KEARNEY, Neb. – Sean MacTavish scored his first two career USHL goals and added an assist as the Lincoln Stars (16-29-5) held off the Tri-City Storm (31-14-6) by a score of 4-3 in the teams’ final meeting of the season on Friday night at the Viaero Event Center.
Storm forward Nick Master scored twice in the defeat, while defenseman Bobby Nardella added a goal and an assist and Chris Wilkie picked up helpers on all three Tri-City goals.
Just as they did at the Ice Box on Tuesday night, Lincoln took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, getting a goal from Dominick Sacco at 11:10 of the opening frame. Assists on the tally went to MacTavish and Biagio Lerario.
The Stars widened their advantage early on in the middle frame when Ethan Price made it 2-0 with a goal at 1:40 of the period from Lerario.
But less than two minutes later, Nardella put one top shelf and cut Lincoln’s lead in half with his seventh goal of the season. Wilkie had the first assist on the strike, while Jake Wahlin recorded his fifth point in the past two games with the second assist.
MacTavish responded with his first USHL goal to make it 3-1 at 4:45 of the second.
Then Master got on the board with his first of the evening by putting home a rebound on the power play to cut the score to 3-2. Nardella had the initial shot and the first assist for Tri-City, while Wilkie picked up the second helper on the play.
The eventual game-winner was scored at 9:27 of the second by MacTavish from both Lerario and Sacco.
After Lincoln’s fourth goal, Storm Head Coach Jim Hulton replaced starting goaltender Jared Rutledge with Alec Dillon. Rutledge allowed four goals on 18 shots, while Dillon remained in the game for the rest of the way and made 11 stops.
Tri-City made it a one-goal game for the third time when Master scored his 21st of the season off a perfect feed from Wilkie on a rush into the Lincoln end. Tory Dello was credited with the second assist, his 14th of the season.
The Storm had chances to tie it in the final minutes, and pulled Dillon for the final 1:33 of the contest, but couldn’t get an equalizer past Lincoln netminder Cam Hackett.
Hackett finished the game with 41 saves and picked up his 12th victory of the season.
The Storm finished the season with a record of 6-1-1 against Lincoln.
After the loss, Tri-City remains one point behind the Sioux City Musketeers for the top spot in both the conference and the USHL.
The Storm will finish the home weekend with a battle against the Omaha Lancers Saturday night at the Viaero Event Center. Puck drop scheduled for7:05 p.m.
Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Kyle Eastman and Mason Appleton, along with defenseman Jason Krych…
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
Lincoln – Dominick Sacco (Sean MacTavish, Biagio Lerario) 11:10
2nd Period
Lincoln – Ethan Price (Biagio Lerario) 1:40
Tri-City – Bobby Nardella (Chris Wilkie, Jake Wahlin) 3:28
Lincoln – Sean MacTavish (Grant Jozefek) 4:45
Tri-City – Nick Master (power play) (Bobby Nardella, Chris Wilkie) 6:04
Lincoln – Sean MacTavish (Biagio Lerario, Dominick Sacco) 9:27
Tri-City – Nick Master (Chris Wilkie, Tory Dello) 16:41
3rd Period
(no scoring)
PENALTIES
1st Period
Lincoln – Luke Jaycox – (Tripping), 2 min, 3:26
Tri-City – Vince Pedrie – (Holding), 2 min, 17:18
2nd Period
Lincoln – Bench Minor – (Too Many Men), 2 min, 5:40
3rd Period
Lincoln – Ludvig Hoff – (Hooking), 2 min, 0:23
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Diving), 2 min, 0:23
Lincoln – Cam Lee – (Slashing), 2 min, 1:44
Tri-City – Dan Labosky – (Boarding), 2 min, 1:44
Lincoln – Ryan Jones – (Hooking), 2 min, 5:58
Lincoln – Ludvig Hoff – (Tripping), 2 min, 10:41
Power Play
Lincoln – 0/1
Tri-City – 1/4
Shots
Lincoln: 12, 10, 7 = Total: 29
Tri-City: 16, 12, 16 = Total: 44
Saves
Lincoln – Cam Hackett – 41/44
Tri-City – Jared Rutledge – 14/18, Alec Dillon – 11/11