TRI-CITY STORM NEWS & NOTES - WEEK 18
Storm look to close month on a high note, winning streak
Thursday, January 26, 2011
- Weekly News and Notes
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KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm look to close the month of January with a three-game winning streak following their six-game losing streak. The Storm began the week only two points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Tri-City (12-23-0, 24 pts – 8th in Western Conference) will play on the road against the Western Conference leading – Omaha Lancers on Friday and host the Sioux Falls Stampede on Saturday. The Storm are 10-17-0 against the Western Conference this season, however are 7-8-0 against the West at the Viaero Event Center.
Tri-City is looking for their first-ever win at the Omaha Civic Auditorium on Friday, as the Storm are 0-8-2 lifetime (including two playoff games) since the Lancers moved into the Civic Auditorium from the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa in 2009.
The Storm are 1-2-0 against both Omaha and Sioux Falls this season, however the last meeting against both teams the Storm registered a three-goal victory.
This past Tuesday in Muskegon, Mich., Storm RW Tim Lappin represented Tri-City for the USHL / NHL Top Prospects game. Lappin, who was held pointless playing for Team West, played in front of 100 NHL scouts at the game.
Tri-City will appear on statewide television on KFXL – Fox Nebraska this Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. when the team hosts the Stampede. Classic Hits 98.9 FM will air a special pre-game show from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and an hour-long post-game show immediately following the telecast of the game from approximately 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Broadcasters for the telecast and radio shows will be the radio Voice of the Storm – Skip Berry and NTV’s (ABC Affiliate) Sports Director Dave Griek, who will be doing the color-commentating for the telecast that night.
Both the pre-game and post-game shows will air from the Viaero Event Center inside the Bud Light Storm Shelter Sports Bar. Guests throughout the night on the telecast and radio will include Storm coaches and players.
The game on Friday will air on The Breeze 94.5 FM with the Viaero Wireless Pre-Game Show starting at 6:45 p.m. The game Saturday night will only air on television for fans throughout Central Nebraska.
Tri-City Notes:
Tri-City Storm – 12-23-0, 24 pts (8th in Western Conference)
- Last game – Jan. 21 – 3-2 win vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
- Tri-City is now 6-8-0 under GM/Head Coach Josh Hauge after starting the season 6-15-0
- The Storm are now 11-8-0 when scoring the first goal this season
- Only four players have played in all 35 games this season for the Storm – RW Kenny Brooks, LW Brad Schierhorn, C Tim Bonner and D J.D. Peterson
- The Storm are led in points and goals by C Nick Lappin – 30 points (17g, 13a)… Lappin also has a team-leading seven power-play points (4PPG, 3PPA)… Lappin has registered eight multi-point games, which includes five multi-goal games this season… The Brown University commit has been held pointless in five of the last six games
- Bonner now has 12 points (8g, 4a) in the last 17 games since the Dec. 2… Bonner is now fifth on the Storm in scoring with 18 points (12g, 6a) this season and has played in all 35 games… In the last game for the Storm, Bonner registered his third-multi point and second multi-goal game of the season
- LW Thomas Nykopp and RW Michael Vecchione will likely be back in the lineup this week
- G Adam Wilcox (11-10-0) has a 2.92 GAA and .910 SV%… Wilcox’s save-percentage is currently ranked fourth in the USHL entering the weekend… G Pheonix Copley (8-13-0) has a 3.12 GAA and .906 SV%
- The power play is 15th in the USHL going 19-for-159 (11.9%)… the penalty kill improved to 8th in the league at 81.6% (129-for-158)
Opponents Notes:
Friday, Jan. 27 @ Omaha Lancers – 21-11-2, 44 pts (1st in Western Conference)
- Last game – Jan. 21 – 3-2 win vs. Lincoln Stars
- The Lancers are 19-2-0 when scoring three or more goals in a game and is 14-2-0 when scoring the first goal this season
- The following Lancer players are out Friday due to suspensions - RW Anthony Hamburg, LW Max Vallis, D Kevin Schulze and G Alex Lyon are all suspended for the game against Tri-City as a result of last Saturday’s in-game altercation with Lincoln… G Chase Wilson will serve as an emergency goaltender for Friday night
- C Jimmy Murray continues to lead all Lancers in scoring and is tied for 7th among all USHL skaters in scoring with 36 points (8g, 28a)… Murray enters the weekend leading the USHL in assists with 28 this season in 34 games
- LW Casey Bailey leads all Lancers in goals and is tied for 7th among all USHL skaters with 17 goals this season… Bailey enters the weekend with 32 points (17g, 15a) and is on a seven game point streak with four goals and seven assists during the streak
- LW Greg Gozzo has turned up the heat in scoring since the start of December and is currently third on Omaha in scoring with 27 points (14g, 13a) in 31 games… Since the start of December, Gozzo has 11 goals and seven assists in 15 games
- G Thatcher Demko (5-2-0) is likely to be the starter on Friday with Lyon suspended… Demko has a 3.03 GAA and .902 SV%... Demko has struggled in the second period this season allowing 12 goals on 55 shots (.782 SV%) in the period on the season
- Omaha’s power play is currently tied for 7th in the USHL at 19.4% (30-for-155) and have scored the second-most power-play goals (30) in the Western Conference behind Fargo (33)… the penalty kill is the best in the conference at 115-for-135 (85.2%), which has them ranked 3rd overall in the league
Saturday, Jan. 28 vs. Sioux Falls Stampede – 12-19-1, 25 pts (7th in Western Conference)
- Last game – Jan. 21 – 5-2 loss @ Fargo Force
- The Stampede are ranked last in the USHL in offense with 2.25 GF/G
- C Justin Selman, who was one of the three representatives from the Stampede at the USHL / NHL Top Prospects Game, leads the Stampede with 18 points (5g, 13a) in 32 games this season… Selman has been held pointless in four-consecutive games entering the weekend
- RW Austyn Young, who also played with Storm RW Tim Lappin in the USHL / NHL Top Prospects Game…Young has 14 points (6g, 8a) in 28 games this season… Young is pointless in eight of the last 10 games, scoring only one goal and one assist last 10 games played
- G Stephon Williams (6-9-1), who was one of four goalies invited to the USHL / NHL Top Prospects Game, has a 2.76 GAA and .911 SV% in 19 games played this season… Williams’ save-percentage is currently ranked third in the USHL
- Sioux Falls’ power play is currently last in the USHL at 11.7% (14-for-120) and have scored the fewest power-play goals (14) in the USHL… the penalty kill is also last in the USHL 95-for-124 (76.6%) and are the only team in the USHL to have not scored short-handed this season