KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm (17-23-2) surrendered a two goal lead, allowing four straight tallies to lose 5-3 to the Sioux City Musketeers (25-13-2) on Saturday night at the Tyson Events Center.
Three different players scored goals for the Storm in the loss, including Ryan McMurphy, who has now reached double figures in goals with 10 on the season.
The Musketeers struck first late in the opening period. Forward Joe Snively gave his team a 1-0 lead, beating Tri-City netminder Jacob Johansson with a low shot that found its way under the netminder.
The Storm found an equalizer before the end of the period however, tying the game during a 5-on-3 power play opportunity. After a scrum in front of the net, Chris Wilkie grabbed the loose puck and found Dan Labosky, who shot it over outstretched goalie Kyle Hayton and into the net.
The goal was Labosky’s fifth of the season, while both Chris Wilkie and Cody Milan were credited with assists. For Milan, the helper was his first point since joining the Storm.
Tri-City took the lead in the middle period, when Nick Hutchison found McMurphy on a rush and the Broken Arrow, Okla. native wristed a shot over Hayton’s right shoulder to make it 2-1.
Defenseman Grant Hutton, who was playing in his second game for the Storm, picked up the second assist on the play to record his first point with the team. Hutchison’s assist was also his first of the season.
The Storm then increased their lead later in the frame when forward Kyle Eastman found the back of the net while the team was killing a penalty to Drew Mayer. The shorthanded tally was Eastman’s third goal of the season, and the seventh time Tri-City has scored while down a man this year.
But Sioux City responded with two goals in 30 seconds from newly acquired defenseman Garret Cockerill and forward Brandon Hawkins to tie the game at 3-3 before the second intermission.
The Musketeers added two more tallies in the third from both Hawkins and Sam Saliba to win the game 5-3.
Sioux City outshot the Storm 46-24 in the game and Johansson made 41 saves while Hayton had 21.
The Storm will head back on the road next weekend to face the Indiana Ice on both Friday and Saturdaynight, before matching up with Chicago for an afternoon tilt on Sunday.
Tri-City will return home to the Viaero Event Center to face Lincoln on Feb. 22 at 7:05 p.m.
Notes: The Storm scratched forward Nolan Aibel, along with defensemen Cutler Martin, Sean Lang, Fredric Larsson and Daniel Fritz.…
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
Sioux City – Joe Snively (Tyler Mueller, Waltteri Hopponen) 16:53
Tri-City – Dan Labosky (power play) (Chris Wilkie) 19:34
2nd Period
Tri-City – Ryan McMurphy (Nick Hutchison, Grant Hutton) 4:41
Tri-City – Kyle Eastman (shorthanded) (unassisted) 9:38
Sioux City – Garret Cockerill (Kyle Schmidt, Tyler Mueller) 12:39
Sioux City – Brandon Hawkins (Joe Snively, Waltteri Hopponen) 13:09
3rd Period
Sioux City – Brandon Hawkins (Waltteri Hopponen, Joe Snively) 6:59
Sioux City – Sam Saliba (Tyler Mueller, Neal Pionk) 13:48
PENALTIES
1st Period
Tri-City – Jalen Schulz – (Slashing), 2 min, 5:38
Sioux City – Jerad Rosburg – (Fighting), 5 min, 8:25
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Fighting), 5 min, 8:25
Sioux City – Cedric Lacroix – (Charging), 2 min, 11:33
Sioux City – Jake Montgomery – (Holding), 2 min, 12:08
Sioux City – Nikolas Olsson – (Roughing), 2 min, 18:31
Sioux City – Tyler Mueller – (Roughing), 2 min, 18:31
Tri-City – Conner Valesano – (Roughing), 2 min, 18:31
Sioux City – Joel L’Esperance – (Tripping), 2 min, 18:44
2nd Period
Tri-City – Ryan McMurphy – (Tripping), 2 min, 2:03
Tri-City – Drew Mayer – (Interference), 2 min, 7:41
3rd Period
(no penalties)
Power Play
Tri-City –1/4
Sioux City – 0/3
Shots
Tri-City: 13, 7, 4 = Total: 24
Sioux City: 11, 19, 16 = Total: 46
Saves
Tri-City – Jacob Johansson – 41/46
Sioux City – Kyle Hayton – 21/24