ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Tri-City Storm (6-2-1) overcame an early deficit and scored five straight goals to complete a sweep of Team USA (2-7-0) with a 5-1 win at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube on Saturday night.
Five different skaters notched tallies for Tri-City in the victory, including defensemen Mattias Goransson and Jason Krych, who got their first USHL goals. Forwards Cody Milan, Chris Wilkie and Chase Hatcher also scored for the Storm, who got their highest offensive output of the season.
Team USA struck first with a power play goal by Joey Anderson at 5:54 of the opening period.
But Tri-City knotted things up at 1-1 when Milan found the back of the net for the second time this season, blowing by the USA defense and putting a shot through the five-hole of netminder Jake Oettinger.
The game remained tied as the teams went to the first intermission.
Tri-City scored three times in the second, including two power play goals, to open up a 4-1 lead.
First, Wilkie got his fifth goal of the season, finding a loose puck in front of the net on the back door to capitalize on a power play opportunity.
Next, Hatcher scored his first goal in a Storm uniform off a pass by forward Kyle Eastman. While the assist was Eastman’s first of the season, the second assist went to forward Aleksi Ainali and the Finland native picked up his first USHL point.
Finally at 15:13 of the middle frame, Goransson got his first career goal, scoring with assists by defenseman Tory Dello as well as Milan.
With a comfortable lead in the third period, Krych got the team’s third special teams goal of the night, stepping up and blasting a loose puck into the top of the net.
The Storm outshot Team USA 39-15 on the night, meaning netminder Alec Dillon needed just 14 saves to pick up his sixth victory of the season. Dillon ‘s victory total leads the USHL.
Through nine games, Tri-City’s 6-2-1 record has them tied for second in the Western Conference standings.
The Storm hit the road once again next weekend to battle the Madison Capitols in a weekend series on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Both games will start at7:00 p.m.
Notes: The Storm scratched forward Wade Allison. Forwards Garrett Gamez and Conner Valesano were also scratched, serving a two-game suspension…
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
Team USA – Joey Anderson (power play) (Clayton Keller, Chad Krys) 5:54
Tri-City – Cody Milan (Bobby Nardella) 11:26
2nd Period
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie (power play) (Chase Berger, Nick Master) 6:16
Tri-City – Chase Hatcher (Kyle Eastman, Aleksi Ainali) 8:32
Tri-City – Mattias Goransson (power play) (Tory Dello, Cody Milan) 15:13
3rd Period
Tri-City – Jason Krych (power play) (Chase Berger, Kevin Kerr) 18:17
PENALTIES
1st Period
Team USA – Ryan Lindgren – (Tripping), 2 min, 2:36
Tri-City – Matthew Freytag – (Elbowing), 2 min, 3:54
Tri-City – Bobby Nardella – (Hooking), 2 min, 7:05
Team USA – Max Jones – (Roughing), 2 min, 13:00
Tri-City – Jalen Schulz – (Roughing), 2 min, 13:00
Team USA – Max Jones – (Slashing), 2 min, 16:44
2nd Period
Team USA –Max Jones – (Tripping), 2 min, 2:35
Team USA – Ryan Lindgren – (Holding), 2 min, 5:45
Team USA – Max Jones – (Holding), 2 min, 13:45
Team USA – James Greenway – (Tripping), 2 min, 18:08
3rd Period
Tri-City – Kyle Eastman – (Tripping), 2 min, 4:55
Team USA – Matthew Hellickson – (Roughing), 2 min, 12:28
Team USA – Trent Frederic – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 16:51
Team USA – James Sanchez – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 18:45
Power Play
Tri-City – 3/9
Team USA – 1/3
Shots
Tri-City: 14, 12, 13 = Total: 39
Team USA: 5, 2, 8 = Total: 15
Saves
Tri-City – Alec Dillon – 14/15
Team USA – Jake Oettinger – 34/39