USHL: Lancers Joust into First

The Omaha Lancers are in first place and continue to roll through opponents with a roster that is stacked with NHL prospects. McKeen's reviews several Lancers including Patrick Wiercioch, Seth Soley, Matt Thurber, Nico Sacchetti, Will O'Neill, Donnie Harris and Montreal Canadiens prospect Andrew Conboy.

Patrick Wiercioch (2008), D, Omaha Lancers

Savvy two-way defenseman has what you can't teach and lacks what you can work on .. not a commanding skater right now, as his feet could be quicker and stronger, but he should become a good skater once he grows into his body, as his pivots are smooth and his footwork is technically sound .. senses the game exceptionally well at both ends of the ice .. always keeps himself involved offensively with his astute game-reading ability and knowledge of when to jump into the offensive attack .. anticipates the play superbly, as he's always in position .. defensively, he does a fine job marking his man, covering his crease area, and using his long reach to limit the oppositions time and space .. plays his man physically and despite his lanky build, he gets good leverage on his man, as he hits low and through people .. poised puckcarrier with adequate hand skill and zero panic points .. sees the ice well, as he makes a smart and accurate first pass consistently .. owns a gangly frame that should be able to handle serious muscle gain .. would like to see how he handles more responsibility and icetime, as he's a good prospect that deserves an early look in the draft.

Seth Soley (2008), RW, Omaha Lancers

Skilled and gritty winger with a knack for creating plays in congested traffic where time and space is limited .. crisp skater with a compact stride that aids him in being greasy and strong in the corners .. blessed with superb quickness and agility in tight, along with rapid foot speed, although he lacks an elite top gear .. smart, offensive catalyst that plays the point during the powerplay and does a good job staying involved in the play to make himself an asset without the puck .. reads the game well and is on the puck a lot where he displays his quick hands and slick in-close puck control .. sees the ice well and is a crafty playmaker in tight spaces capable of threading the pass through sticks and legs .. tough and tenacious player that plays bigger than his size and is at his best down low, where he's feisty and competitive around the puck .. lacks height but he possesses good leg and core strength .. not a penalty kill guy but he puts in an honest days work away from the puck .. recently committed to Michigan-Tech and would be a wise early-mid round selection

Matt Thurber (2008), C, Omaha Lancers

Short but stocky center that is built like a fire hydrant and owns a mature two-way game .. displays rapid start-up strides that propel his speedy acceleration .. stride has nice length and burst behind it .. owns a quick and accurate shot that is especially dangerous in tight .. willing to share the puck with smart passes, although his vision with the puck is limited .. not a high-end offensive guy but he gets his points through his hard work, by being in position, and with his adequate skill level .. smart player without the puck that does a great job killing penalties .. fearless and competitive with a great motor, as he never hesitates to get his nose dirty and will take a hit to make the play .. has a lot of details to his game, such as doing an exceptional job on draws .. three-year veteran that is an alternate captain and will make a wise mid-round selection, as he can provide energy, win key faceoffs and kill penalties.

Nico Sacchetti (Dal), C, Omaha Lancers

Crafty two-way center with decent skill and quickness .. nimble and quick skater that just lacks a third gear, as his stride could be stronger .. not a dominant offensive threat despite seeing the ice relatively well and possessing soft hands ..short but well constructed with deceiving strength, as he can land some surprisingly heavy body checks .. plays with grit and passion at both ends of the ice while displaying good hockey sense with or without the puck .. good prospect, although he may have been taken to high in the second round, as though he plays a strong team-oriented game, he doesn't appear to have high-end upside.

Andrew Conboy (Mtl), LW, Omaha Lancers

Big winger with all the skill and strength that just needs to figure out his role .. good skater for a big kid with quick and agile feet .. possesses a soft pair of mitts with a great release on his heavy snapshot .. capable of playing the physical game but he can be to passive at times and can be caught floating around .. needs to improve his defensive work habits and take deeper-lying defensive zone positions .. relies on his finesse game to much, as he needs to simplify things by playing more of a north /south game, where he utilizes his prodigious strength to become a physical presence .. will prove to be an astute late-round selection if he begins to play more like former USHLer Jared Boll, where he focuses on playing a physical and abrasive game that can agitate the opposition.

Will O'Neill (Atl), D, Omaha Lancers

Questionable NHL Prospect that doesn't project as an offensive or defensive defenseman, as there are several holes in his game .. likes to jump and involve himself offensively but he doesn't see the ice particularly well and his passes are often off the mark .. feisty defender that competes hard, although he gets caught flatfooted in transition, as his pivot has a major hitch, which leads to him being beaten with scary regularity if the opposition attacks him with speed through the neutral zone .. he looks better this year than he did last season but he still has a long ways to go and appears to be a puzzling selection by the Thrashers.

Donnie Harris (2009), D, Omaha Lancers

Safe and simple stay-at-home defenseman that does a commendable job without the puck but is very limited while in possession of it .. strong all-access skater for a big kid with crisp footwork .. very difficult to beat one-on-one, as he possesses the strength to overwhelm his man and plays a strong positional game .. has a mature understanding for gap control and he is very disciplined about staying home, as he is never caught chasing the play .. doesn't appear to have any offensive upside at this time but he knows better than to cough up the puck down the middle, but struggles to see the ice and struggles to connect with even the most simple passes.