LINCOLN, Neb. – A late comeback by the Lincoln Stars (14-23-5) resulted in a 3-2 shootout loss for the Tri-City Storm (26-11-6) at the Ice Box on Friday night.

Storm forwards Nick Master and Jake Wahlin scored for Tri-City, while Jared Rutledge made
25 saves and both Chris Wilkie and Cody Milan scored in the shootout.

Master gave the Storm the early lead with a power play goal at 11:01 of the opening period. Garrett Gamez made the pass to get the first assist, while Mason Appleton was credited with the second helper on the play.

The Storm had a chance to extend their lead in the middle frame when Appleton was awarded a penalty shot, but he was stopped by Lincoln goalie Cam Hackett, and the score stayed 1-0 all the way to the third period.

Lincoln tied the game on a goal by Ludvig Hoff at 6:50 of the final period, but Tri-City re-took the lead when Wahlin scored his eighth of the year from Conner Valesano less than three minutes later.

Valesano moved the puck up the ice on a two-on-one rush and fed it to Wahlin, who took a quick shot and found the back of the net.

But the Stars got another equalizer with just 11 seconds remaining from Chris Dodero and tied the game at 2-2 to force overtime.

Neither team scored in the extra session, which led to the Storm’s 10th shootout of the season. All four shooters scored in the first two rounds, before Lincoln’s Biagio Lerario put home the winner in the fourth round.

Tri-City gained one point on the Musketeers in the Western Conference standings, and sits in second place with 58 total points. Sioux City is the top team in the USHL, earning 60 points in 44 games.

The home-and-home series now shifts to Kearney for a battle on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Tri-City will finish their three-game weekend on Sundayafternoon against Sioux City at 3:05.

Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Nolan Aibel and Wade Allison, along with defenseman Gordi Myer…

 

SCORING SUMMARY

 

1st Period
Tri-City – Nick Master (power play) (Garrett Gamez, Mason Appleton) 11:01

2nd Period

(no scoring)

 

3rd Period
Lincoln – Ludvig Hoff (Ethan Price, Waltteri Hopponen) 6:50
Tri-City – Jake Wahlin (Conner Valesano) 9:08
Lincoln – Chris Dodero (extra attacker) (Biagio Lerario, Waltteri Hopponen) 19:49

Overtime
(no scoring)

PENALTIES

 

1st Period
Lincoln – Ludvig Hoff – (Slashing), 2 min, 10:08
Tri-City – Dan Labosky – (Hooking), 2 min, 12:27
Lincoln – Dylan Woolf – (Fighting), 5 min, 18:55
Lincoln – Dylan Woolf – (Fighting) (Misconduct), 10 min, 18:55
Tri-City – Vince Pedrie – (Fighting), 5 min, 18:55
Tri-City – Vince Pedrie – (Fighting) (Misconduct), 10 min, 18:55

2nd Period

Tri-City – Mattias Goransson – (Hooking), 2 min, 3:41
Lincoln – Jack Badini – (Slashing),  2 min, 9:16
Tri-City – Jalen Schulz – (Head Contact), 5 min, 13:12
Tri-City – Jalen  Schulz – (Head Contact) (Game Misconduct), 10 min, 13:12

3rd Period
Tri-City – Nick Master – (Delay of Game), 2 min, 13:41

Overtime
(no penalties)

Power Play

Tri-City – 1/2

Lincoln – 0/4

Shots

Tri-City: 11, 11, 12, 2 = Total: 36
Lincoln: 3, 14, 9, 1 = Total: 27

Saves
Tri-City – Jared Rutledge – 25/27
Lincoln – Cam Hackett – 34/36