OMAHA, Neb – The Omaha Lancers took the ice last night in their United States Hockey League game kicking off the regular season. A crowd of 3, 717 fans in the Omaha Civic Center watched as the Lancers outdueled one of two new expansion teams in the USHL the Dubuque Fighting Saints. The Lancers scored a goal in each period to win 3-2 against the Fighting Saints. Some of the fans and observers in the Omaha Civic Center last night may have flashed back to the team’s first USHL game played 25 seasons ago, a Lancer loss. One such observer was on the ice tonight just as he was 25 seasons ago. USHL linesman Scott Zingerman who worked that first Lancer game was assigned to tonight’s game. While this is rightfully a season of celebration for the Lancers little in the team’s initial season predicted success for the franchise. That opening night loss ago in 1986 was the first of 48 straight losses that season. The “streak” caught the attention of the national press including Sports Illustrated which featured the Lancer’s futility in that initial campaign. Zingerman who lives in Omaha was also on the ice when the Lancers won their first game in franchise history in the following season. “I did get to witness the first victory in team history and it was a joyful occasion for the team that night.” “Living in Omaha I have been able to witness first-hand the overall success of the Lancers, and importantly the tremendous overall growth of the USHL. I have been on the ice with many USHL players, coaches and on-ice officials who moved on to college and professional hockey including the National Hockey League” said Zingerman yesterday in an interview with PHN. By the 1990-91 season Omaha had become a USHL power. The Lancer’s had claimed the USHL regular season title and won the playoffs that season. The turn-around also had broader implications. Omaha began a love affair with junior hockey that resulted in a move of the team into the 6,000 plus seat Ark-Sar-Ben Coliseum which was later torn down. The team routinely had sellouts and the rest of the USHL began to take notice of what junior hockey could be in the league’s mid-west footprint. Other teams quickly began to ramp up ticket sales staffs, overall marketing and pushed for new facilities, the result was league-wide growth that spawned the foundation for the league as it is today. In turn as the USHL expanded and its reputation grew the league began to attract serious hockey minded investors and participants. Today for example, the Omaha ownership group consists of President/Managing Partner Ben Robert, NHL Hall of Famers Mario Lemieux and Luc Robitaille, Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 USA Olympic Gold medal hockey team and businessman John Donovan. Former Lancers dot the rosters of professional hockey teams. Last season 13 former Lancers skated in the National Hockey League including Joe Corvo of the Carolina Hurricane, Paul Stasny of the Colorado Avalanche and Trevor Smith of the New York Islanders. Over 200 of the team’s players have gone on to play Division One college hockey on scholarships. More recently former Lancer Louis LeBlanc who went on to play at Harvard was a first round draft choice of the Montreal Canadiens. The development results are now league wide with rosters in the NHL and in minor pro hockey leagues across North America replete with USHL alumni. The impact of the USHL is also not limited to players. Zingerman, who worked his first USHL game at age 15 in Sioux City, Iowa and later served as the league’s Referee-in Chief in the early 90’s used the experience he gained to go on to work in the Central Hockey League, the International Hockey League, ECHL as well as in two premier US college leagues, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Over 300 officials out of the league have moved on to work in college, professional and international hockey. Most recently the NHL hired linesman Brian Pancich of Billings, MT who became the first USHL official to jump directly from the league’s officiating staff to the NHL. He joined four other former USHL officials all referees on the NHL officiating staff last season. Omaha enters its 25th season having won a total of 13 championships the most of any USHL member organization. The list of trophies includes five USHL Anderson Cup Championships, seven Clark Cup Playoff Championships and one USA Hockey Junior National Championship. The Lancers have made 21 straight USHL playoff appearances. Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.