KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm (19-32-3) got a goal in the final two minutes from Dan Labosky and held on to defeat the Green Bay Gamblers (25-22-6) by a final score of 2-1 at the Viaero Event Center on Friday night.

Storm goaltender Hayden Lavigne secured his fifth win of the season by making 36 stops. The saves included some late-game chances for Green Bay in the third that gave Tri-City the win in the first of a weekend two-game series.

After a scoreless first period in which the Storm outshot Green Bay 14-8, the Gamblers took the lead with a goal by Jake Linhart at 2:02 of the middle frame.

It remained 1-0 for the majority of the period, but Tri-City gained momentum in the closing seconds when Chris Wilkie evened the game, scoring his 15th goal of the season.

After taking a pass from affiliate player Matthew Freytag, Wilkie had his shot deflect off a Green Bay defenseman’s stick and past Gamblers’ netminder Cam Hackett. The assist for Freytag was his first career USHL point in his fourth game.

The game stayed tied at 1-1 all the way until Labosky’s winner with just 1:48 left in the third. The Edina, Minn. native had missed an open net earlier in the game while Tri-City was shorthanded, but he redeemed himself at the perfect time.

Labosky won a race to a loose puck in the neutral zone and deked around a poke-check from Hacket before putting a backhand shot into the net.

Tri-City only had three shots on goal in the final period and were behind 37-24 in shots on goal at the end of the night, but Labosky’s was the one that mattered late in the game.

The two teams will have a rematch on Saturday night at the Viaero Event Center that gets underway at 7:05 p.m.

Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Nolan Aibel, Drew Mayer, Joey DiBenedetto, Nick Hutchison and Patrick Curry, along with defensemen Cutler Martin, Sean Lang, Fredric Larsson, Tory Dello and goaltender Jacob Johansson…

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

(no scoring)

2nd Period

Green Bay – Jake Linhart (unassisted) 2:02
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie (Matthew Freytag) 19:30

3rd Period

Tri-City – Dan Labosky (unassisted) 18:12

PENALTIES

1st Period

Green Bay – Jake Linhart – (Interference), 2 min, 13:03
Tri-City – Bench Minor – (Too Many Men), 2 min, 18:46

2nd Period

Tri-City – Jalen Schulz – (Tripping), 2 min, 3:37
Tri-City – Kyle Eastman – (Roughing), 2 min, 9:27
Green Bay – Colin Sullivan – (Roughing), 2 min, 9:27
Green Bay – Alex Robert – (Holding), 2 min, 12:50

3rd Period

Tri-City – Daniel Labosky – (Roughing), 2 min, 15:32
Tri-City – Chase Berger – (Roughing), 2 min, 15:32
Green Bay – Evan Tironese – (Roughing), 2 min, 15:32
Green Bay – Jake Linhart – (Roughing), 2 min, 15:32

Power Play

Green Bay –0/2

Tri-City – 0/2

Shots

Green Bay: 8, 15, 14, = Total: 37
Tri-City: 14, 7, 3, = Total: 24

Saves

Green Bay – Cam Hackett – 22/24
Tri-City – Hayden Lavigne – 36/37