KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm (21-34-3) picked up their first victory of the year over the Sioux City Musketeers (37-18-3) in their sixth and final meeting of the season at the Tyson Events Center on Sunday evening, pulling out a 3-2 win.
Patrick Curry and Ryan McMurphy each scored a goal and an assist, while Hayden Lavigne stopped 29 shots to backstop the Storm to a win in their third game in three nights.
The teams held each other scoreless for the first period, despite Tri-City earning three power play opportunities including a double minor in the opening 20 minutes.
Tri-City struck first in the second when McMurphy found Curry in front of the net for the score. The goal was Curry’s fourth of the season and came just over seven minutes into the middle frame. The second assist on the goal was credited to Storm forward Joey DiBenedetto, his first career USHL point.
Sioux City responded 59 seconds later however, with forward Adam Johnson scoring to tie the game at 1-1.
Later in the period, Chris Wilkie netted his 17th goal of the season, taking a pass from center Conner Valesano and beating Sioux City netminder Collin Olson up high with a shot to the right corner of the net.
Wilkie’s tally put Tri-City up 2-1 heading into the third period.
Right off the opening face-off in the final frame, McMurphy found himself with a quality scoring chance and beat Olson on a wrist shot from the right circle to open up the Storm lead, 3-1. Both Curry and defenseman Kevin Kerr were credited with assists on Tri-City’s third tally of the game.
Musketeer defenseman Jerad Rosburg scored an unassisted goal at 8:24 of the final period, cutting the Storm lead to 3-2, but Sioux City never came any closer.
Lavigne came up with all the saves he needed in the final minutes to win his second game of the weekend.
The Storm have just one final weekend remaining in the regular season and will make the trip to Des Moines to battle the Buccaneers on Friday night before returning home to host Lincoln on Saturday.
Saturday night’s game at the Viaero Event Center will get underway at 7:05 p.m. Tri-City will celebrate Fan Appreciation Night as well as honor the ten-year anniversary of their 2003-04 Anderson Cup championship team.
Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Nolan Aibel, Drew Mayer, and Kyle Eastman, along with defensemen Cutler Martin, Sean Lang, Tory Dello, Fredric Larsson and goaltender Jacob Johansson…
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
(no scoring)
2nd Period
Tri-City – Patrick Curry (Ryan McMurphy, Joey DiBenedetto) 7:10
Sioux City – Adam Johnson (Joe Snively) 8:09
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie (Conner Valesano, Daniel Fritz) 15:25
3rd Period
Tri-City – Ryan McMurphy (Patrick Curry, Kevin Kerr) 0:30
Sioux City – Jerad Rosburg (unassisted) 8:24
PENALTIES
1st Period
Sioux City – Avery Peterson – (Tripping), 2 min, 7:39
Sioux City – Tyler Mueller – (High Sticking) (Double Minor), 4 min, 9:50
Tri-City – Patrick Curry – (Roughing), 2 min, 16:21
Tri-City – Cody Milan – (Abuse Of Officials) (Misconduct), 10 min, 16:21
Sioux City – Trevor Olson – (Abuse Of Officials) (Misconduct), 10 min, 16:21
Sioux City – Blake Heinrich – (Roughing), 2 min, 20:00
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Roughing), 2 min, 20:00
2nd Period
Tri-City – Dan Labosky – (Hooking), 2 min, 17:24
3rd Period
Sioux City – Garrett Cockerill – (Head Contact), 5 min, 16:51
Tri-City – Cody Milan – (Hooking), 2 min, 18:07
Power Play
Tri-City –0/4
Sioux City – 0/2
Shots
Tri-City: 10, 8, 6, = Total: 24
Sioux City: 8, 10, 13, = Total: 31
Saves
Tri-City – Hayden Lavigne – 29/31
Sioux City – Collin Olson – 21/24