NewsJune 14, 2001 The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community. This year's recipient is Rochester native Shjon Podein. Podein founded the Shjon Podein Children's Foundation and works with various inner-city youth hockey programs in Denver and Minnesota, including Dinomites, a youth hockey program for underprivileged kids in Minneapolis. His third annual golf tournament in Rochester, MN raised $150,000 for his foundation last summer and included actor Matt Damon, who signed posters that raised $40,000. This year's event, Sunday and Monday, June 17 & 18, will see the likes of teammates Chris Drury, Eric Messier, Chris Dingman, Stephane Yelle, Dan Hinote, Kelly Fairchild, Dave Reid, Scott Parker and Steve Reinprecht along with 50 other sports and entertainment celebrities. All the money raised from this year's two-day event will go to local children's charities. Last year, Shjon's charity work in Denver landed him the Chopper Travaglini Award, given to the person who best emulates generosity, kindness and commitment to the youth of Colorado. The Clancy Trophy was presented to the National Hockey League by the Board of Governors in 1988 to honor the late Frank "King" Clancy. In 1997, Podein founded the Shjon Podein Shjon will meet hockey fans and sign autographs at the Post-Bulletin's Rochesterfest booth a week from today. Podein will be at the booth, at the corner of Civic Center Drive and First Street Southeast, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 20. And don't forget that some of the Mustang players will be in this year's Rochesterfest Parade on Friday, June 22. June 11, 2001 Former University of Wisconsin standout Erik Raygor has been hired by the Green Bay Gamblers as an assistant coach to Mark Osiecki. Raygor was a head hockey coach and teacher at Superior Senior High School the past two years and led the Spartans to a Wisconsin State High School Hockey Tournament in 1999-2000. Prior to that, Raygor skated with the Badgers and served as captain during his final two college seasons. Raygor will join the Gamblers staff immediately. June 10, 2001 The Colorado Avalanche, driven to get Raymond Bourque the biggest prize in hockey before he retires, scored the first three goals to wrest the cup from the New Jersey Devils with a 3-1 victory Saturday night in only the third finals Game 7 in 30 seasons. Shjon Podein, a native of Rochester and a member of the Rochester Mustangs during the '86-87 season, is also a member of the Colorado Avalanche, having joined the team on November 12, 1998. He too will see his name engraved on the beloved 'Holy Grail' of hockey, Lord Stanley's Cup. Just having a chance to play for the Cup is a dream of every hockey player out there. It took Raymond Bourque 22 years to make that dream come true and only a mere 9 years for Shjon Podein. The Mustangs would like to congratulate both men on successfully reaching their dream. Shjon Podein gets a celebratory shower June 8, 2001 Citing the desire for a new challenge, Mike Corbett has decided to step down from his post as head coach and general manager of the Billings Bulls after one season. Corbett announced Thursday that he has accepted the job of associate head coach with the Sioux Falls Stampede. He will also serve as the team's recruiting coordinator. Corbett will begin his new job July 1. In Corbett's one season behind the Bulls' bench, he guided them to a Borne Cup finals appearance and a 36-23-1 record. In 31/2 years of coaching in the AWHL � Corbett spent 21/2 years as coach of the Butte Irish � he accumulated a 110-94-11 record. Information taken from The Billings Gazette. May 31, 2001 Stampede Assistant Tony Gasparini will take over in Sioux Falls as the new GM/Head Coach, filling the position vacated by Bob Motzko, who left to become an assistant with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. May 23, 2001 Des Moines Buccaneers Head Coach/GM Tom Carroll, who posted a solid 67-41-6 record in his two years with the Bucs, has been let go and replaced by former Head Coach/GM Bob Ferguson. Ferguson coached for 14 seasons in the USHL (nine with Sioux City and five with Des Moines). He was named Coach of the Year and GM of the Year four times before leaving the league in 1995 to coach the Indianapolis Ice (IHL) and then the Florida Everblades (ECHL). May 21, 2001 Bob Motzko, GM/Head Coach of the Sioux Falls Stampede, has announced his acceptance of the assistant coach position with the Minnesota Golden Gopher men's hockey team. Motzko will replace John Hill, who took the head coaching position at Alaska-Anchorage, filling the Gophers need for a solid recruiter. May 17, 2001 Below is the 25-man roster after the USHL draft on the 16th. Tenders and Draft picks are designated. Returning players are not. 1. Bill Bagron According to the US Hockey Report, a subscription service covering USA hockey, the Mustangs also drafted a player by the name of Joe Shannon from Shattuck St. Mary's in the 5th round of the draft. This has not been confirmed and the USHL does not have him on our 25-man roster at this point. Any information anyone might have on any of the draft picks can be sent to the webmaster. Players from last year's team left unprotected are Adam Holmgren, Andy Nolan, Sage Swanson and Dan Kehler. Colin Nash, Jay Dardis, Mike Salmela and Wayne Russell are all too old to continue in the USHL. Rob Rankin will be attending Michigan Tech in the fall. Phil Larson was picked up by the Topeka ScareCrows in the expansion draft. Jordan Blair was drafted in the NAHL draft by the Chicago Freeze in the 3rd round. The rest of the 2001 Draft List can be found at USHL.com. May 14, 2001 The Rochester Mustangs have signed four tenders for the upcoming season. They are: Tim Conboy, D, '82, Rochester Mustangs (USHL); Landon Holsen, F, '83, Team Wisconsin Midget AAA; James Martin, F, '83, Buffalo HS (Minn.); Derek Anderson, F, '82, Alaska Blue Devils Midget AAA. Any information anyone might have on any of these players, with the exception of Tim Conboy, can be sent to the webmaster. Here are the rest of the signed tenders for the USHL: Chicago Steel: Greg Rallo, F, '81, Springfield Jr. Blues (NAHL); Aaron Grynol, F, '82, Winnipeg Saints (MJHL); Tom Gilbert, F/D, '83, Bloomington Jefferson HS (Minn.); Beau Kretzman, F, '83, Edina HS (Minn.) Des Moines Buccaneers: Chris Gartman, G, '81, Cornell University (ECAC); Kris Bouchard, F, '82, U.S. NTDP; Sean Kotary, F, '81, Bowling Green (CCHA); Brett Skinner, D, '83 Trail (BCHL) Green Bay Gamblers: Joey Crabb, F, '83, U.S. Under-18 Team; Matt Greene, D, '83, U.S. Under-18 Team; Michael Bartlett, F, '85, Chicago Chill Midget AAA; Adam Hanson, D, '83, East Grand Forks HS (Minn.) Lincoln Stars: Mike Eickman, D, '83, Red River HS; Adam Sando, '81, Minot (AWHL); Josh Budish, F, '81, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ECAC); Thomas McElroy, D, '82, Armstrong HS (Minn.) Omaha Lancers: Justin Schabes, F, '81, Danville Wings (NAHL); Matt Gens, D, '83, U.S. Under-18 Team; Ryan Foster, D, '81, Northfield-Mt. Hermon (Mass.); Grant Clafton, D, '83, Grand Rapids HS (Minn.) Sioux City Musketeers: Nathan Schwartzbauer, D, '82, Quesnel Millionaires (BCHL); Michael Ramirez, F, '84, Alaska All-Stars Midget AAA; Nate Thompson, F, '84, Alaska All-Stars Midget AAA; Michael Hodgson, D, '84, Queen's Peak Jr. B (PIJHL) Sioux Falls Stampede: Layne Sedevie, G, '83, Billings Bulls (AWHL); Christopher Wothe, F, '84, Park Rapids HS (Minn.); Jake Wilkens, D, '83, Vernon Vipers (BCHL); Marty Sertich, F, '82, Roseville HS (Minn.) Topeka ScareCrows: Douglas Conley, F, '83, Buffalo Saints Midget AAA (NY); Vince Bellissimo, F, '82, St. Michael's (OPJHL); Eric Aarnio, G, '83, White Bear Lake HS (Minn.); Emery Olauson, F, '81, Estevan Bruins (SJHL) Tri-City Storm: David Boguslawski, F, '83, Park/Cottage Grove HS (Minn.); Chris Nathe, D, '82, Elk River HS (Minn.); Jake Schuman, G, '83 Benilde-St. Margaret's (Minn.); Bobby Robins, '81, Great Falls (AWHL) Tulsa Crude: Critter Nagurski, F, '83, International Falls HS (Minn.); Zach Blom, D, '83, Vail Midget AAA (Col.); Brandon Straub, D, '83, Vail Midget AAA (Col.); Kyle McNulty, G, '82, Hotchkiss School (Conn.). Waterloo Black Hawks: Aaron Johnson, F, '82, Armstrong HS (Minn.); Nathan Fornataro, D, Calgary Flames Midget AAA (Alb.); Greg Ihnken, F, '83, Stratford Cullitons (WOJHL); Chris Margott, F, Ventura Mariners Jr. B (Calif.). The list of signed tenders was obtained from the U.S. Hockey Report website. May 14, 2001 The USHL announced today that Green Bay Gamblers owner John Stauffacher has sold the team to Promotion Management Inc. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Gamblers, who have claimed two national Junior "A" championships, two Anderson Cups (USHL Regular season championship) and two Clark Cups (USHL Playoff championship) since the team's inception seven years ago, will remain in Green Bay under the direction of PMI Chief Operating Officer Ken Wachter. "I think this is a win-win opportunity for the league," said USHL Commissioner Gino Gasparini. "The transfer of ownership has been well received." Green Bay will play one more season in the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena before moving into the new 11,000-seat Resch Center which is currently under construction next to the current building. "The new venue, when it opens for hockey in 2002-03, will certainly be one of the premiere facilities in our league," said Gasparini. "It's a sign of the commitment that the USHL is making toward our product." PMI currently manages the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena and has been awarded the contract to manage the Resch Center beginning in September 2002. "The Gamblers have been very successful the past seven years and it's our goal to build on that success," said Wachter. "When the team moves into the Resch Center we will create an atmosphere for junior hockey that is second to none." May 10, 2001 The Topeka Scarecrows have announced the six players chosen in the 2001 USHL Expansion Draft. The ScareCrows were the only team to take part in the draft. The 'Crows selected players that were not included on USHL teams' protected lists, which were submitted Monday. The ScareCrows coaching staff chose forward Keith Dore from West Division rival Lincoln Stars. The Regina, Sask., native was the Stars leading scorer during the 1999-00 season with 65 points (24g, 41a). A serious back injury did not allow him to play at the beginning of this past season (20 points in 14 games), and concern over his back was the reason he was left available by the Stars in the expansion draft. "We are taking a chance on Keith Dore," Littler said. "When he's healthy, Keith is arguably one of the top five players in the league. Again, if he is healthy and comes plays for us, we just got the biggest steal in the USHL." The ScareCrows also took veteran forward Phil Larson (Roseau, Minn.) from the Rochester Mustangs. Larson was the team captain and leading scorer with 27 points (10g, 17a) in 55 games this past season with the last-place Mustangs. "With Phil we are getting a true leader," Littler said. "He captained the 1998 Minnesota High School Hockey State Champion Roseau Rams, won a playoff championship with the Billings Bulls during the 1998-99 season, and was the captain of the Mustangs last season. His leadership will be invaluable next season." The 'Crows looked to defensemen with the other four selections. Mike Fournier played with the Des Moines Buccaneers last season. Coming to the Bucs after Christmas, the Chairton, Mass., native played in 24 games, compiling 74 penalty minutes and two points. Junior hockey veteran Jesse Minneman was picked from West Division foe Tri-City Storm. The Bloomingdale, Ill., native tallied eight points on seven assists with 37 penalty minutes in 40 games this past season. "Mike brings toughness to the team, and Jesse will be a third-year player with experience. Both will add needed depth and veteran savvy to the team," Littler said. Littler snagged a blueliner from each Lincoln and the Sioux Falls Stampede, both West Division opponents. Dominick Hammer comes from the Stars protected list. The Crookston, Minn., native tallied 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points in his senior year at Crookston High School. Will Parr was on the Stampede protected list. A Grand Rapids, Minn., native, Parr registered 16 assists and 19 points as he captained Grand Rapids High School. Both skaters will graduate high school at the end of May. The ScareCrows preliminary roster will be completed with one tender left to sign -- which by USHL rules needs to be done before Sunday -- and six draft picks in the USHL Entry Draft. The draft will take place on Wednesday in Chicago, Ill. The ScareCrows will release the preliminary 25-man roster following the draft. May 6, 2001 The Omaha Lancers have won their first-ever Gold Cup with a 7-5 triumph over the Texas Tornado in the final game of the Junior 'A' National Championships. Former Mustang defenseman David Nelson played for the Texas Tornado this season. April 28, 2001 The Omaha Lancers captured their sixth Clark Cup championship, defeating the Lincoln Stars 3-1 in the final game of the series at Lincoln. Lancer goaltender Ray Fraser was named the 2001 USHL Playoff MVP. With the win, the Lancers advance to the Gold Cup National Championship Tournament being held in Chicago, IL May 3 - 5, 2001. April 17, 2001 Mustang forward Rob Rankin, who played the last part of the season with the team, has signed a letter of intent to play for Michigan Tech starting the 2001-2002 season. Rob played with his high school team, Holy Angels, through the Minnesota High School State Tournament prior to coming to the Mustangs. He is the Mustangs second collegiate signing this season. Mustang forward Shawn Vinz committed earlier in the season to attend UMD this fall. Congrats Rob!!!
March 30, 2001 USHL Commissioner Gino Gasparini, Sioux Falls Mayor Gary Hanson and Sioux Falls Stampede President Jim Loria have announced that the Sioux Falls Stampede and the City of Sioux Falls, will play host to the 2001-02 USHL Prospects/All-Star Game. The annual contest will be played in either late January or early February (exact date still to be confirmed), at the 4,750-seat Sioux Falls Arena. As in the previous two years, the game's format will consist of Team World, comprised of the league's top import players and NHL draft prospects as chosen by NHL scouts, versus Team USA, comprised of USHL All-Stars as chosen by the league coaches. Furthermore, a guest head coach will be named to each team. The top assistant coach from the league's divisional leaders will aide the guest coaches. The night before the game the All-Star banquet will be held for the players and guests. The banquet will feature a yet-to-be-named keynote speaker. The Sheraton Sioux Falls Hotel and Convention Center has been designated the host hotel for the players and banquet. All Stampede season ticket holders will have their seats protected for the game through their purchased ticket package. All individual Prospects/All-Star Game tickets will go on sale with the rest of the Stampede individual game tickets at the beginning of September. Further announcements on events that may occur during the Prospects/All-Star week will be forthcoming.
March 28, 2001 Receiving the USHL/Let's Play Hockey Player of the Year and the USHL Top Forward award is Lincoln Stars forward Chris Fournier. The honor of USHL Top Defenseman goes to Jamie Mattie of the Sioux Falls Stampede. Green Bay Gambler netminder Jure Penko receives the USHL Top Goaltender award. The Goalies' World Magazine/Lousiville Goalie of the Year award goes to Cedar Rapids RoughRider goaltender Robbie Goepfert. The USHL Rookie of the Year goes to Lincoln Stars forward Brandon Bochenski. The Curt Hammer Award for the most gentlemanly player goes to Corey McLean of the Chicago Steel. Lincoln Stars General Manager/Head Coach Steve Johnson is selected as the Coach of the Year and the General Manager of the Year. The Organization of the Year goes to the Tri-City Storm. First Team All-USHL, Second Team All-USHL and USHL All-Rookie Team awards are listed on the Awards Page.
March 28, 2001 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders goaltender Robbie Goepfert has been named the USHL/Goalies' World Magazine Goalie of the Month for March.
March 27, 2001 Team Captain Phil Larson captured the Arly Carlson Most Valuable Player and the Dr. Joe Janes Community and Team Leadership Awards at the Mustangs Annual Awards Banquet. Tim Conboy received the Art Strobel Best Defenseman Award and the Micah Garmers Fan Favorite Award. The Eric Strobel Most Improved Player Award went to Nate Hansen. Billy Bagron took home the Rookie of the Year honors. Rounding out the award recipients was newcomer Barrett Casto who had the best +/- on the team and takes home the Jim Weber +/- Award. For a complete listing of all the awards, including the 'Mustang Academy Awards', check the Awards Page.
March 26, 2001 Waterloo Black Hawks forward Brian Canady and Sioux City Defenseman Tim Judy have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending March 26, 2001. These are the last Player of the Week Awards for the 2000-01 season.
March 19, 2001 Waterloo Black Hawks forward Ryan Connelly and Lincoln Stars goaltender Justin Johnson have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending March 19, 2001.
March 18, 2001 Sage Swanson's parents, Mark and Kim, sent me some pictures from the Skate held Friday night after the game. I arranged them in photo album pages and posted them on the page. Here is the link. Skate Pics
March 14, 2001 The Lincoln Stars have captured the Anderson Cup as regular season champions and the West Division crown for the second- straight year. With a record of 39-6-6 and five games remaining, Lincoln has already surpassed its' points total of 83 from last season with 84 points, a new team record. The Stars also have a chance to top their team-best 41 wins from last season.
March 14, 2001 There will be a Skate with the Mustangs following the Friday, March 16th, game against Chicago. So remember to bring your skates, program and camera along to get some autographs and pictures. It's a great opportunity to meet your favorite Mustang player or players.
March 12, 2001 Waterloo Black Hawks forward Dan Krmpotich and Sioux City Musketeers goaltender Jake Brandt have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending March 12, 2001.
March 9, 2001 Tri-City Storm goaltender Bernd Bruckler has been named the USHL/Goalies' World Magazine Goalie of the Month for February.
March 5, 2001 Dubuque Fighting Saints forward Adam Gerlach and Sioux City Musketeers defenseman Ryan Geris have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending March 5, 2001.
February 26, 2001 Tri-City Storm forward Konrad Reeder and Green Bay Gamblers defenseman Matt Jones have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending February 26, 2001.
February 24, 2001 The USHL announced today that the ownership group of the Lincoln Stars has purchased the Rochester Mustangs effective at the close of the Mustangs' current season. The USHL Board of Governors approved the transaction at their winter meetings in late January. "We are extremely pleased to now be affiliated with a team with the history and tradition of the Rochester Mustangs," Irv Dana III, a member of the new ownership group said. "The success of this organization continues to depend on the level of support from the Rochester community. Therefore, our goal is to devote appropriate resources to this program that will enable it to regain the excitement that these players and fans deserve." Since its entry into the USHL in 1985, the Rochester Mustangs have won three Junior 'A' National Championships, one USHL regular season championship and one USHL playoff championship. The team has also sent over 120 players to Division I college hockey programs and several more, including Shjon Podein and Ben Clymer, to the NHL. "The league is very pleased to have such a solid ownership purchasing the Mustangs," USHL Commissioner Gino Gasparini said. "This group has proven they know how to be successful in junior hockey with the success they have had in Lincoln." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
February 23, 2001 Check back with this website tomorrow for an important announcement concerning the sale of the Mustangs. Danny Nasshorn has informed me that a press release concerning the sale of the team will be forthcoming. As soon as I receive the release, it will be posted here.
February 19, 2001 Sioux Falls Stampede forward Tyler Scott and Tri-City Storm goaltender Bernd Bruckler have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending February 19, 2001.
February 15, 2001 Due to scheduling conflicts here in Rochester, the Storm game against the Mustangs is being moved to Kearney on Friday, February 23. The game will begin at 7:05 pm at the Tri-City Arena, with doors opening at 5:30 pm. Tickets will be made available to the general public on Tuesday, February 20 at 8:00 am. The tickets can be purchased at the Storm offices (4009 6th Ave, Suite 32 � Eagles Nest Office Complex), or by calling 308-338-8809. All tickets for the game, regardless of seating location are $8. In addition to the Tri-Cities game being sold, the final game of the regular season against the BlackHawks has been sold to Waterloo. Game time has not yet been confirmed. Contact the Mustangs office at 282-3301 for information on a refund on your season tickets or individual ticket purchases.
February 12, 2001 Chicago Steel forward Josh Anderson and Sioux Falls Stampede goaltender Zach Sikich have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending February 12, 2001.
February 9, 2001 The Omaha Lancer/Rochester Mustang game tonight in Omaha has been postponed due to weather conditions. The game has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 6th at 7:05 pm in Omaha.
February 7, 2001 The Mustangs home game scheduled for Saturday, March 3rd, has been changed to a road game. The game will now be played in Cedar Rapids, on the RoughRiders home ice. The game time has also changed to 7:05 pm instead of 7:35 pm. Contact the Mustangs office at 282-3301 for information on a refund on your season ticket or individual ticket purchase.
February 6, 2001 Omaha Lancers goaltender Marty Magers and Green Bay Gamblers goaltender Jure Penko have been named the USHL/Goalies' World Magazine Co-Goalies of the Month for January.
February 6, 2001 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward Joe Gasparini and Des Moines Buccaneers goaltender Mike Mantua have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending February 5, 2001.
February 2, 2001 Mustangs forward Shawn Vinz has committed to Minnesota-Duluth this week. Vinz, who played for Shattuck-St. Mary's before going to the USHL, also had scholarship offers from Mankato State and Michigan Tech.
February 1, 2001 Rob Rankin, a forward from the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, has been tendered by the Mustangs for the end of the season. Rob must play five games (three if his team makes it to the state tournament) with the Mustangs at the end of his high school season next month; and if he doesn't, he will be returned to the draft pool. As for signed tenders for next season, none have been signed as of yet.
January 30, 2001 The Dubuque Fighting Saints will be relocating to Tulsa, Oklahoma, beginning the 2001-02 USHL season. With the relocation, the team will acquire a new name and logo. The newly relocated team will be named the Tulsa Crude, representing Tulsa's oil industry. The team colors will be similar to the Pittsburgh Penguins black and gold colors. The logo consists of on oil derrick spouting oil with the name Tulsa Crude written through the logo. For more information, check out the USHL.com release or go to tulsacrude.net.
January 29, 2001 Tri-City Storm forward Kyle Worner and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders goaltender Bobby Goepfert have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending January 29, 2001.
January 24, 2001
January 23, 2001 Lincoln's Chris Fournier was awarded the Ron Woodey MVP award as selected by NHL scouts in attendance, scoring one goal in the game. Lincoln's Preston Callander was selected as the Player of the Game for Team World. Des Moines's Ryan Bennett received the Player of the Game for Team USA, both were chosen by the NHL scouts.
January 22, 2001 Sioux Falls Stampede forward James Massen and Green Bay Gamblers goaltender Jure Penko have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending January 22, 2001.
January 18, 2001 The USHL has announced that the 2000-01 USHL Prospects/All-Star Game sponsored by the El Kahir Shrine of Cedar Rapids will be broadcast live over the Internet. Cedar Rapids radio announcer Jim Rich will be broadcasting the annual midseason game live over the Internet. Fans can tune in by going to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders's website at www.roughridershockey.com/. Through an agreement with Let's Play Hockey Magazine, the USHL Prospects/All-Star Game will also be televised on a tape-delay basis on the Midwest Sports Channel (MSC). MSC will broadcast the game on Saturday, January 27 at 3:00 p.m. You can find MSC on the Rochester Cable service on channel 45. Doug Johnson, publisher of Let's Play Hockey, and Wally Shaver, a professional broadcaster, will be announcing the game. The USHL Prospects/All-Star Game is being held Tuesday, January 23, 2001 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at 7:05 p.m. Call (319) 261-4625 for tickets. All net proceeds from the game will go to benefit the Shriners Children's Hospitals and the El Kahir transportation fund, which helps take patients to the Shriners Children's Hospitals.
January 16, 2001 Sioux Falls Stampede forward Thomas Vanek and Omaha Lancers defenseman Keith Ballard have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending January 15, 2001.
January 11, 2001 The USHL has announced the rosters for the 2000- 01 Shriners/USHL Prospects/All-Star Game; hosted by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. The Shriners/USHL Prospects/All-Star Game showcases the top players and projected NHL draft selections in the league. Last season, 14 future NHL draft picks, a player signed to a professional contract, and 35 eventual Division 1 college scholarship players participated in the game. The contest features Team USA, comprised of USHL All-Stars as voted by the USHL coaches, against Team World, made up of the USHL's top import players and potential NHL draft picks as selected by NHL Central Scouting. This year's contest is being sponsored by the El Kahir Shrine Temple of Cedar Rapids. All net proceeds from the game will go to the Shriners Children's Hospitals and the El Kahir Shrine transportation fund, which provides transportation for patients to the Shrine Hospitals. The game will be held Tuesday, January 23, 2001 at 7:05 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Please call the RoughRiders ticket office at: (319) 261-4625 for tickets. The guest head coach for Team USA will be Lou Vairo. Vairo is currently the Director of Special Projects for USA Hockey. He has coached national and professional teams in both the United States and Europe for more than two decades. Vairo's vast coaching resume includes having served as head coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team, and being chosen as an assistant coach for the 2002 U.S. Olympic Team. Vairo will be assisted by Lincoln's assistant coach Steve Ross. Ross was selected for helping guide the Stars to the West Division lead after 28 games played. The guest head coach for Team World will be Jack Barzee. Barzee currently works for the NHL Central Scouting Service. He is one of the Central Scouting's longtime scouts covering draft eligible players in the USHL, Canadian Major Juniors, colleges, and high schools. Barzee coached in the USHL from 1979-1985 with Waterloo and Dubuque. He led Dubuque to the 1981 and 1983 Junior 'A' National Championship crowns. Barzee will be assisted by Green Bay's assistant coach Ian Kallay. Kallay was selected for helping guide the Gamblers to the East Division lead after 28 games played. Representing your Rochester Mustangs on the roster will be Tim Conboy. Tim is a defenseman on the Team World roster. For a complete listing of the rosters, go to USHL.com.
January 9, 2001 Sioux City defenseman David Vychodil and Rochester Mustang goaltender Wayne Russell have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending January 8, 2001.
January 9, 2001 Omaha Lancers goaltender Marty Magers has been named the USHL/Goalies' World Magazine Goalie of the Month for December.
January 4, 2001 Lincoln Stars forward Brandon Bochenski and Green Bay Gamblers defenseman Jesse Baraniuk have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending January 1, 2001.
December 29, 2000 The Shawnee County Commissioners in Topeka, Kansas, recently approved the sale of the lease for the ExpoCentre Arena to Northwest Sports, Inc. from Flying Cross Check LLC. Starting in the 2001-2002 season, a USHL expansion team owned by Northwest Sports, Inc. will begin play in the 7,777-seat ExpoCentre Arena. William "Butch" Johnson, owner of Northwest Sports, Inc. also owns the Waterloo Black Hawks and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL and the Billings Bulls of the American West Junior Hockey League, as well as, the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods Baseball League. The new USHL team in Topeka will retain the name of the present CHL team, the Topeka ScareCrows. The CHL team in Topeka, owned by Jonathan Fleisig, will cease operations in Topeka at the end of the 2000-2001 season. Nortwest Sports, Inc. has named Bliss Littler GM/head coach of the USHL team in Topeka. Littler was the head coach of the Billings Bulls for the previous six years. Tom Rudrud has been named assistant coach of the new USHL franchise. Rudrud was most recently the head coach of the Grand Rapids Bearcats of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).
December 19, 2000 Sioux Falls Stampede forward Mike Doyle and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defenseman P.J. Atherton have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending December 18, 2000.
December 12, 2000 Tri-City Storm forward Mark Pohl and Omaha Lancers goaltender Marty Magers have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending December 11, 2000.
December 8, 2000 Lincoln Stars' goaltender Beau Fritz has been named the USHL/Goalies' World Magazine Goalie of the Month for November.
December 5, 2000 Sioux Falls Stampede forward Dave Iannazzo and Des Moines Buccaneers goaltender Mike Mantua have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending December 4, 2000.
November 27, 2000 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward Dan O'Brien and Omaha Lancers defenseman Jason Krischuk have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending November 27, 2000.
November 20, 2000 Sioux City Musketeers forward Brian Kerr and Lincoln Stars goaltender Beau Fritz have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending November 20, 2000.
November 13, 2000 Forward Craig Falite of the Waterloo Black Hawks and goaltender Paul Morrissey of the Des Moines Buccaneers have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending November 12, 2000.
November 6, 2000 Forward Chad LaRose of the Sioux Falls Stampede and goaltender Ray Fraser of the Omaha Lancers have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending November 5, 2000.
November 2, 2000 Mike Mantua of the Des Moines Buccaneers has been named the USHL/Goalies' World Magazine Goalie of the Month for October, including the last two weeks of September.
October 23, 2000 Forward Luke Stauffacher of the Green Bay Gamblers and goaltender Beau Fritz of the Lincoln Stars have been named the USHL/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending October 22, 2000.
October 17, 2000 The USHL announced today the 22-man USHL Select Team roster for the 2000 Four Nations Tournament hosted by the German Ice Hockey Federation in Fussen, Germany, November 10-12. "This is a very prestigious tournament to participate in," said Gino Gasparini, USHL Commissioner. "The USHL teams, coaches and players are honored and excited to play in this tournament. It is a chance for these young men to represent the league and the country, and to play some of the world's top competition." This marks the fourth consecutive year the USHL has taken part in this International tournament, along with the Junior National Teams of Norway, Germany and Switzerland. In 1997, in its' first appearance in the tournament, the USHL Selects went to Fussen, Germany, and won the tournament with a 2-0-1 record. The USHL Select Team won the 1998 tournament in Oslo, Norway, clinching the Gold Medal with a 2-0-1 mark. Last season, the USHL Selects picked up a silver medal on their home ice. The Swiss Junior National Team has finished second the first two years and won the gold last year, while Germany and Norway have finished third and fourth, respectively, all three years. Every USHL team is represented on the roster with Tom Carroll, Head Coach/General Manager of the Des Moines Buccaneers, and Scott Koberinski, Head Coach/General Manager of the Waterloo Black Hawks, coaching the team. "Coach Koberinski and myself are honored to coach this Select team," said Carroll. "This trip is a great opportunity for the players to visit another country and develop bonds with players from other teams in the league." The Select team and traveling party will depart from Chicago on November 6, playing an exhibition game in Berlin on November 8 against the team EHC Eisbaren Berlin. Following the exhibition game, the Selects head to Fussen for the three-day tournament. The team will return to the United States on November 13 in Chicago. Representing the Rochester Mustangs on the roster will be Alternate Captain Chase Watson. Congrats Chase!!!
October 16, 2000 Forward Darren Partch of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and goaltender Kevin Ackley of the Chicago Steel have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending October 16, 2000.
October 9, 2000 Forward Brandon Bochenski of the Lincoln Stars and defenseman Jamie Mattie of the Sioux Falls Stampede have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending October 9, 2000.
October 6, 2000 The past three or four days, the website has been down. There have been some problems with the domain name, but I have been assured that everything has been resolved. My apologies to everyone for the lack of a website, but it really was out of my control. Hopefully everything will be fully functional from here on out.
October 2, 2000 Forward Chris Fournier of the Lincoln Stars and defenseman Jason Krischuk of the Omaha Lancers have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending October 2, 2000.
September 25, 2000 Forward Mike Doyle of the Sioux Falls Stampede and goaltender Mike Mantua of the Des Moines Buccaneers have been named the United States Hockey League/Let's Play Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for the week ending September 25, 2000.
September 15, 2000 Des Moines Buccaneers Head Coach and General Manager Tom Carroll will be the Head Coach for the USHL team in the upcoming Four Nations Tournament to be held November 6th-13th in Fussen, Germany. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
August 13, 2000 The schedule for the 2000 - 01 season has been posted. The Mustangs will play two pre-season games against Des Moines in a home/home split September 8th & 9th. They will also be competing in the annual HyVee Buc Bowl in Des Moines September 14th - 17th where they will play Cedar Rapids, Waterloo and Sioux Falls. The regular season opens on September 22nd with the Mustangs facing Sioux City on Friday and Dubuque on Saturday. For the complete USHL schedule, check out the USHL Online.
July 21, 2000 The USHL has entered into a three-year agreement with the Shrine Temples of Omaha, Nebraska; Grand Forks, North Dakota; and possibly Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to sponsor and host the USHL Top Prospects/All-Star Game. The USHL/Shriners' agreement will start with the 2000-01 game in Omaha on January 23, 2001, at the 8,314-seat Omaha Civic Auditorium. Grand Forks' new 12,000-seat Engelstad Arena, currently under construction, is tentatively scheduled to host either the 2001-02 or 2002-03 Top Prospects/All-Star Game. All net proceeds from the games go directly to the Shriners Hospitals for Children fund and will be distributed as necessary. The three Shriners Hospitals for Children within the USHL footprint are in Minneapolis, MN; Chicago, IL; and St. Louis, MO. Besides the game, the Shriners will also host a banquet for the players the night before, Monday, January 22, 2001. The banquet will include a guest speaker and a few patients from the Shriners Hospitals. Tickets to this banquet will be available to the public. Information on purchasing tickets to the USHL Top Prospects/All-Star Game will be released at a later date. To make a personal donation to the Shriners Hospitals for Children call 1-800-241-GIFT. To call about a potential patient call 1-800-237-5055, in Canada call 1-800-361-7256. You can also visit the Shriners' website for more information.
June 25, 2000 Of the 22 former USHL players drafted in this year's NHL Entry Draft, 4 were former Rochester Mustangs. Jeff Taffe (currently with the Minnesota Gophers - WCHA) was selected in the 1st round, 30th overall, by the St. Louis Blues. Jozef Balej (currently with the Portland Winter Hawks - WHL) was selected in the 3rd round, 78th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens. Tim Branham (currently with the Barrie Colts - OHL) was selected in the 3rd round, 93rd overall, by the Vancouver Canucks. Mike Stuart (currently with the Colorado College Tigers - WCHA) was selected in the 5th round, 137th overall, by the Nashville Predators. It's a dream come true for all of them. Congrats Boyz!!!
June 22, 2000 The USHL Board of Governors approved to change the overtime procedure to a five minute sudden death 4-on-4, like the National Hockey League. Additionally, the USHL will add some International rules when playing Team USA, and a change in a potential icing situation. The new overtime procedure mimics the NHL's 4-on-4, five-minute overtime procedure with one exception, if the score is still tied after the overtime, a shootout will follow. Teams will receive one point at the end of regulation play (60 minutes), if the score is tied, a three-minute rest period followed by the five-minute sudden death 4-on-4. If the score still remains tied, a one-minute rest period will be followed by a shootout. There are several special, one-time changes when Team USA visits each team. The rule changes are only for the first game Team USA plays at each arena. "At Team USA's request, we are going to use modified International Rules. This will eliminate the red line for passing and icing will be automatic," USHL Commissioner Gino Gasparini said. "This will give our fans an International Hockey perspective. I don't believe it will lead to an elimination of center-line offside and touch-icing in the USHL. With over 100 players advancing to college per year, we believe our current rules and on-ice product are working exceptionally well." Another rule change is that during a potential icing situation, any goaltender who leaves his crease will nullify the icing. "This is a professional rule that we have incorporated," Director of Hockey Operations Scott Brand said. "This change should prevent any unnecessary contact with goaltenders. Over the last several years, goaltenders have become more and more offensive, which has lead to more goaltender/player contact. This rule should help eliminate that type of unnecessary contact."
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