Intrastate Rivals Square Off in Clark Cup Finals
For the first time, the Clark Cup Finals will feature a pair of Nebraska teams, as Lincoln and Omaha square off for the USHL's biggest prize. However, there's more to this series than geographic proximity, as the Stars and Lancers just happen to be the league's two hottest teams since Christmas.
Less than 60 miles separate the eastern Nebraska cities of Lincoln and Omaha, but for the next two weeks, the residents of the two cities will have a tough time agreeing on many things.
The reason? For the first time since the Lincoln Stars entered the United States Hockey League in the fall of 1996, the Stars will square off with the Omaha Lancers in the Clark Cup Finals. The Stars and Lancers have had a fierce rivalry since Lincoln's inaugural season, when the Stars defeated the Lancers four games to one in the semi-finals.
To say the two teams have a non-traditional rivalry would be an understatement. In many regards, Lincoln and Omaha fans act like siblings. Throughout the regular season, the two have a strong rivalry that has, on occasion, boiled over from the ice and into the crowd. However, when the playoffs come around, many Stars fans will cheer for the Lancers the rest of the way if the Stars are eliminated first, and vice versa if the Lancers are the first team to hit the golf course.
Largely because of the rivalry, many fans in both cities have been waiting for the two to square off in the Clark Cup Finals since the first and only playoff meeting between Lincoln and Omaha, and four years later, that wish has been granted.
A better scenario could not have been set for the long awaited matchup. Both teams rolled through the first two rounds, as Lincoln is undefeated after two rounds, while Omaha has just one postseason loss. In the second round, the Stars swept the Tri-City Storm in three games, avenging last year's semi-final loss to the then-Twin Cities Vulcans. The Lancers took four games to dispose of the Sioux Falls Stampede, including an 8-0 whitewashing of Sioux Falls at Aksarben in the final game.
In order to stop the Stars, the Lancers will need stellar goaltending from Ray Fraser. In seven playoff games, Fraser has posted a 1.91 goals against average and a 93.1 percent save percentage, as well as two shutouts. Fraser's job will not be easy in the semi-finals, however. Through six playoff games, the Stars have outscored their opponents 30-13, an average of five goals per game. Lincoln boasts a deep attack, led by Preston Callander (5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points), Andy Schneider (3-5-8), Brandon Bochenski (3-4-7), and regular season MVP Chris Fournier (1-6-7).
If containing the Stars' offense is difficult, penetrating their defense can be nearly impossible. With veteran blueliners such as Schneider, Nick Fouts, Anthony D'Arpino, Nick Fuher, Ken Scuderi, Lee Marvin, and Tommy Watkins, Lincoln boasts the league's top defensive corps. The last line of defense is equally strong, with Beau Fritz (1.97,92.9) and Justin Johnson (2.01, 93.3) splitting the playing time through the first two rounds.
However, Lincoln's defense will receive a tough test from the red-hot Omaha offense. Through seven playoff games, the Lancers have outscored their opposition 36-16, and they feature the postseason's top scorer in Dan Welch (5-11-16), who has posted an astonishing 16 points in seven games. Riley Riddell (5-6-11), Aaron Slattengren (6-4-10), and Yan Stastny (3-5-8) are other key contributors to the potent Lancer attack.
The power play is also a strength for both teams, as the Lancers (27.58 percent) and Stars (26.82 percent) feature the top two power play units in the post season. However, after operating at 50.0 percent in the first round, the Stars' power play faltered against Tri-City, allowing key shorthanded goals in games two and three. On the other side of the coin, the penalty killing for both squads has been solid through the post-season. Omaha's penalty killing ranks third at 90.32 percent, while Lincoln's penalty killing is fourth at 86.95 percent.
One of the most interesting variables in this series could be home ice advantage, or more specifically, the potential lack of home ice for the Lancers. In their first four home playoff games, Omaha has averaged just 4,221 fans in 6,124-seat Aksarben. Meanwhile, the Stars, as usual, have sold out all home playoff games in addition to taking a large number of fans with them to road games. With the combination of the two cities geographic proximity, the number of unsold tickets in past games, and the Stars' fans reputation for traveling to road games, it is conceivable Lincoln will have upwards of 2,000 fans in Omaha, creating a neutral-site atmosphere.
What Lincoln must do to win:
- Keep playing the same game they have been all season. From opening night through the end of the second round, the Stars appear to be a team on a mission. They feature the league's best defense, while the offense and goaltending are also second to none. If everything goes smoothly, it will be tough for any team to beat Lincoln.
- Shut down Omaha's potent post-season offense. Despite their image as a defense-first squad, the Lancers have scored goals in bunches during the playoffs. When Omaha gets ahead early, it can be tough to stop them.
What Omaha must do to win:
- Get on the board first. Omaha is a solid defensive team, and they are good at holding early leads. But if the Stars get an early lead, it will be tough for Omaha to open up the game and keep Lincoln from furthering their lead in the process.
- Get stellar goaltending from Fraser. To this point in the playoffs, Lincoln's offense has sliced right through Tri-City standout Bernd Bruckler and former Star Jake Brandt. No goaltender has been able to shut down the Stars' offense this season, and the Lancers will become merely another victim if Fraser does not change the pattern.
PREDICTION: Lincoln and Omaha have been the hottest teams in the league since Christmas. Aside from the interest of having the Lincoln-Omaha rivalry take center stage in the Clark Cup, this will be an entertaining series on the ice. Although Omaha has been impressive through the playoffs and the end of the regular season, Lincoln has too many weapons at each position to not win the Clark Cup. Last time a North American Hockey League franchise hosted the Gold Cup, the Stars represented the USHL as Clark Cup champions. History will repeat itself in 2001. Stars in four.
By Trevor Grimm