DES MOINES, Ia. – The Tri-City Storm (37-17-6) closed the 2014-15 regular season with a 5-2 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers (21-26-13) on Saturday night at Buccaneer Arena.
Jake Wahlin and Dan Labosky each scored twice in the victory, while affiliate forward Austen Long notched his first USHL goal.
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.
After a scoreless first period, the Storm took the lead on Wahlin’s first goal of the night 19 seconds into the middle frame. Assists on the goal were given to both Kevin Kerr and Chris Wilkie.
Then Labosky added his first tally of the night four minutes later to make it 2-0 Tri-City.
The Buccaneers cut the lead to 2-1 with a goal by Ryan Dmowski less than a minute later at 4:55.
Before the end of the second, Wahlin scored his second of the night from Wilkie and Nolan Aibel. Both goals by the forward came on rebounds in front.
Joe Lappin scored for Des Moines at 3:06 of the third to make it 3-2, but Tri-City picked up two insurance goals late in the game.
The first came from Long, with assists from Cody Milan and affiliate Carson Meyer at 10:53.
Then Labosky got his second of the game on a broken play in front of the Bucs’ net at 12:06.
Jared Rutledge earned the win for Tri-City in net, making 33 stops while Ryland Pashovitz had 40 saves in the loss for Des Moines.
The Storm won the season series with the Buccaneers, recording a victory in five of the six meetings this season.
Tri-City opens up the 2015 USHL Clark Cup Playoffs in Omaha against the Lancers with Game 1 on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m.
Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Matthew Freytag, Nick Master, Joel Herbert, Kyle Eastman, Garrett Gamez, Conner Valesano and Mason Appleton along with defensemen Bobby Nardella and Mattias Goransson…
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
(no scoring)
2nd Period
Tri-City – Jake Wahlin (Kevin Kerr, Chris Wilkie) 0:19
Tri-City – Dan Labosky – (Vince Pedrie, Chase Berger) 4:27
Des Moines – Ryan Dmowski – (Ara Nazarian, Georgy Gorodetsky) 4:55
Tri-City – Jake Wahlin – (Chris Wilkie, Nolan Aibel) 12:36
3rd Period
Des Moines – Joe Lappin (Tanner Karty, Ryan Dmowski) 3:06
Tri-City – Austen Long (Cody Milan, Carson Meyer) 10:53
Tri-City – Dan Labosky (Chase Berger, Kevin Kerr) 12:06
PENALTIES
1st Period
Tri-City – Dan Labosky – (Holding), 2 min, 15:23
2nd Period
Tri-City – Dan Labosky – (High Sticking), 2 min, 12:42
Des Moines – Alec Rauhauser – (Tripping), 2 min, 13:30
Des Moines – Alec Rauhauser – (Head Contact), 2 min, 19:15
Tri-City – Vince Pedrie – (Roughing), 2 min, 19:15
Des Moines – Nicky Wolff – (Continuing Altercation) (Misconduct), 10 min, 19:15
3rd Period
Des Moines – Brennan Sanford – (Slashing), 2 min, 12:22
Tri-City – Nolan Aibel – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 12:22
Des Moines – Tanner Karty – (Tripping), 2 min, 18:28
Power Play
Tri-City – 0/2
Des Moines – 0/2
Shots
Tri-City: 14, 18, 13 = Total: 45
Des Moines: 7, 14, 14 = Total: 35
Saves
Tri-City – Jared Rutledge – 33/35
Des Moines – Ryland Pashovitz – 40/45