PAPILLION, NE – After 60 grueling games, the USHL has brought an end to their regular season. League Champions, and subsequently winners of the Anderson Cup are the Green Bay Gamblers. In doing so the Gamblers have secured home ice throughout the entire playoff run capitalizing with their final game of the season a makeup date against division basement dweller Des Moines. The win secures the number one seed in the East for Green Bay who will now begin a best-of-five series against fourth seeded Waterloo.
The first round of the USHL playoffs will match the number one seed against the number four seed and the number two seed against the number three seed in a best-of-five series in each division. The second round will then match the winners of the first round with the higher seed receiving home ice in the second pairings in a best-of-five series. The second round of the playoffs will crown an East and West Division champion whom will then play for the Clark Cup in a best-of-five series.
The USHL playoffs are known for being very well played and extremely competitive hockey games. Teams are usually relative in strength which lessens the opportunities for sweeps, but does increase the opportunities for upsets. Lower seeds generally fair very well and typically can make strong showings regardless of wins and losses. Pro Hockey News will provide game by game action throughout the playoff run that will yield a national champion come the end.
East Division
#1 Green Bay vs. #4 Waterloo
In what has been the most lop-sided season series involved in the USHL playoffs, the Waterloo Black Hawks will need to find out how to beat the Green Bay Gamblers or face what could be a very quick exit. The Gamblers have dominated the Black Hawks all season with +18 point margin in head-to-head play and a record of 6-1-1. Green Bay has been consistent with their work adjacent to Waterloo scoring exactly three goals on them four times. There is also the 11-0 route in Green Bay on February 28th that will certainly weigh heavily on the minds of the Black Hawks. In order to make this series more competitive than what the past and paper show, Waterloo is going to have to find a way to not only stop Green Bay’s scoring ability, but do so by not sacrificing their opportunities in the offensive zone. While the Gamblers look to have an easy first round in front of them, Waterloo will do all that they can to rain on the parade of the Gamblers to lock up a date in the second round. Waterloo is 0-6-1 in Green Bay, so home ice advantage looks to be yet one more factor in deciding this series on paper.
Game 1 – Thursday, April 9, 2009 @ Green Bay, game time 7:05
Game 2 – Saturday, April 11, 2009 @ Green Bay, game time 7:05
Game 3 – Wednesday April 15, 2009 @ Waterloo, game time 7:05
Game 4 – Friday April 17, 2009 @ Waterloo, if necessary
Game 5 – Saturday, April 18, 2009 @ Green Bay, if necessary
#2 Cedar Rapids vs. #3 Indiana
For the fourth time in the last five years, the Ice will play the Roughriders in the playoffs. Indiana will need to get back to their game after failing to secure the Anderson Cup in the last weekend of the regular season. Cedar Rapids has shown solid play all season with a second ranked power play and the ability to win high scoring affairs as well as low scoring games. The Roughriders won the regular season series between the two teams with a record of 4-3-1. Cedar Rapids outscored the Ice head-to-head with a margin of +4. Home ice has been of little factor as both teams have lost twice at home to the other. Expect another great playoff series in the USHL as the Cedar Rapids Roughriders will hold home ice advantage over the Indiana Ice in this best-of-five series.
Game 1 – Friday, April 10, 2009 @ Cedar Rapids, game time 7:05 Game 2 – Saturday, April 11, 2009 @ Cedar Rapids, game time 7:05 Game 3 – Wednesday, April 15, 2009 @ Indiana, game time 6:35 Game 4 – Friday, April 17, 2009 @ Indiana, if necessary Game 5 – Saturday, April 18, 2009 @ Cedar Rapids, if necessary
West Division
#1 Lincoln vs. #4 Sioux Falls
During the regular season, Lincoln held the edge over the Stampede winning four and losing three. While Lincoln obtained the edge in the win-loss column, Sioux Falls managed to match the Stars quip-pro-quo in points scored at nineteen. In a tightly matched series, both teams are going to need to develop opportunities wherever possible. The one place that seems evident in the tally sheets is on special teams play. Lincoln finished the season with the best penalty kill while Sioux Falls had the worst power play. In order to beat top-seeded Lincoln in this series, Sioux Falls must improve on their power play. The Stampede will need to improve on their penalty kill as well finishing the regular season ranked ninth out of twelve. The Stars will have home ice advantage in the best-of-five series when it opens up on Friday, April 10.
Game 1 – Friday April 10, 2009 @ Lincoln, game time 7:05
Game 2 – Saturday April 11, 2009 @ Lincoln, game time 7:05
Game 3 – Tuesday, April 14, 2009 @ Sioux Falls, game time 7:05
Game 4 – Friday, April 17, 2009 @ Sioux Falls, if necessary
Game 5 – Saturday, April 18, 2009 @ Lincoln, if necessary
#2 Omaha vs. #3 Fargo
The defending National Champions will have a tall order to fill in ‘forcing’ Fargo out of the playoffs. While Omaha managed to win the season series (4-3-1) and outscore the Force by a margin of +4, the Lancers never quite overmatched Fargo. Omaha secured home ice on the final weekend of the regular season by beating the Force, 6-1. With home ice comes a disadvantage this season for these two teams in head-to-head play. Only being able to muster one win a piece at home and each winning one game in overtime gives a needed boost to the visitors as both arenas are notorious for being loud and unwelcoming to visiting opponents. The Force will need to continue playing their shut-down style of defense to beat the scoring hungry Lancers; which will put the potential outcome of the series in the team that can force the other to play their game. Both teams are very physical as well each recording about 1,100 penalty minutes this winter as well. Expect a long grueling series as both teams will fight to the death in order to pick up the series win.
Game 1 – Friday, April 10th @ Omaha, game time 7:05
Game 2 – Saturday, April 11th @ Omaha, game time 7:05
Game 3 – Sunday, April 12th @ Fargo, game time 8:05
Game 4 – Wednesday, April 15th @ Fargo, if necessary
Game 5 – Saturday, April 18th @ Omaha, if necessary
For questions or comments, you may contact the author at: john.strathman@prohockeynews.com
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