Hockey: Lancers christen Civic with win

The Omaha Lancers got off to a good start Saturday night in establishing their new home as an inhospitable place for visiting teams.

In their first game at the Civic Auditorium after seven seasons at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, the Lancers defeated the Tri-City Storm 3-1 in the United States Hockey League season opener for both teams.

“We want to establish that the Civic will be a hard place for any team except the Lancers to win,” Omaha coach Bliss Littler said. “I was very pleased with the crowd, I thought they were into it, with the sheer numbers and all the way around, it felt pretty good.”

The noise level from the crowd of 4,399 was noticeably more intense than in the less-intimate setting the MAC provided. And the Lancers seemed to get a boost from the louder atmosphere.

The game started 15 minutes late to allow a larger-than-anticipated crowd enough time to get to their seats. Fans were in line in the lobby and out to Capitol Avenue at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time of 7:20 p.m.

After a scoreless first period, the Lancers finally lit the lamp in the middle of the second. Forward Erik Haula took a pass from Joe Lavin and buried a shorthanded breakaway shot over the left shoulder of Tri-City goaltender Carsen Chubak at 8:36 for Omaha's first goal in its new home.

“I was happy not to be down 3-0,” Littler said. “In this league, winning your home opener in October is a difficult thing to do. Just learning to play at home and turning it into a home-ice advantage is a process.”

The initial giddiness of that first goal hadn't worn off before the Storm, still on the power play, responded just 23 seconds later with the equalizer by Anthony DeCenzo.

“I give Tri-City credit: They bounced back quickly,” Littler said. “It took a goofy bounce, and they dumped in the rebound.”

Omaha reclaimed the lead just over three minutes later when Troy Power snuck a shot past Chubak from just inside the right circle.

The Lancers took the 2-1 lead into the locker room at the second intermission. Matt Wahl and Anthony Hamburg earned their first points of the season with assists.

Forward Stefan Demopoulos added an unassisted insurance goal at 8:59 of the third period to give the Lancers their final margin of victory. Omaha goalie Jeff Teglia stopped 25 of 26 shots.

There also was plenty of extracurricular activity as both teams were assessed 18 minutes of penalty time.

Littler said the Lancers are fortunate to have so many top-level players returning from last season. One goalie, four defensemen and five forwards from last year's playoff team are wearing orange and black again this season.

“Right now our strength would be up front, but I like our other areas,” Littler said. “I'm proud of how far that team came. This is my 21st year, and I never had a year like last year where we came in with just four returners.”

The biggest area of inexperience last year was in the defensive corps.

With players like Joe Lavin, CJ Ludwig and Dennis Brown back for their second tour of duty this season, Littler said he came into this season feeling much better about Omaha's ability to slow opposing offenses.

Mathieu Brisson, a Cornell University recruit from Longueuil, Quebec, is a new defender Littler said is “a high-end prospect” who is expected to have an immediate impact.

“We got stronger as the year went on last year, but we started with no veteran defensemen,” Littler said. “We made some big strides there, but I like having more experience at that end.”

Expectations of Lancers fans are always high — not only making the playoffs but seriously challenging for the Clark Cup every season — and Littler got his first full dose of that a year ago.

When the Lancers were swept in the first round of the playoffs by eventual West Division champion Fargo — the team led by new UNO coach Dean Blais — the fans weren't pleased, but neither was the coach.

“I know that Lancer fans have been accustomed to being on top of the standings,” Littler said. “Expectations in Omaha are always very high, and that's the way it should be.”

Littler also expects goaltending to be one of the Lancers' strongest areas this season because of Teglia's return to the team and the proven experience Jo Phillippi brings from a 15-2-3 season with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the North American Hockey League a year ago.

“I'm excited about our goaltending because both of them are capable of consistently giving us a chance to win,” Littler said. “Goaltending is the most important position in hockey. When you don't have it, you know it; when you do you're not appreciative of it.”

Except for the quick goal that tied the game at 1-1, Littler said, he got what he'd hoped for from his veteran goalie.

“I don't know how many he had that were Grade-A chances,” Littler said, “but I thought he played very well.”

Tri-City (0-1).................0 1 0—1

Omaha (1-0)..............0 2 1—3

First period: None.

Second period: 1, O, Erik Haula (Joe Lavin), 8:36. 2, TC, Anthony DeCenzo (Brett Mohler, Blake Coleman), 8:59. 3, O, Troy Power, (Matt Wahl, Anthony Hamburg), 12:00.

Third period: 4, O, Stefan Demopoulos (unassisted), 8:59.

Shots on goal

Tri-City 9152—26

Omaha 10612—28

Power plays: Tri-City 1 for 5; Omaha 0 for 5.

Penalties-minutes: Tri-City 9-18; Omaha 9-18.

Goalies: Tri-City, Carsen Chubak (28 shots, 25 saves, 60:00); Omaha, Jeff Teglia (26 shots, 25 saves, 60:00).

Three stars: Teglia, Haula, Demopoulos.

A: 4,399.

ICE CHIPS: Omaha hockey legend Motto McLean was saluted before the game and performed the ceremony of dropping the puck to start the game. Accompanying him to center ice were Lancers president Ben Robert and USHL commissioner Skip Prince. On the way to center ice, Prince slipped and fell on his backside. … Because of the bigger crowd, Lancers officials opened the east side of the upper bowl for fans to watch the game. Ticket officials had said Friday that capacity would be 4,066.

Contact the writer:

444-1201, alexsdad@mail.com

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