1998–99 USHL season

1998–99 USHL season
LeagueUnited States Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationRegular season
September 1998 – March 1999
Post-season
March 24 – April 23, 1999
Number of games56
Number of teams13
Regular season
Anderson CupDes Moines Buccaneers
Clark Cup Playoffs
Finals championsDes Moines Buccaneers
  Runners-upGreen Bay Gamblers

The 1998–99 USHL season was the 20th season of the United States Hockey League as an all-junior league. The regular season began in September 1998 and concluded in March 1999. The Des Moines Buccaneers won the Anderson Cup as regular season champions. The Des Moines Buccaneers also defeated the Omaha Lancers 4 games to 2 for the Clark Cup.

Member changes

  • The USNTDP played a full league schedule for the first time but was unavailable for postseason play due to participating in the NAHL playoffs.

Regular season

Final standings[1]

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched league title

Central Division

Team GP W L OTL Pts GF GA
xyzDes Moines Buccaneers 56 48 7 1 97 304 133
xThunder Bay Flyers 56 19 30 7 45 164 247
xTwin City Vulcans 56 22 34 0 44 183 246
Rochester Mustangs 56 20 32 4 44 170 206
North Iowa Huskies 56 18 36 2 38 150 221

East Division

Team GP W L SOL Pts GF GA
xyGreen Bay Gamblers 56 41 11 4 86 213 143
USNTDP 56 38 15 3 79 211 133
xDubuque Fighting Saints 56 22 32 2 46 164 217
Waterloo Black Hawks 56 16 37 3 35 167 245

West Division

Team GP W L SOL Pts GF GA
xyOmaha Lancers 56 43 13 0 86 234 130
xSioux City Musketeers 56 34 19 3 71 196 148
xLincoln Stars 56 29 20 7 65 198 174
Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks 56 14 41 1 29 164 275

Note: The USNTDP was unavailable for postseason play due to participating in the NAHL playoffs.

Statistics

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in regular season points at the completion of all regular season games.[2]

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Peter Fregoe Des Moines Buccaneers 56 46 57 103 43
Ruslan Fedotenko Sioux City Musketeers 55 43 34 77 139
Tyler Palmiscno Sioux City Musketeers 56 13 57 70 18
Peter Sejna Des Moines Buccaneers 52 40 23 63 26
Noah Clarke Des Moines Buccaneers 52 31 32 63 47
Jed Ortmeyer Omaha Lancers 52 23 36 59 81
Andy Hilbert USNTDP 46 23 35 58 140
Chris Fournier Lincoln Stars 54 23 33 56 54
B. J. Abel Rochester Mustangs 50 31 24 55 52
Mike Perpich Green Bay Gamblers 56 23 32 55 64
Tom Preissing Green Bay Gamblers 53 18 37 55 40

Leading goaltenders

Minimum 1000 minutes played.
Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage

Player Team GP Mins W L OTL SO GA SV SV% GAA
Tony Zasowski Omaha Lancers 47 2786 35 11 0 5 91 972 .914 1.96
Matt Carney Des Moines Buccaneers 38 2177 31 5 1 4 76 888 .921 2.10
Chris Gartman USNTDP 17 1007 11 3 2 1 36 375 .922 2.15
Rob Anderson Green Bay Gamblers 44 2607 32 8 3 5 100 1,143 .920 2.30
Rick DiPietro USNTDP 30 1733 22 6 1 3 67 656 .907 2.32

Clark Cup playoffs

The regular season division champions received the top three seeds.
Teams were reseeded after the quarterfinal round.

Quarterfinal
(Best-of-5)
Semifinal
(Best-of-5)
Championship
(Best-of-7)
                       
C1 Des Moines Buccaneers 6 8 5* - -
8 Twin City Vulcans 1 5 4 - -
C1 Des Moines Buccaneers 3* 1 6 4 4
4 Lincoln Stars 2 2 2 5* 2
E1 Green Bay Gamblers 4 5 6 - -
7 Thunder Bay Flyers 2 4 3 - -
C1 Des Moines Buccaneers 0 5 3 2 5 5 -
W1 Omaha Lancers 2 3 3 2 4 0 -
W1 Omaha Lancers 5 10 4 - -
6 Dubuque Fighting Saints 2 0 2 - -
E1 Green Bay Gamblers 1 1 3 - -
W1 Omaha Lancers 2 2 4* - -
4 Lincoln Stars 4 4 2 0 3*
5 Sioux City Musketeers 5* 1 0 2 2

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Awards

Award Recipient Team
Player of the Year Pete Fregoe Des Moines Buccaneers
Forward of the Year Pete Fregoe Des Moines Buccaneers
Defenseman of the Year Tom Preissing Green Bay Gamblers
Goaltender of the Year Tony Zasowski Omaha Lancers
Rookie of the Year Tyler Palmiscno Sioux City Musketeers
Coach of the Year Mark Osiecki Green Bay Gamblers
General Manager of the Year Scott Owens Des Moines Buccaneers

[3]

References

  1. ^ "USHL Standings". Ushl2011.stats.pointstreak.com. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
  2. ^ "USHL - 1998-1999". Elite Prospects. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  3. ^ "2024-25 USHL Media Guide". USHL. Retrieved June 18, 2025.