third period and were outshot 32-24 in the contest.

[DTO Luv]

Between the Knights, Mavericks, and Lancers there was a total of 13,794 hockey fans in attendance.

[Brad]

The Game I attended tonight!

First Place Waterloo IA falls to fifth place Omaha 4 - 2

Omaha scores an empty net goal with 2:45 left in the third to seal the victory.

[Brad]

Lancers hang on to knock off Waterloo

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2314829

COUNCIL BLUFFS - There were lapses and lulls in the beginning and end, but the middle was good enough to secure Omaha's victory over Waterloo Tuesday night and complete a successful five-day home stand.

The Lancers bounced back from Saturday night's loss to Sioux Falls with a 4-2 win over the East Division-leading Black Hawks in front of 1,945 at the Mid-America Center. Omaha built a 3-0 lead with a strong second period and start to the third, only to let Waterloo back into the game with two quick scores and nearly a third before plugging the leak.

"Some of that shouldn't happen, especially in our home rink," said Matt Thurber, who scored a goal and added an assist. "When we have a 3-0 lead with 15 minutes remaining, we shouldn't be giving them anything and keep playing the game we were playing."

[icejammer]

The Lancers bounced back from Saturday night's loss to Sioux Falls with a 4-2 win over the East Division-leading Black Hawks in front of 1,945 at the Mid-America Center.

That's what having all three big teams play at home on the same night will do to your attendance....

[Brad]

However UNO almost NEVER plays on a week night.

Lancers are probably the most consistent out of all three teams.  Lots of "regulars".

[Uffda]

I came across the interview with a Sioux Falls Stampede hockey player. Of course it was more of a survey questionaire so the answers werent elaborated on.  

http://argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 002/SPORTS
***********
Defenseman dishes dirt on USHL life

Bauer discusses shootouts, long bus trips, Omaha fans

Q: What road city has the dumbest fans?

A: I'm going to go with Ohio. No, wait. I'm going to retract that and go with Omaha. They have the most clueless fans.

Q: Ugliest fans?

A: That could be Omaha again. This is kind of harsh. But I have to go with Omaha.

[Brad]

Friday
USHL: Olver's big game leads Omaha to win over RoughRiders

Ceader Rapids 1
Omaha 4

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2320872

A big night from forward Mark Olver helped the Lancers shake off a sluggish start to post a 4-1 victory over the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders before a crowd of 2,062 at Cedar Rapids Ice Arena Friday.

The Lancers improved to 20-13-2.

Saturday
USHL: Olver comes up big in Lancers' OT victory

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=38&u_sid=2321441

Sioux City 3
Omaha 4

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - Mark Olver continued his hot streak and Michael Valent picked up his second victory in goal Saturday as the Lancers chipped away at USHL West division-leading Sioux City.

Olver scored with 35 seconds remaining in overtime to give Omaha a 4-3 victory in front of a crowd of 3,943 at the Tyson Events Center. Valent stopped 32 of 35 shots to pick up his second victory on the road.

[Brad]

Standings from http://www.ushl.com

[Brad]

Friday

USHL: Late lapse tempers victory for Lancers
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... id=2324874

Chicago - 3
Omaha - 4
Attendance 2,688

A fly on the wall in the Lancers locker room wouldn't had guessed Omaha had just won its sixth in a row Friday night after beating Chicago 4-3.

A dominating opening start was soured and nearly ruined as Omaha (22-13-2) staggered toward the finish and let the team tied for the league's worst record make a game of it.

The Lancers, in front of 2,688 at the Mid-America Center, came out clicking on all cylinders and jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Things might have come too easily, though, as the Steel (6-28-2) chipped away at the lead with a goal in the second and two early third-period scores that added unexpected suspense.

Saturday

USHL: Another win puts Lancers in first
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... id=2325339
Chicago - 0
Omaha - 4
Attendance 5,467

It's official: The Lancers have completed their journey from worst to first.

Shut out three times in the first month of the season, Omaha blanked Chicago 4-0 on Saturday night for its first whitewash of the season. The Lancers' seventh win in a row, in front of a season-high crowd of 5,467 at the Mid-America Center, put them into a tie with Tri-City for first place in the USHL's West Division.

Once scrambling for answers with a 1-5-1 record and unable to get over the .500 mark until Dec. 31, Omaha has won 14 of 16 since Dec. 15.

Weekend Attendance:

[Brad]

Standings from http://www.ccha.com

[Brad]

Lancers and USHL in USA Today....Today.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/front.htm

Look through the pictures in the slide show, lots of Lancer Pictures.

Youngsters hoping to realize hockey dreams
By Kevin Allen, USA TODAY
When defenseman Luke Lucyk of Fox Point, Wis., was drafted at 16 by the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League in 2002, he remembers thinking, "What kind of team is that, and what is it doing in Kearney, Nebraska?"
On his first visit, he noticed every car seemed to be damaged. "We're thinking, 'This looks like a rough area — I don't know if I want to be here' " Lucyk says, laughing, "but come to find out, they had gone through a hail storm with softball-sized hail."

What Lucyk and about 275 other young players know today is that Kearney is hockey country, as is Lincoln, Neb., Sioux City, Iowa, Sioux Falls, S.D., and other eight cities that have a USHL franchise. Players, age 16-20, come to these towns lured by the prospect that playing in the USHL, an amateur-status league, can enhance their chances of making it in college hockey and drawing notice from the NHL.

Before joining the Lincoln Stars, center Carter Camper of Rocky River, Ohio, remembers a former USHL player tried to tell him how fast the league is and how exciting the games are. "But you have to see it to believe it," Camper says.

Players come from 26 states, five Canadian provinces and five European countries to join this U.S. league, roughly equivalent to what young Canadian players have been doing for years (but for a stipend) to prepare for professional careers. USHL players are willing to leave friends and family behind, move in with strangers, enroll in new high schools or college-level classes or find new jobs and endure 14-hour bus rides — all to play a pro-style, 60-game schedule in front of crowds that average about 3,000 fans.

They are willing to do this without receiving a penny for their hockey time, although they certainly receive benefits. Last season, 155 USHL players committed to NCAA Division I colleges, and more than 133 have committed to Division I programs this season. When the 2006-07 season started, 128 of the 263 players in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association had played in the USHL.

"It's intriguing that hockey has the intermediate step between high school and college that no other sport has," Lucyk says. "Basketball doesn't do this or football, and it's too bad for them. It's really a great opportunity to grow up a little bit, so when we get to college we are more mature. When you go to junior hockey, you get the chance to find out who you really are. Where else can you do that?"

All players are billeted with families who essentially volunteer to take care of them during their time with the team by providing a room and nightly dinners. Players are expected to do their laundry and get their own breakfast. Most players say they mature more from that off-ice experience than they do from what happens on the ice.

"You have to learn to do things on your own. There's no one telling you what to do," Des Moines center Ben Ryan says.

Indeed, Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson says an important aspect of the USHL's attraction to college coaches is getting "a more mature kid" coming out of that league.

One of his recruits, Ryan of Brighton, Mich., had a 3.8 grade point average before committing to play for the Des Moines Buccaneers. His first of five high school classes is at 7:30 a.m. He'll go to practice right after lunch, followed by stretching and weightlifting. He usually doesn't get home to start his homework until 6:30 or 7 p.m. He says he will miss about 10 or 12 days of school because of the team's schedule.

Eyeing NCAA eligibility

"It's definitely difficult, but it's doable," says Ryan, who received three As and two Bs for a 3.6 grade-point-average at Valley High School.

Says Storm coach Bliss Littler: "If you asked college coaches of any sport if they could have players who have lived away from home a little bit, they would all say, 'Yes.' They love to let someone else do a little bit of babysitting for them, let them grow up a little bit … let them work with a full-time strength coach. I would think every sport would love that in place like we have in hockey."

The USHL was a minor pro league in the 1940s that, by the late 1970s, was in danger of disbanding. Three remaining clubs — the Sioux City Musketeers, Waterloo (Iowa) Blackhawks and Green Bay Bobcats — merged with the Midwest Junior Hockey League, which also was losing clubs.

By 1979, the reinvented league had agreed to a teenage player format and gradually became a collegiate feeder system. But the league's visibility and status seems to have spiked dramatically since 2002, when the league embraced Tier I status — clubs paid for housing and equipment for players and acceded to minimum standards for arenas, training and practices.

Everything done is with an eye toward ensuring players maintain NCAA eligibility.

USHL President Gino Gasparini, the former University of North Dakota coach who won three NCAA championships in the 1980s, merges old-school passion for hockey with a modern approach to the game. He is equally comfortable discussing a player's skating technique as he is the USHL's offering of Internet video broadcasts of every league game for $6 per game.

"The goal is to create a better environment for our players, and we are still evolving," says Gasparini, who was commissioner of the league for eight years before serving as president for the last four. "We are in the development game, and we have to keep the goals and philosophy of that in line with our busines practices. And sometimes they can be in conflict."

Gasparini says that even with free labor cost, one-third of his clubs are making money, one-third are around break-even and one-third are losing money. Each club's operating budget is around $1 million, and the league has revenue-sharing to help the clubs struggling to break even.

According to Gasparini, paying for equipment and housing was just a small aspect of the evolution of the league: "What we attempted to do is standardize and professionalize our operations — how the game is packaged and presented. I'm talking refereeing, the facilities, all aspects."

Franchises once sold for $100,000; the price for an expansion club today is $750,000. However, Gasparini says the USHL will move carefully on expansion plans, mindful that every change alters the lifestyle athletes are trying to balance — high school and hockey.

Gasparini has guided the league to reforming its rules, trying to highlight the players' skill, much like the NHL has done. "What we aren't interested in is the old beer-and-spear attitude they once had in this league," Gasparini says. "We want to see tough, aggressive play, but we want to see the skill."

The primary basis for comparison is the Canadian Hockey League, because Canadian junior hockey has been a primary feeder system for the NHL since the days of Gordie Howe. But CHL players aren't eligible for college scholarships because they receive a small stipend to play.

NHL scouts still love the CHL as a pro feeder system, but everyone appreciates the improvement and charm of the USHL.

"It's a great league because it's a nice stepping stone," Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill says. "It's not too big of a jump for players. They are still getting their education, and it's good, fast-paced hockey.

"The teams are all run well and with the exception of a couple of teams, they are in midsized cities where the team is the thing in town. I think that's good for players."

More than 90% of USHL games are on weekends, but travel time causes the most difficulty for the athletes. Ryan played in last week's USHL All-Star Game in Waterloo and didn't get home until 1 a.m. He had a test the next day. He also had a road trip to Sioux Falls during finals, and he studied on the bus. He arrived home between 3 and 4 in the morning, then took his finals in literature and math.

"At times you are really pressed," Ryan says. "But it teaches you to manage your time. If you stay up late because you didn't manage your time well, then it carries over to your practice the next day. If you don't practice well, you don't play well. It's a chain reaction."

If his Buccaneers who are in school don't carry a 'C' average, they don't play.

Gasparini says "99.99 percent of the players who come here" understand what they are getting into. Some, though, simply don't want to give up their hometown high school. Forward Patrick White, of Grand Rapids, Minn., was one, although he figured out a way "to get the best of both worlds."

Committed to the University of Minnesota, White didn't want to leave his high school or high school hockey team, which finished second in the state last season. He played eight games for Tri-City, before returning to his high school. He plans to return to the Tri-City team after his season, but he says he doesn't plan to be in Kearney "all of the time."

"High school hockey in Minnesota is a big deal to me and everyone in my town," White says. "I guess that I didn't want to give up the opportunity. I was able to get (the Tri-City experience) and then my high school experience and not lose the respect of people in my town. That was the situation that made me most comfortable."

Adjusting to hockey away from home

Defenseman Nick Petrecki of Clifton Park, N.Y., a high school sophomore when he came to Omaha last season, says it took him a month to adjust to his new environment. The hockey came easy, compared with living in someone else's home.

"Can I walk downstairs without my shirt? Can I go back for more food? When can I bring my laundry down?" Petrecki says. "Those are things that weirded me out."

The USHL has strict guidelines — including criminal background checks — when recruiting and approving families willing to house players. Families receive $150 to $200 per month to feed the players, but that usually doesn't cover their expenses. Billet families also get a handbook and the motto is straightforward: treat players like you would want your kids to be treated.

"I think people try to do the extras, even though it's not required," says Jason Dittberner, who, with his wife, Misty, house Petrecki and right wing Jack Downing of the Omaha Lancers.

The first time they applied to be billets, two years ago, they say it almost felt like an adoption process.

"We didn't hear from them right away. I remember thinking, 'They didn't like us,' and we aren't going to get a player," Misty Petrecki says. "Then … they gave us a player, and it was, 'Oh my God, here we go.' "

The Dittberners, 33, ordered the NHL cable package for the players so they could watch their favorite teams. The husband and wife also attend most games, even flying to games in Chicago and Columbus. They root for their players as if they were their children. Misty says her husband doesn't like sitting with her because she is so loud in support.

"We don't take a summer vacation," Misty says. "Our vacation is based around hockey."

Michael and Ruth Aguirre of Sioux City have housed 26 Musketeers, including foreign players, for more than 13 seasons. All but one time have been positive experiences.

"You have to be aware of what a difficult situation this is for the player," Michael Aguirre says. "You get the nervous kid who doesn't speak a word in the first couple of weeks as he tries to get adjusted to a brand new city, brand new team, brand new coach.

"He's living with someone he doesn't know. He doesn't know whether he's going to like the people. Will he get to eat the things he likes to eat? And his friends are playing for a different team somewhere. You just have to try to make it comfortable for them while they go through that growing curve."

Getting a feel for the pro game

Although road trips are stressful for high school students, Lincoln defenseman Chad Langlais of Spokane, Wash., says players generally don't mind. On his team bus, some players opt for a Texas Hold 'Em tournament and others play Scrabble to pass the time.

"The road trips are the best part of playing here," says Tri-City Storm forward Alex Hudson, a third-year player out of Corona, Calif. "It's where you bond."

The pro-style schedule is part of the romance for players; most have dreams of playing professional hockey. The NHL has clearly started to take notice of the USHL in recent years.

"We've had 20 to 25 NHL scouts at some of our games," says former NHL player Luc Robitaille, one of the owners of the Lancers.

Last summer, Des Moines forward Kyle Okposo was drafted seventh overall by the New York Islanders before joining the University of Minnesota. Center Trevor Lewis, drafted 17th by the Los Angeles Kings, became the first USHL player to sign an NHL contract right after playing in the league.

NHL scouts appreciate that players are developing a mental toughness by competing in high-tempo hockey in hostile environments.

"Lincoln is by far the loudest building — the fans can get the momentum going," Camper says. "The away players say it's the most intimidating building because you have 4,000-plus screaming at you."

Omaha's Downing, of New Canaan, Conn., says it feels like every game in the USHL is a one-goal game.

"It's a battle every night," he says. "We only have 12 teams so the talent is not watered down."

Kyle Woodlief, publisher of the independent scouting newsletter Red Line Report, ranks nine USHL players in his top 100, the first time he has that many ranked that high.

"The top-end guys in the USHL are just as good as the top-end guys in the Canadian Major Junior League," Woodlief says. "The difference is the USHL doesn't have the depth on the third and fourth lines and the second and third defensive pairings."

Comparison to the OHL

Notre Dame's Jackson, who also coached in the Ontario Hockey League, believes the USHL's top teams would be competitive if they moved to the OHL.

Clearly, the USHL players have pride in their league. "Actually I think this league is just as good, if not better, than most (Canadian) Major Junior," Tri-City player Tristin Llewellyn says.

Llewellyn says the USHL "has to be the fastest league in North America." He says when he trains with OHL players or in Calgary with Western Hockey League players, what those players see as "their fastest speed seems average to me."

USHL media relations director Jon Garver played in the league from 1992-94. Because of the USHL's improved skill, he says, "I'm not afraid to say that I couldn't play in the league today."

In some of the league's larger markets, like Chicago and Columbus, the USHL still struggles for recognition. But the league makes news in Nebraska, Iowa and even Green Bay and Sioux Falls, and fans embrace the players like they are pros.

USA Hockey executive director Dave Ogrean remembers making a tour of the USHL several years ago and being shocked to see junior tickets being scalped outside the Omaha arena.

"You can be Page 1 news if you are on the Des Moines Buccaneers or the Waterloo Blackhawks. In the bigger cities, you are fighting to get on Page 5," Ogrean says.

The average ticket price for the USHL is about $10-$11, and for that price the Sioux City Musketeers will give you the bonus of Dino Vedin driving the Zamboni while wearing a tuxedo.

There are inexpensive beer nights and zany promotions and people arguing whether the Sioux City team should be the Musketeers or Muskies. Sioux City's Jim Kronschnable says some fans love the nickname "Muskies" and some won't buy merchandise with "Muskies" on it.

Sioux Falls boasts a spacious $50 million arena. Lincoln plays in a exhibition building at the state fairgrounds.

"This is a league that has its own character," Nill says.

The league's talent level has improved, and the expectation is that it will continue to improve. There are those in the hockey community who would like to see the USHL and CHL play a North American championship. Gasparini has heard that discussion, but there is nothing is in the works yet.

"We have been attracting younger players with a lot more upside," Sioux City coach Dave Siciliano says. "We are taking those kids at 17 or 18 who used to go right from prep school to college. Now colleges have recognized that they aren't ready.

"Our league is so competitive and filled with so many good players that they attract more good players. And this league prepares players for the next step."

The number of fights in the league has decreased dramatically as the players' skill has increased. Gasparini says some fans have complained that they miss the fighting, but the league's strong attendance figures say fans like the new USHL.

The players certainly like the league, although it does seem almost surreal for some of them and their parents.

"If you sat down as a hockey player and said, 'I want to play in Kearney, Nebraska, nobody would believe you,' " says Mario Hudson, Alex's father.

He says his son was a creation of the Gretzky phenomenon in southern California in the early 1990s. His son played roller hockey first, then turned to ice hockey at 12. When the Storm drafted Alex, his father was open-minded but his mother, Veronica, had reservations. "He is my only son," she says.

As an African American, he would also be playing in a sport that is almost exclusively white. "I said if he was going to do it, I was going to move with him," his mother says. "But he didn't want Mommy around."

Their son told them, "If I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it like everyone else and live with a family."

Now, his mother shakes her head at what has happened to her son. "They treat him," she says, "like a celebrity."

[Brad]

The Lancers did their part tonight and Sioux Falls did theirs!

West Division co-leader Omaha beats East Division Leader Waterloo 2 to 1

And

LAST PLACE Sioux Falls beats West Division co-leader Tri-City 2 to 0

Which means

OMAHA IS ALL ALONE IN FIRST



Fun game tonight and decent Tuesday night crowd.  In the Crowd, sitting by us was a coach from U Mass, of course when recruiting he was wearing his HUGE Stanley Cup Ring!

[Brad]

Standings From http://www.ushl.com

[Coyote]

NCAA tournament has distinct USHL flavor

Last weekend, 16 NCAA Division I men's hockey teams took to the ice in the first two rounds of 2007 NCAA tournament.  A total of 12 games were played and the field of 16 was whittled down to four teams who will advance to the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Louis April 6-8, 2007.

The 16 teams in the event featured 130 players with ties to the USHL and every team featured at least one USHL alumnus.

"I'm not sure what the records were in the past, but I would think that this has to be close to a record for our league in terms of players taking part in the NCAA tournament," said USHL president Gino Gasparini. "The number gives further credence into the belief that the USHL is the premier development ground for players that not only want to play Division I college hockey, but want to play it at a high level.

The Omaha Lancers lead the way with 21 former players playing in the NCAA tournament. Following the Lancers is Lincoln with 14 players. Cedar Rapids and Sioux Falls have 13 former players apiece playing in the tournament.

Way to go Lancers and Stars. Nebraska Hockey Rules!

[Brad]

Way to go Lancers and Stars. Nebraska Hockey Rules!

I went to The Game last night at the Mid America Center.  I watched FIRST PLACE OMAHA win 5 to 2 over Ceder Rapids.  There is going to be a lot more players from the Midwest in the NCAA Soon.

[Brad]

Lancers Still in First:

[Brad]

Its all about this weekend!


Overall standings:

Both images from http://www.ushl.com

Anderson Cup Celebration - Teams, Fans Will Have To Wait

http://www.ushl.com/news/story.cfm?id=279

As the United States Hockey League enters the final weekend of play in the 2006-07 regular season, there is still no clear-cut favorite to win the regular season championship, and with it the Anderson Cup.  Because of the tight race and the number of teams still alive in the chase, the league has decided to forego a formal presentation this weekend.

"It's a difficult situation to begin with, but after talking with the teams that are still in the race everyone decided to put it off," USHL president Gino Gasparini said.  "First, it's a league regulation that the trophy is not to be presented on the road.  The ownership feels it should be done at home where their fans can enjoy it with them.  Second with so many teams still in the hunt and the possibility of multiple winners this year it is impossible to predict where we need to have the cup on Saturday.

"After discussions we decided that when the smoke clears arrangements will be made and the cup presented to the winner, or winners, in the first round of the playoffs."

[Brad]

What A Cluster!

From http://www.ushl.com
In the Anderson Cup race: Waterloo owns a one-point edge over Omaha and Cedar Rapids.  Waterloo and Cedar Rapids can win the cup outright, while the best Omaha can do is a tie.  Here's the breakdown.

Waterloo: If Waterloo wins on Saturday, they will win the cup outright.  A regulation loss takes them out of the picture because Cedar Rapids would have one more point than them.  If they lose in overtime or a shootout, they will finish in a tie for the cup with Cedar Rapids and/or Omaha.

Omaha: The Lancers need a win to share the title. A loss, regulation or overtime/shootout takes them out of contention.  A win over Lincoln on Saturday, coupled with a Cedar Rapids win in either regulation or overtime/shootout will allow them to tie for the cup.  Because one and possibly both teams in the Waterloo/Cedar Rapids game is going to gain points, the tie is the best the Lancers can do.

Cedar Rapids: The RoughRiders need to beat Waterloo for any chance at the cup.  A regulation win coupled with a loss by Omaha would give them the cup outright.  An overtime/shootout win coupled with an Omaha loss would give them a tie with Waterloo.  An overtime/shootout win coupled with an Omaha win would mean that all three teams would finish with 81 points and tied for the championship.

If Waterloo finishes tied with Cedar Rapids, then Waterloo would have the number one seed in the playoffs while Cedar Rapids would be number two.  If Cedar Rapids finishes in a tie with Omaha, the Lancers would be the number one seed and Cedar Rapids number two.  The Lancers are 3-0-1 against Cedar Rapids this season.  If all three teams finish in a tie, Omaha would be the number one seed because they own the tiebreaker over both Cedar Rapids and Waterloo.  They were 3-1-0 against Waterloo this year.  Waterloo then would be the number two seed and Cedar Rapids would be number three.

The USHL has never had a three-way tie for the regular season crown.  The only time two teams have finished tied was in 2004-05 when Cedar Rapids and Omaha finished tied atop the standings.  The teams were named co-champions.

[Brad]

Great Game, Omaha 3, Lincoln 1

Great Attendance: 6,390 - LOOKED FULL!!!

Lancers are the  USHL Anderson Cup Runner up, but Western Division Champs!

[Coyote]

Three USHL Alumni Become Stanley Cup Champions

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Ottawa Senators 6-2 on Wednesday night, finishing off their opponents to the north four games to one and claiming their first ever Stanley Cup Title.  Among the Ducks players to win are three USHL alumni - Ryan Carter (Green Bay), Drew Miller (River City) and Joe Motzko (Omaha). Tom Preissing (Green Bay) and Joe Corvo (Omaha) were members of the Ottawa Senators. Carter, Miller and Motzko become the tenth, eleventh and twelfth USHL alumni to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.

[HskrFanMike]

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Ottawa Senators 6-2 on Wednesday night, finishing off their opponents to the north four games to one and claiming their first ever Stanley Cup Title.  Among the Ducks players to win are three USHL alumni - Ryan Carter (Green Bay), Drew Miller (River City) and Joe Motzko (Omaha). Tom Preissing (Green Bay) and Joe Corvo (Omaha) were members of the Ottawa Senators. Carter, Miller and Motzko become the tenth, eleventh and twelfth USHL alumni to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.

I thought Corvo's name sounded familiar; he played for the Lancers in 1994-95.

[Coyote]

Five Lancers go in the 2007 NHL Draft:

Nicholas Petrecki in the 1st Round (28th overall)  to the San Jose Sharks
Ryan Thang in the 3rd (81st) to the Nashville Predators
Brett Bruneteau in the 4th (108th) to the  Washington Capitals
Andrew Conboy in the 5th (142th) to the Montreal Canadiens
and Nick Larson 7th (185th) also to the  Washington Capitals

Congrats!

In all - 26 USHL players were taken. Omaha, with five, had more players chosen in the draft then any other USHL team.
Sioux City was next with four players chosen.

[Uffda]

I saw this online

Five Stampede players drafted by NHL
By From staff reports
Published: June 23, 2007

The Sioux Falls Stampede had five players drafted on the second day of the 2007 NHL Draft.

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... S/70623004

Interesting thing is that both teams claim Thang