KEARNEY, Neb. – A goal in the final minute by defenseman Connor Light sent the Omaha Lancers (17-3-2) home with a 2-1 win over the Tri-City Storm (5-13-2) on Saturday night at the Viaero Event Center.

Storm forward Garrett Gamez scored his first goal of the season, while goaltender Jacob Johansson made 35 saves and was on his game all night between the pipes for Tri-City.

The script remained unchanged from the previous night, as the Lancers made Tri-City pay with a final minute goal for the second consecutive game.

Gamez put Tri-City on top early on in the first, notching his first tally since last season on a great pass by center Joel L’Esperance.

After forward Kyle Eastman won a battle in the corner and poked the puck free to his center, L’Esperance put a pass right on the University of Denver commit’s stick. Gamez beat Lancers goaltender Cole Bruns and the Storm had a 1-0 lead just 4:15 into the game.

Omaha came back to tie it in the second period with a power play strike by the USHL’s leading goal scorer, Tyler Vesel. The game was deadlocked at 1-1 heading into the third period, despite Tri-City being outshot 23-13 through the first two frames.

Neither team found the back of the net in the third until the closing seconds, when Light put a shot past Johansson with just 28 seconds left.

The Storm came away empty handed on a weekend in which they were tied with the Lancers in the final minute of both games.

On Saturday night Omaha outshot the Storm 37-22.

Tri-City hits the road next week for three games away from home. Thursday night the Storm are in Waterloo to face the Black Hawks, before traveling to Des Moines and Cedar Rapids on Friday andSaturday. All three games will start at 7:05 p.m.

The Storm are back at home on Dec. 13 and 14 to face the Youngstown Phantoms in a two-game series.

Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Steven Haydon, Chris Wilkie and Thomas Aldworth, along with defenseman Sean Lang.…

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period
Tri-City – Garrett Gamez (Joel L’Esperance, Kyle Eastman) 4:15

2nd Period

Omaha – Tyler Vesel (power play) (Steven Johnson) 12:58

3rd Period

Omaha – Connor Light (unassisted) 19:32

PENALTIES

1st Period
Tri-City – Ross Olsson – (Tripping), 2 min, 6:10
Omaha – Niklas Folin – (Tripping), 2 min, 9:41
Omaha – Tyler Hynes – (Interference), 2 min, 13:52
Omaha – Brian Williams – (Delay of Game), 2 min, 17:03
Tri-City – Garrett Cecere – (Delay of Game), 2 min, 17:03

2nd Period
Tri-City – Drew Mayer – (Checking From Behind), 2 min, 8:11
Tri-City – Bench Minor (Too Many Men), 2 min, 12:35

3rd Period

Tri-City – Kyle Eastman – (Boarding), 2 min, 14:22

Power Play

Omaha – 1/4

Tri-City – 0/2

Shots

Omaha: 12, 11, 14 = Total: 37

Tri-City: 5, 8, 9 = Total: 22

Saves

Omaha – Cole Bruns – 21/22

Tri-City – Jacob Johansson – 35/37