OMAHA, Neb. – Cody Milan scored a tying goal late in the third period to send the game to overtime, but the Tri-City Storm (14-7-5) fell to the Omaha Lancers (13-8-4) by a score of 3-2 in a shootout at the Ralston Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Bobby Nardella had the first Storm goal of the evening, before assisting on Milan’s tally in the third. Tri-City netminder Alec Dillon made 27 saves.

The Storm are still one point behind Sioux City for the top spot in the USHL’s Western Conference, while the Lancers have won six consecutive games and are sitting in third place, three points behind Tri-City.

Neither team was able to score in the first period, but Omaha took a 1-0 lead in the second on defenseman Matt Joyaux’s first goal of the season.

Later in the middle period, Storm forward Chase Berger hit Nardella with a pass that set the defenseman free on a breakaway. The blueliner converted to score his fourth goal of the season, tying the game 1-1 at 17:37 of the frame.

In the third, the Lancers retook the lead on a goal by forward Louie Rowe. With the tally, Rowe extended his point scoring streak to 11 games and made it a 2-1 contest.

Milan got the Storm even once again with his sixth goal of the year at 13:03 of the final period. The tally was set up by forward Matthew Freytag, who passed the puck from behind the Omaha net right on Milan’s blade. Nardella picked up the second assist on the tying goal.

The two teams then went to overtime for the third time in four meetings this season, but neither squad could find the winner and they headed to a shootout.

Tri-City picked Chris Wilkie, Milan and Dan Labosky to represent the team in the skills competition, but all three forwards came up empty. Omaha forward Steven Spinner netted the winner in the third round to seal the victory for the Lancers.

Both teams ended with 29 shots on goal in the game. Tri-City has recorded points in all seven games in the month of December.

The Storm will close out the 2014 calendar with a New Year’s Eve battle in Sioux City on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.

Tri-City returns home to face the Lancers in Kearney at the Viaero Event Center this Saturday, also at 7:05.

Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Garrett Gamez and Kyle Eastman along with defenseman Tory Dello…

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

(no scoring)

2nd Period

Omaha – Matt Joyaux (Jake Henderson, Josh French) 6:45
Tri-City – Bobby Nardella (Chase Berger, Wade Allison) 17:37

3rd Period
Omaha – Louie Rowe (Brian Williams, Nick Rivera) 8:56
Tri-City – Cody Milan (Matthew Freytag, Bobby Nardella) 13:03

Overtime
(no scoring)

PENALTIES

1st Period

Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Roughing), 2 min, 9:22
Tri-City – Conner Valesano – (Roughing), 2 min, 12:52
Omaha – Nick Rivera – (Slashing), 2 min, 17:20

2nd Period

Omaha – Louie Rowe – (Head Contact), 2 min, 0:12
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Roughing), 2 min, 13:30
Omaha – Jake Henderson – (Roughing), 2 min, 13:30

3rd Period

Tri-City – Bench Minor – (Too Many Men), 2 min, 1:50

Overtime
(no penalties)

Power Play

Tri-City – 0/2

Omaha – 0/3

Shots

Tri-City: 7, 10, 10, 2 = Total: 29
Omaha: 11, 5, 10, 3 = Total: 29

Saves
Tri-City – Alec Dillon – 27/29
Omaha – Kris Oldham – 27/29