KEARNEY, Neb. – Chase Berger scored his first two USHL playoff goals and led the Tri-City Storm to a 4-2 win over the Sioux Falls Stampede and a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference Final Friday night at the Viaero Event Center.

Tri-City also got goals from defenseman Bobby Nardella and forward Nick Master in the win, while goaltender Alec Dillon stopped 27 shots to earn his fourth playoff victory.
Nardella opened the scoring for Tri-City with a power play strike at 7:02 of the first to give the Storm a 1-0 lead. The Notre Dame commit used a wrist shot to beat Sioux Falls goaltender Stefanos Lekkas. Assists on the goal were credited to forwards Chris Wilkie and Mason Appleton.

The Stampede got even at 1-1 in the final moments of the period, when Logan O’Connor scored a breakaway goal with just two seconds left.

But Tri-City took control of the game in the middle frame, scoring twice in less than two minutes. First, Master took advantage when Lekkas was missing his stick, scoring on a one-timer off a pass from Garrett Gamez for his first goal of the playoffs. Nardella picked up the second assist on the play.

Then Berger got his first of the night to make it 3-1 Storm, scoring on his own rebound with assists from Dan Labosky and Mattias Goransson.

Berger got his second tally unassisted at 8:14 of the third to make it 4-1, deflecting a Sioux Falls pass past Lekkas while Tri-City was on the power play.

Sioux Falls forward Kieffer Bellows scored with 32 seconds left to make it a 4-2 game, but the Stampede ran out of time in their comeback attempt.

Lekkas made 24 saves for his team in defeat, while Sioux Falls outshot Tri-City 29-28 on the night.
Game 2 of the series will be played Saturday night in Kearney at the Viaero Event Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Matthew Freytag and Nolan Aibel, along with defenseman Jason Krych…

 

SCORING SUMMARY

 

1st Period
Tri-City – Bobby Nardella (power play) (Chris Wilkie, Mason Appleton) 7:02
Sioux Falls – Logan O’Connor (Mikey Eyssimont) 19:58

2nd Period

Tri-City – Nick Master (Garrett Gamez, Bobby Nardella) 15:21
Tri-City – Chase Berger (Dan Labosky, Mattias Goransson) 17:12

 

3rd Period
Tri-City – Chase Berger (power play) (unassisted) 8:14
Sioux Falls – Kieffer Bellows (extra attacker) (Cooper Marody) 19:28

PENALTIES

 

1st Period
Tri-City – Tory Dello – (Holding), 2 min, 1:17
Tri-City – Bobby Nardella – (Hooking), 2 min, 2:54
Sioux Falls – Lukas Buchta – (Holding), 2 min, 6:28
Tri-City – Jalen Schulz – (Roughing), 2 min, 13:45
Sioux Falls – Matt Nuttle – (Hooking), 2 min, 15:46

2nd Period
Sioux Falls – Cooper Marody – (High Sticking), 2 min, 0:11
Tri-City – Garrett Gamez – (Interference), 2 min, 0:29
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 7:16

3rd Period
Sioux City – Kieffer Bellows – (Elbowing), 2 min, 6:36
Tri-City – Tory Dello – (Elbowing), 2 min, 15:13

Power Play

Sioux Falls – 0/6

Tri-City – 2/4

Shots

Sioux Falls: 9, 10, 10 = Total: 29
Tri-City: 13, 6, 9 = Total: 28

Saves
Sioux Falls – Stefanos Lekkas – 24/28
Tri-City – Alec Dillon – 27/29