KEARNEY, Neb. – For the second consecutive game, the Tri-City Storm (19-10-5) scored four goals in the first period to open up a big lead and never looked back. Friday night’s performance finished with a 5-1 win over the Omaha Lancers (19-10-5) at the Viaero Event Center, the Storm’s fifth consecutive victory.

The five goals were each scored by different forwards, led by Cody Milan and Mason Appleton, who each had two points on the night. Team captain Garrett Gamez also factored into the scoring, recording two assists in the win.

With the victory, Tri-City moved into a tie with Omaha for second place in the USHL’s Western Conference, just two points behind the idle Sioux City Musketeers.

It was another successful first period for the Storm, as they scored three goals in the first 10:17 of the contest. Milan started the scoring, as he took a pass from Appleton and wristed a shot under Omaha netminder Kris Oldham at 5:17 of the opening period.

Tri-City struck again under a minute later as leading scorer Chris Wilkie scored his 21st of the season after a Lancers turnover at the top of the zone. The Omaha native took the loose puck and made his way to the opposing net with plenty of room to maneuver before ripping a shot past Oldham to make it 2-0 Storm.

Next, it was Appleton who scored his eighth goal of the season while Tri-City was killing a penalty to defenseman Jalen Schulz. The Green Bay, Wis. product took a leading pass from Milan and sped past the Lancer power play unit, beating Oldham as he was taken down to the ice.

Oldham was then pulled in favor of backup netminder Zach Driscoll just 10:17 into the game.

Nick Master put a cap on the Storm’s first period, scoring his third goal in his last two games and his 10th of the season at 18:54. Gamez found the Broomall, Penn. native at the top of the left circle in the Lancer end before Master put a shot off the right post and in for the team’s fourth goal of the frame.

Matthew Freytag added his eighth goal of the season from Gamez halfway through the second period to extend his team’s lead to 5-0.

The Lancers got on the board at 6:20 of the final period when Nick Rivera scored a power play goal.

The tally was the lone strike against Storm netminder Jared Rutledge, who made 21 saves in the game to earn his fifth victory with Tri-City this season.

The Storm will wrap up the weekend when they take on the Sioux Falls Stampede Saturday night at the Viaero Event Center at 7:05 p.m.

Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Nolan Aibel and Kyle Eastman along with defenseman Jason Krych…

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

Tri-City – Cody Milan (Mason Appleton) 5:17
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie (unassisted) 6:10
Tri-City – Mason Appleton (short-handed) (Cody Milan) 10:17
Tri-City – Nick Master (Garrett Gamez) 18:54

2nd Period

Tri-City – Matthew Freytag (Garrett Gamez) 11:05

3rd Period
Omaha – Nick Rivera (power play) (Michael Wilson, Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson) 6:20

PENALTIES

1st Period
Tri-City – Jalen Schulz – (Roughing), 2 min, 8:24
Omaha – Jimmy Schuldt – (Tripping), 2 min, 16:12

2nd Period

Tri-City – Dan Labosky – (Slashing), 2 min, 8:39
Omaha – Anthony Angello – (Elbowing), 2 min, 11:19
Tri-City – Jake Wahlin – (Slashing), 2 min, 13:18

3rd Period
Tri-City – Garrett Gamez – (Holding), 2 min, 4:35
Omaha – Matthew Meier – (High Sticking), 2 min, 15:43

Power Play

Omaha – 1/4

Tri-City – 0/3

Shots

Omaha: 4, 6, 12 = Total: 22
Tri-City: 10, 8, 8 = Total: 26

Saves
Omaha – Kris Oldham – 2/5, Zach Driscoll – 19/21
Tri-City – Jared Rutledge – 21/22