GOALIES
Troy Grosenick (2009 team – RoughRiders)
Matt Hemingway (Alexandria – NAHL)
DEFENSEMEN
Bryce Aneloski (RoughRiders)
Steven Hensley (Detroit Central Catholic High School)
Andy Simpson (St. Louis AAA Blues)
Jared Beers (Kenai River – NAHL)
Thomas Mahoney (Thayer Academy, Mass.)
Mac Bennett (Hotchkiss Prep, Ct.)
Nolan Zajac (Winnipeg Thrashers, Canada)
FORWARDS
Stu Wilson (Maksymum Jr. B, N.Y.)
Eric Robinson (RoughRiders)
Stephen Collins (Green Mountain Glades, Vt.)
Jeff Costello (RoughRiders)
Peter Sakaris (College Charles Lemoyne/Quebec)
Derek Deblois (Hotchkiss Prep, Ct.)
Sam Warning (St. Louis Selects)
Chad Hudson (Wichita Falls – NAHL)
Zach Lehrke (RoughRiders)
Jordan DiGiando (Ohio AAA Blue Jackets)
Cason Hohmann (Compuware U-16, Mich.)
Michael Parks (St. Louis Selects)
Justin Kovacs (Grosse Point North, Mich. HS)
Jayson Megna (Tabor Academy, Mass.)
The USHL Fall Classic is in the books after seven matchups on Saturday in Sioux City, Iowa. The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders were declared the champions of the event after posting a 3-0-0 record during the three-day event.
Both the Sioux Falls Stampede and Des Moines Buccaneers also finished the USHL Fall Classic with 3-0-0 records, but the RoughRiders recorded a larger goal differential (+12) after scoring 16 goals and allowing just four. Sioux Falls posted a goal differential of +10 while Des Moines finished with a +5 goal differential.
It is the second consecutive season the RoughRiders have gone a perfect 3-0-0 to win the USHL Fall Classic. Last season, the Des Moines Buccaneers also earned a 3-0-0 record, but finished behind Cedar Rapids in goal differential.
Michael Parks led the RoughRiders in scoring with six points (4g, 2a) while goaltender Troy Grosenick allowed just two goals and made 55 saves in two appearances for Cedar Rapids.
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What a great weekend for RoughRider goaltending! After watching Grosenick develop throughout the season last year I'm really excited to see what he can do with the team this year. He's a very solid and consistent goaltender and when his game is 100% on, he's a force to be reckoned with between the pipes. His performance this weekend just shows he really has what it takes to be successful in this league and in college...just waiting to see who will scoop him up first.
Boston Globe, by David Rattigan. Photo by Lisa Poole of the Boston Globe.SOUTH HAMILTON - While daydreaming in his high school chemistry class, hockey goaltender Trevor Leahy began to think about the opposing forwards who buzz around him when Pingree School hits the ice.
What are they looking for, he asked himself.
Open net.
But why does he wear dark blue pads that let shooters zero in on a target?
Using computer skills he learned in a graphic design class at the private school in South Hamilton, Leahy sketched out new leg pads that blend into the goal netting behind him. He wanted pads, a trapper, and a blocker that are white with a raised double-stitched design, just like the goal. He applied for a design patent and had them custom-made by a Canada-based pad maker.
"When the shooter comes down and only has a split second to shoot the puck, they're looking for net," said Leahy, a senior from Hampton, N.H., who grew up in Byfield. "If you put the net on the pad, they'll shoot at the pad instead of the goal."
Since the days when Boston Bruins' goaltender Gerry Cheevers started inking stitches onto his mask each time the equipment protected his face, many goalies have expressed their individuality with designs and paintings on their mask or other pieces of equipment. But Leahy's design - essentially a camouflage for a goal that is 4 feet high and 6 feet wide - has hockey players and coaches amazed and impressed.
Darren Stomp, the custom pad maker from Kingsville, Ontario, who designed Leahy's equipment, has had other goaltenders ask him to add orange and black tiger stripes and other designs. But those changes were cosmetic. "It might be the most clever idea," Stomp said. "I don't think there's any question it will work, although to what degree depends on the shooter and the situation."
So far, Leahy has logged two shutouts with the pads. In practice, two of Pingree's top scorers say, the illusion is particularly effective when there's a scramble in front of the net and they need to shoot quickly.
"When you're in close and you don't have a lot of time to think, it does catch your eye, and you do shoot toward it sometimes," said Matt MacDonald, a cocaptain from Byfield.
Both MacDonald and senior Tony Sardo of Gloucester say they have fired the puck directly into Leahy's pads. The illusion diminishes if they are farther from the net, with more time to shoot.
"I've never seen anything like them," Sardo said of the pads.
| GAME DETAILS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PENALTIES |
| Period 1 |
| Waterloo - Colton Warner - (Slashing), 2 min, 8:11 Cedar Rapids - Zach Carriveau - (Checking from Behind), 2 min, 8:50 Cedar Rapids - Nick Lappin - (Interference), 2 min, 13:08 Waterloo - Blake Thompson - (Holding), 2 min, 16:33 Waterloo - Tony Turgeon - (Cross Checking), 2 min, 17:00 Cedar Rapids - Stephen Collins - (Slashing), 2 min, 19:13 |
| Period 2 |
| Cedar Rapids - Derek Deblois - (Tripping), 2 min, 8:53 Cedar Rapids - Thomas Mahoney - (Hooking), 2 min, 12:17 Waterloo - Nick Ebert - (Roughing), 2 min, 19:24 |
| Period 3 |
| Cedar Rapids - Peter Sakaris - (Roughing), 2 min, 3:50 Waterloo - Steven Hoshaw - (Roughing), 2 min, 3:50 Waterloo - J.T. Brown - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 5:11 Cedar Rapids - Thomas Mahoney - (Fighting Major), 5 min, 5:11 Waterloo - Patrick Divjak - (Slashing), 2 min, 5:59 Cedar Rapids - Jayson Megna - (Slashing), 2 min, 12:24 Cedar Rapids - Nick Lappin - (Tripping), 2 min, 14:55 Waterloo - Dan Sova - (Roughing), 2 min, 18:58 Cedar Rapids - Thomas Mahoney - (Delay of Game), 2 min, 18:58 |
From QC News.com:The Quad-City Mallards have announced the signing of seven players, including goaltender Sebastian LaPlante, a veteran of 249 games and 123 wins between the pipes.
Also in the group is forward Chris Lipsett, a 14th-year professional who has averaged more than 23 goals per year and who played two seasons for Mallards coach Frank Anzalone in the ECHL a decade ago.
Two more forwards, second-year pro Mike Lombardi and rookie Mike Maier, are among the first class of Anzalone recruits, as are veteran defensemen Jason Goulet and Darren McMillan and rookie blueliner Shane Lovdahl.
"I think the key to this whole group is I have chosen not to mass-recruit," Anzalone said. "I have cross-referenced players into oblivion, and in addition to them hopefully being good players, hopefully they are good people and team men. That's what we're trying to do and that's why it has been slow."
Anzalone said the initial group has committed to the Quad-Cities, with Lipsett having already enrolled his daughter in school. LaPlante stepped up to help in the recruitment of McMillan.
"He is ecstatic about coming to the Quad-Cities," the coach said of the goalie.
LaPlante, 28, could be challenged by another verbally committed netminder, but Anzalone said, "He still has a lot of hockey left in his tank and is considered a guy who might be a franchise goalie."
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Goulet, meanwhile, could fill a key role as well.
"He is a stopper defenseman who is tough and can handle the gritty part of the game," said the coach. "I was fortunate to get him."
Anzalone said another five contracts are pending, including one agreement reached Wednesday with a "really good centerman.
"I'm happy with the way it's going," the coach said. "It's slow but I think it's better that way."
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It's awesome to hear that former Rough Rider bad-boy Shane Lovdahl will be returning to Eastern Iowa to play with the Mallards. He was always a pretty solid defenseman and it's great to see him continuing with hockey beyond his college years. Hopefully he'll make his way up to Cedar Rapids for a few games to sign some autographs and take some pictures with the local kids who hope to someday be in his shoes. He was always one of those players that gave 100% effort on the ice and that definitely counts for something in my book. Having heart and passion for the game truly is what matters the most.
Posted on Aug 30, 2009 by Jeff Johnson.
Jeff Jauch is the new president/CEO of the RoughRiders. Photographed Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, at Cedar Rapids Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
CEDAR RAPIDS — Jeff Jauch has what he calls “my bachelor pad.”
The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders CEO has rented an apartment in town. He’s here Monday through Thursday, then heads home to Madison, Wis., to be with his family.
It’s a lot of travel, and his new job has been a lot of work. It’s not easy running a junior hockey franchise when you’ve never done it before.
But Jauch and his partners in ownership group Newco Riders LLC (Tony Sdao and Mark Carlson) are determined to make the RoughRiders as successful off the ice as they have been on it. The Gazette sat down with Jauch at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena for a chat Thursday.
The smell of paint was strong as workers continue putting the finishing touches on improvements at The Stable: green and black paint everywhere, new video screens, large television screens hanging outside every suite, cameras on the ceiling pointing down at the goal-crease areas …
The place looks good.
Q: What have the first three months been like for the new ownership?
A: What we’re trying to accomplish in three months is usually done in a year. So it’s been fast and furious. A lot to get done in a short amount of time. But in the long run it’s going to be great. Because it’s like get it done right, get it done now and then get on to normal business operations and hockey operations. That’s the objective. Get it done now, and get it done right, and not wait for a year or two to fill these seats.
Q: What has been the reaction of the community to the new ownership?
A: The reaction I have gotten is positive. Everything has been positive. I haven’t heard anything negative. Obviously, there’s going to be something, you’re always going to have bumps in the road and that. I understand that. But you know what, the initial indication I have gotten is that everyone likes what we’re doing. With the product that has been on the ice, plus this, I think we’re going to have a great entertainment (opportunity) for people. We’re going to make it a lot of fun.
Q: Have you set any goals as an organization for this first season?
A: Yes, we do have some goals. Our main goal, really, is to sell out every game. That’s our goal, what we want to do. Whether that’s done with season tickets or group tickets or just individual tickets, we need to figure out what that combination is going to be. Obviously, with the economy, there are some real challenges. But you know what, this is a great town. If you compare it to other places in the country from an economic standpoint, actually this area is not doing so bad. So I think we’re in a great area, and I’m very confident that we can get close to our goal.
I think our real opportunities are with groups, group sales. That’s where we really feel our opportunities are going to be. And it’ll build on itself. When people come here and look at the environment and the fun, word of mouth, telling their friends, that’ll take care of itself.
Q: Could you tell me about everything you have going on with arena improvements?
A: The long and short of it is that we want to make this rink feel like the home of the RoughRiders. Hence, the painting … What we want to try and accomplish here is almost like a sports bar type of theme. We’ve got four video screens here, and they can all work independently of each other. So you can have replays on one, logos on the other, you can have another game on one. You can have all kinds of things going basically on four video screens. But you can also link them up so the same things are happening on all of them. You can have “Goal” reach across all the screens. There are a lot of things we are trying to do there.
We’ve also put in what they call Gobo lights, there are eight of them in here, and that’s what’s going to give a lighting effect during goals, pregame, all sorts of other stuff. We’ve got quite a pregame introduction show planned. Hopefully, it’ll get the crowd all riled up and excited about the game.
Q: So are you excited about everything?
A: Very much so. I think the easy part will be the season. We get all of the remodeling one and get the season going, get things all organized. Then it’s just a matter of execution.
It's really great to see that the new owners are putting in some effort to help make the RoughRiders a success instead of simply relying on arena staff and the marketing team to make things happen. With a sports organization (and really organization, really) I think communication is key, and for there to be a group of owners who are working alongside each other to make things happen is really great. This first season might not go completely smooth considering the new ownership is trying to change how the organization has been ruin in the past, but I believe it will definitely be worth the wait.
