USHL Weekly Update

As provided by the United States Hockey League.

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Eight Straight for Lancers…After winning three games in three nights over the weekend, the Omaha Lancers extended their winning streak to a League best eight games.  While being the USHL's top offensive team (4.42 goals per game), the Lancers are also the League's top defensive team allowing just 2.08 goals per game.  After not being in the top-10 in scoring a week ago, forward Matt White registered nine points (3g, 6a) in the three wins and now leads the League in scoring.  He also leads the USHL with a plus-13 rating.  Erik Haula scored a League season high four goals in Friday's 7-4 win over Waterloo and collected two assists to equal a League high six-point game.  Three of the last four goals scored by Dakota Eveland have been game-winners.  Jeff Teglia has won his last six starts and leads all USHL goaltenders with eight wins this season.

Former Mates…Just two days after being acquired by the Waterloo Black Hawks, goaltender Steven Racine stopped all 28 shots by his former club, the Lincoln Stars, on his way to earning his first USHL win in the 7-0 shutout.  Jimmy Siers, also acquired from Lincoln, scored his first goal of the season in Waterloo's victory…Des Moines Buccaneers defenseman Danny Heath recorded two points (1g, 1a) on Saturday against his former team, the Tri-City Storm, which he played for parts of two seasons (2007-09).

Gamblers Rise to First…The Green Bay Gamblers won a home-and-home series against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders over the weekend and have moved into first place in the East Division standings, a spot that has been occupied all season by the RoughRiders and the Chicago Steel.  The Gamblers scored 11 total goals in the two victories, including a team season high six in Saturday's win.  Forward Travis Lynch scored his first two goals of the season on Friday while Brett Chartier potted a pair of goals on Saturday and now has three goals in his first four games with the team. Goaltender Steve Summerhays has won five straight starts allowing just six goals over that span (1.20 GAA) and posting two shutouts.  He narrowly missed his third shutout in as many starts as Cedar Rapids scored with just 2:25 remaining in Friday's game. Summerhays recorded a shutout span of 257:03 minutes stretching over parts of five contests.

Force Take Two…The Fargo Force snapped a three-game slide by sweeping the Chicago Steel in a two-game series over the weekend.  Fargo held the Steel, one of the League's highest scoring clubs, to just three goals total in the two victories.  Forward Corey Leivermann registered a point on all four goals (2g, 2a) in the 4-1 win on Friday and dished out an assist in Saturday's 3-2 overtime victory.  Defenseman Nate Schmidt was the overtime hero when he tallied his fourth goal of the season with just over a minute remaining in the extra period.  Alex Lippincott has a goal in three straight games for the Force.

Streaking Stampede…Sioux Falls forwards Matt Bailey and Josh Holmstrom each equaled a League season high when they recorded four assists apiece in the 6-2 win vs. Indiana on Saturday.  Bailey's performance extended his point streak to five games while also helping the Stampede to their fourth straight win.  Jacob Johnstone has a point in five straight while also scoring a goal in each of his last three games, two of which have been game-winners.

Bucs Big Third…After dropping a pair of one-goal games in Youngstown, the Des Moines Buccaneers returned home on Saturday to face the Tri-City Storm.  It didn't look good for the Bucs as they trailed 2-0 heading into the third period, however, the team exploded for five goals in the frame on the way to a 5-3 victory and their third consecutive win on home ice.  The five-goal period equaled a USHL season high.  T.J. Tynan tallied four points (2g, 2a) in the period to lead the comeback.  Goaltender Charles Williams made 37 saves in net to earn the win and helped the cause by also recording an assist. 

Four for Phantoms…Previously losing four straight, the Youngstown Phantoms won a pair of one-goal games to complete a two-game sweep of Des Moines and move their current winning streak to four games.  It was the first two wins on home ice for Youngstown.  Nick Czinder had a goal in each of the home wins while Brett Gensler has recorded a point in all four of the recent victories, including five goals and two game-winners.  Goaltender Jordan Tibbett has won three consecutive starts and made 46 saves in Friday's 5-4 win over Des Moines.

Notes…Over the course of consecutive games, the Omaha Lancers fired a total of 99 shots on goal, including 50 in the 4-3 shootout win vs. Sioux City on Saturday.  The Des Moines Buccaneers also registered 50 shots on goal in Thursday's 4-3 loss to Youngstown.  On the contrary, three times during the week, teams were held under 15 shots on goal for the game.

Alumni News…Ryan Potulny was called up to the Edmonton Oilers from Springfield of the AHL last week and made the most of his season debut with the NHL club scoring two points (1g, 1a), including the game-winning goal, in the 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.  The former Lincoln Stars forward and 2002-03 USHL Player of the Year assisted on the goal by teammate Tom Gilbert, a former defenseman of the Chicago Steel (2000-02).  Potulny was named the first star of the contest while Colorado Avalanche forward Paul Stastny (Omaha Lancers, 2002-04) earned the game's third star.

The Week Ahead

USHL Schedule

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