KEARNEY, Neb. – The Lincoln Stars (24-28-8) erased a two-goal deficit and defeated the Tri-City Storm (21-35-4) in a shootout 3-2 in the 2013-14 season finale in front of a sellout crowd of 4,406 at the Viaero Event Center on Saturday night.
Storm netminder Hayden Lavigne made 42 saves for Tri-City, while Austin Poganski and Conner Valesano each netted goals in the loss.
After a slow starting first period, the Storm took a 1-0 lead when Poganski capitalized on a five-on-three power play opportunity with a minute left in the frame. Chris Wilkie centered a puck that glanced off the St. Cloud, Minn. native’s stick and behind Lincoln goalie Michael Bitzer.
Dan Labosky picked up a second assist on the goal, his 21st helper of the season. The goal was Poganski’s 19th of the year, which led the team.
Tri-City then opened their lead up to 2-0 at 1:05 of the second, getting a fortunate bounce off Bitzer’s stick. Wilkie left a drop pass for his center Valesano, who threw one to the front of the net that glanced behind Bitzer on a deflection from his own lumber.
The goal was Valesano’s 12th of the season, and fourth in 25 games with Tri-City. For Wilkie, his two assists on the night gave him 19 on the season. The Omaha, Neb. native led the squad with 36 points in 57 games.
Lincoln got on the board with a power play tally of their own from Dominick Sacco at 13:52 of the middle period.
Then in the third, the Stars tied the game at 10:44 on Magnus Hoff’s 15th goal of the year.
A scoreless overtime period led to a shootout, which Lincoln won, 2-1. The Stars got goals from their first two shooters, Sacco and John Simonson, and it was enough to hold off the Storm, who had a strike from Cody Milan.
Bitzer was steady in between the pipes for the Stars, making 47 saves. The Storm outshot Lincoln 49-45 in the game.
Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Nolan Aibel, Drew Mayer, Chase Berger, and Kyle Eastman, along with defensemen Cutler Martin, Sean Lang, Fredric Larsson and goaltender Jacob Johansson…
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
Tri-City – Austin Poganski (power play) (Chris Wilkie, Dan Labosky)
2nd Period
Tri-City – Conner Valesano (Chris Wilkie, Patrick Curry) 1:05
Lincoln – Dominick Sacco (power play) (Magnus Hoff) 13:52
3rd Period
Lincoln – Magnus Hoff (Dominick Sacco, Christian Lampasso) 10:44
Overtime
(no scoring)
PENALTIES
1st Period
Tri-City – Tory Dello – (Interference), 2 min, 5:51
Tri-City – Cody Milan – (Slashing), 2 min, 8:35
Lincoln – Hunter Anderson – (Boarding), 2 min, 11:10
Lincoln – Tom Marchin – (Slashing), 2 min, 17:26
Lincoln – Luke Shiplo – (Checking From Behind), 2 min, 18:18
Lincoln – Luke Shiplo – (Checking From Behind), 10 min, 18:18
2nd Period
Lincoln – Connor Frantti – (Holding), 2 min, 9:55
Tri-City – Tory Dello – (Interference), 2 min, 13:47
Lincoln – Zack Pittman – (Roughing), 2 min, 18:18
Tri-City – Jake Wahlin – (Roughing), 2 min, 18:18
Lincoln – Brandon Smith – (Tripping), 2 min, 19:24
3rd Period
Lincoln – Zack Pittman – (Roughing), 2 min, 3:18
Lincoln – Patrick Gazzillo – (Interference), 2 min, 5:09
Tri-City – Nick Hutchison – (High Sticking), 2 min, 5:37
Tri-City – Tory Dello – (Tripping), 2 min, 8:18
Overtime
(no penalties)
Power Play
Lincoln –1/5
Tri-City – 1/7
Shots
Lincoln: 8, 13, 7, = Total: 31
Tri-City: 11, 22, 15, = Total: 46
Saves
Lincoln – Michael Bitzer – 47/49
Tri-City – Hayden Lavigne – 42/44