KEARNEY, Neb. – Despite losing a four-goal lead, the Tri-City Storm (22-10-5) prevailed in a shootout and defeated the Sioux Falls Stampede (18-15-5) for their eighth consecutive victory in front of 3,551 fans at the Viaero Event Center on Saturday night.
Storm forwards Garrett Gamez and Nick Master each had a goal and an assist in regulation, before both Chris Wilkie and Cody Milan converted in the shootout to help claim the extra point.
Alec Dillon made the start for Tri-City and picked up the win, making 24 saves and two extra stops in the shootout.
Matthew Freytag put the Storm ahead 1-0 in the first period, scoring his 11th goal of the season while Tri-City was on their first power play opportunity. The Wayzata, Minn. native found a rebound in front and swept it in with assists from defensemen Tory Dello and Mattias Goransson.
Minutes later, Gamez scored his first goal since returning from injury, ripping a wrist shot past Sioux Falls netminder Stefanos Lekkas to make it 2-0. Nick Master and Jalen Schulz were credited with assists on the captain’s eighth goal of the season.
Master widened the lead in the middle period, scoring his 13th of the season and sixth in his last five games. The Broomall, Penn. native found space and beat Lekkas with assists from Gamez and defenseman Jason Krych.
Gamez now has 22 points this season in 22 games on eight goals and 14 assists. For Krych, the assist was his first of the season in his 23rd game.
Chase Berger made it 4-0 Tri-City later in the second when he finished off a perfect tic-tac-toe passing play with a redirection into the net. Dan Labosky started the rush and brought the puck in the zone. He then passed across the ice to Joel Herbert, who found Berger streaking to the net for the deflection.
The momentum took a turn for the worse later in the second as Sioux Falls began its comeback. Kieffer Bellows scored the first of his three tallies on the night at 15:53 of the middle period to make it 4-1 at the second intermission.
Then in the third, the Stampede got a breakaway goal from Daniel Warpecha before two more tallies from Bellows with an extra attacker on the ice in the final minutes to tie the game and force overtime.
Bellows scored again in the first round of the shootout, but Alec Dillon shut the door on Troy Loggins and Logan O’Connor to give Tri-City the victory.
Tri-City remains in second place in the USHL’s Western Conference with 49 total points.
The Storm hit the road for a three-game trip starting Friday against the Lincoln Stars at 7:05 p.m.
Notes: The Storm scratched forward Kyle Eastman along with defenseman Cameron Spicer. Defenseman Gordi Myer was also scratched, serving a one-game suspension…
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
Tri-City – Matthew Freytag (Tory Dello, Mattias Goransson) 9:47
Tri-City – Garrett Gamez (Nick Master, Jalen Schulz) 15:57
2nd Period
Tri-City – Nick Master (Garrett Gamez, Jason Krych) 8:51
Tri-City – Chase Berger (Joel Herbert, Daniel Labosky) 11:59
Sioux Falls – Kieffer Bellows (Cooper Marody, Chris Pohlkamp) 15:53
3rd Period
Sioux Falls – Daniel Warpecha (unassisted) 10:20
Sioux Falls – Kieffer Bellows (extra attacker) (Dillon Eichstadt, Cooper Marody) 18:22
Sioux Falls – Kieffer Bellows (extra attacker) (Cooper Marody) 19:06
Overtime
(no scoring)
PENALTIES
1st Period
Sioux Falls – Clint Lewis – (Hooking), 2 min, 8:36
Sioux Falls – Ryan Schwalbe – (Tripping), 2 min, 18:49
2nd Period
(no penalties)
3rd Period
Tri-City – Mason Appleton – (Slashing), 2 min, 1:49
Tri-City – Jalen Schulz – (Holding), 2 min, 13:49
Overtime
(no penalties)
Power Play
Sioux Falls – 0/2
Tri-City – 1/2
Shots
Sioux Falls: 5, 6, 14, 3 = Total: 28
Tri-City: 10, 17, 10, 3 = Total: 40
Saves
Sioux Falls – Stefanos Lekkas – 36/40
Tri-City – Alec Dillon – 24/28