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In the Blood: River City's Paul Stastny Follows the Family Trade
Written by: Jason Shaner on 01/17/2003 
At some point in their young lives, every kid wants to be just like their father. Whether dad is a policeman, a firefighter, a plumber, and electrician, or a sports figure, there's always the desire to follow in the family trade. As time goes by, that desire usually fades for many kids, especially for the children of athletes. In recent years, however, there has been a resurgence of household names from a generation ago in the field of sports. Names like Manning, Dorsett and Winslow are once again being mentioned, but this time in the context of a new generation of athletes. Hockey is no exception to this trend, either. Not if your name is Stastny.
Paul Stastny is a 5-11, 185 pound forward from Town and Country, Missouri. A quiet kind of guy, he's almost always got a mischievous smile on his face that belies the fierce determination and competitiveness running just beneath the surface. He must get it from his father, former NHL star Peter Stastny. Paul's older brother, Yan, was also a Lancer, a member of the 2000-2001 team that won the national championship, and is now playing college hockey for Notre Dame. But don't think for a moment it was the name alone that drew River City coach Mike Hastings' attention to Paul; it was more than likely the staggering numbers he put up with the St. Louis Jr. Blues last year (48 GP, 46 G, 65 A, 111 PTS, 10 PIM, +73, 17 PPG, 15 SHG, 4 GWG).
Just past the halfway point of the 2002-2003 season, Stastny has proved to be an invaluable and unselfish part of the Lancer attack, leading the team in assists (33 GP, 7 G, 14 A, 21 PTS, +/- 0, 20 PIM, 2 PPG), and currently placing third in scoring. He recently had a three point night (1 G, 2 A) in a 4-2 win at Green Bay, earning himself star #1 of the game. He also notched two assists in last Friday's 3-2 shootout loss to Cedar Rapids.
Possessing the unlimited potential to surpass even his father in hockey prowess, Stastny will continue to develop under the tutelage of the Lancer coaching staff. With several years of USHL eligibility remaining, he's sure to draw a lot of attention from major colleges and beyond. And not just because of his name....
Pasted: River City vs. Lincoln Stars, 29 December: Despite plenty of new sticks and skates being in evidence, the Lancers opened the second half of their season with a 10-2 drubbing at the hands of the division-leading Stars at home in the Mid-America Center. The Stars scored early and often, hanging four on the Lancers before Taylor Jindra got them on the board in the second period, with an assist from Yale Lewis. Matt Carle added another goal at the 15:17 mark of the second period, with the assist from a finally-healthy Ryan Coakley, and the Lancers outshot the Stars 20-9 for the period. But the deficit proved insurmountable as the Stars put five more in the net during the third period.
Road Warriors: River City at Green Bay Gamblers, 3 January: River City took its USHL-best road record of 9-5-1 to the Resch Center in Green Bay to start the new year. After spotting the struggling Gamblers a 2-0 lead, the Lancer offense came alive in the second period, scoring on goals by Stastny and Janne Jokila. The Lancer defense also stiffened in the second period, allowing only one shot on goal during the entire period. Lewis scored only 22 seconds into the third period on a power play goal, and John Togiai would round out the scoring en route to a 4-2 Lancer road victory.
Give and Take: River City at Waterloo Blackhawks, 4 January: Something had to give when the USHL's best at-home team met the best road team at Waterloo's Young Arena. River City jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 13:16 mark of the first period on a Yale Lewis score, assisted by Taylor Jindra. But that would be the only Lancer lead of the evening as the Black Hawks tied it up less than two minutes later on a power play goal, and go ahead for good before the end of the first period in a 5-2 Lancer loss. Matt Carle added an unassisted power play goal late in the second period. River City was outshot 32-23 for the game, something that just doesn't happen to the Lancers very often.
Another Road Trip: River City at Sioux City Musketeers, 8 January: With only 16 healthy skaters, newly-returned (from the World Junior Championships) River City coach Mike Hastings took his injury-riddled team on the road to a Sioux City team that was 1-4 at home as of late. The Lancers got on the board quickly with a power play goal by Carle, from Jindra and Togiai, at the 0:27 mark of the first period. Coakley ended his long scoring drought with his second goal of the season at the 11:08 mark of the first period, from Charlie Kronschnabel and Togiai. Jindra provided the game winner when he made his third steal of the night and backhanded the puck in for a shorthanded goal at the 13:47 mark of the third period, making the final score a 3-2 Lancer victory. River City ended a three game road trip with a 2-1 record.
Home Sweet Home: River City vs. Cedar Rapids Roughriders, 10 January: The Lancers were looking forward to gaining ground on the division-leading Stars with a five-game home stretch, but the 'Riders weren't about to let that happen. After a scoreless first period, River City got on the board with a power play goal by Mike Howe, assisted by Stastny and Drew Miller, at the 9:35 mark of the second period. Howe had missed three games and was serving in a limited role this night due to a shoulder injury, but was still able to sneak one past Roughrider goalie Joe Fallon. Miller added a goal less than a minute and a half later from Stastny and Jason Dest. The Lancer defense, minus Jokila, who was serving a two game suspension for a questionable gross misconduct call (spitting) at the end of the Sioux City game, allowed the Roughriders to tie it up and eventually win in a shootout, 3-2. Howe was the only Lancer shooter to get one past the 'Riders goalie in the shootout.
Reunion and Farewell: River City vs. Des Moines Buccaneers, 11
January: Former Lancers Marty Guerin (#1 Bucs scorer) and
Mike Neilon (#2 Bucs scorer), now with the Des Moines
Buccaneers,
watched as River City hoisted its banners for the first time before
6,304
fans in the new Mid-America Center. They also watched as the Lancers
shut
the Buccaneers out, 2-0, on scores by Lewis and Brian Baron, who
played his last game as a Lancer this night. Lancer goalie Chad
Beiswenger (10 GP, 597:27 MIN, 5 W, 2 L, 3 OTL, 2 SO, 23 GA, 2.310
GAA,
.908SV%) got his second shutout of the season as a Lancer.
Copyright 2003 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.
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