DUBUQUE, Ia. – Three power play goals were enough for the Dubuque Fighting Saints to defeat the Tri-City Storm (36-17-6) 4-1 on Friday night at the Mystique Community Ice Center.

Forward Chris Wilkie scored his USHL league leading 35th goal of the season on the power play, while goaltender Alec Dillon made 28 saves in the loss.

With the loss, the Storm are solidified in second place in the Western Conference. Tri-City will battle the Omaha Lancers in the opening round of the playoffs. Game 1 will take place in Omaha on Tuesday night before the Storm host games 2, 3 and 5.

Dubuque defenseman Keegan Ford scored the only goal of the first period on the power play at 16:05 on a wrist shot from the right point.

The Fighting Saints increased their lead to 2-0 on another power play goal by Seamus Malone at 10:24 of the second. Malone found a rebound in front off a shot by Ford, and scored his first goal of the night.

Tri-City cut the lead in half late in the middle period when Wilkie scored the only Storm goal of the evening on the power play at 18:58. The tally came off a face-off win by forward Cody Milan. Milan got the puck back to defenseman Bobby Nardella on the left point and a quick pass found Wilkie open for the goal on a shot over Dubuque goaltender Jacob Nehama’s glove.

Wilkie’s 35 goals have tied the Storm’s single season record set by Rastislav Spirko during the 2003-04 season. He also broke the record for most power play goals in a season by a Storm skater with 17 tallies. The record was set by current NHL forward Jaden Schwartz of the St. Louis Blues.

But Dubuque got their third power play goal of the night from forward Jacob Benson to make it 3-1 at 7:40 of the third and added an empty net tally from Malone to seal the win. The final goal was Malone’s second of the night.

The Storm finish up their its regular season schedule on Saturday night in Des Moines, taking on the Buccaneers at 7:05 p.m.

Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Matthew Freytag, Nick Master and Mason Appleton along with defenseman Jason Krych…

 

SCORING SUMMARY

 

1st Period
Dubuque – Keegan Ford (power play) (Willie Knierim, Robby Jackson) 16:05

2nd Period

Dubuque – Seamus Malone (power play) (Keegan Ford, Dylan Gambrell) 10:24
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie (power play) (Bobby Nardella, Cody Milan) 18:58

 

3rd Period
Dubuque – Jacob Benson (power play) (Seamus Malone, Dylan Gambrell) 7:40
Dubuque – Seamus Malone (empty net) (Nate Sucese) 17:24

PENALTIES

 

1st Period
Tri-City – Wade Allison – (High Sticking), 2 min, 14:07

2nd Period
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 10:02
Dubuque – Keegan Ford – (Roughing) (Double Minor), 4 min, 14:34
Tri-City – Jake Wahlin – (Roughing), 2 min, 14:34
Dubuque – Andrew Kerr – (Roughing), 2 min, 18:53

3rd Period
Tri-City – Bobby Nardella – (Hooking), 2 min, 7:29

Power Play

Tri-City – 1/2

Dubuque – 3/3

Shots

Tri-City: 5, 12, 6 = Total: 23
Dubuque: 8, 12, 12 = Total: 32

Saves
Tri-City – Alec Dillon – 28/31
Dubuque – Jacob Nehama – 22/23