Omaha Lancers
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The Omaha Lancers are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
Since 2002, the Lancers' home ice has been the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the Missouri River from Omaha. Until the 2001-2002 season, the Lancers played at the now-demolished Ak-Sar-Ben arena in Omaha. For two seasons (2002-2003 and 2003-2004), the team was known as the River City Lancers.
The Omaha Lancers are known to be one of the most successful franchises in USHL history. They own five Anderson Cup(regular season)and seven Clark Cup (playoff) titles as well as two Junior National Championships. They are known for a strong fan base that emerged at a time when they were the only hockey team in Omaha. They have produced 162 D-1 Scholarship athletes and 29 NHL draft picks. In 2004 the Lancers made national headlines when a new ownership group consisting of hockey legends took over. This group included NHL greats Mario Lemieux and Luc Robitaille, as well as the captain of the "Miracle On Ice" 1980 U.S. Olympic team Mike Eruzione, William "Boots" DelBiaggio, John Donovan, and Ben Robert. Lemieux is no longer a member of the ownership. The Lancers are 2006-2007 USHL West Division Champions earning a top playoff seed. The Lancers play at the Mid-America Center just across the Missouri River from Omaha in Coucil Bluffs, Iowa. The building seats approximately 6,700 for hockey and is commonly known as the "MAC". The Lancers' have a loud home crowd with many gametime traditions. The Lancers' goal song is "The Heat Is On" by Glenn Frey with an accompanying chant from the home crowd. Prior to 2002 the Lancers played at the historic Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum. Omaha's top rivals include bitter I-80 rivals the Lincoln Stars and long-time enemy the Des Moines Buccaneers. The Lancers also have had brewing rivalries with the Sioux City Musketeers and Nebraska state rival the Tri-City Storm.
The 1986-87 Lancer team was 0-46-2, winless for the entire season and making it into Sports Illustrated for this feat of futility. Their last two game away series was against the Des Moines Buccaneers during the 1986-87 season. The last game of that year, Sunday, March 4th 1987, almost ended in victory. The teams were tied after regulation. The Lancers almost pulled it out in overtime, only to lose eventually, 3-2, during this cliffhanging battle. The only known Pro player from the 1986-87 Lancer team, Antti Autere, was from Helsinki, Finland. He later played in the ECHL. The Lancers franchise owes a debt of gratitude to the many players from that season, as they were on the brink of throwing in the towel and folding many times. This group of misfit players and coaches stuck it out, under staffed and out played, so that within only 4 seasons, the Lancers won both the Anderson Cup, for best regular season record, and the Clark Cup for winning the season playoff title as well. Since their inception the Lancers have gone on to produce perhaps the most Division I and Pro players in all of the USHL.
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