LINCOLN, Neb. – Three second period goals propelled the Tri-City Storm (23-10-5) to a 3-1 win over the Lincoln Stars (13-20-5) on Friday night at the Ice Box for their ninth straight victory.
Storm captain Garrett Gamez had a goal and an assist in the win, while forward Matthew Freytag scored his 12th tally of the season to extend his current point streak to nine games.
Alec Dillon made the start in net for Tri-City and picked up the win, making 15 saves.
Lincoln got out to a quick start and took an early 1-0 lead on a power play goal by Joe Lappin at 3:46.
The Stars had the first eight shots on net in the game, but Tri-City came alive in the second half of the period outshooting Lincoln 12-9 in the opening frame.
Tri-City then came out and dominated play during the second period, scoring three times and outshooting Lincoln 21-3.
Freytag tied the game up at 1-1 with a quick wrist shot that beat Lincoln goalie Cam Hackett to the top right corner of the net at 4:10. Nick Master picked up the first assist on the goal, while Gamez accounted for the other helper on the play.
The Storm took their first lead of the game on an unassisted short-handed tally by Dan Labosky at 9:50. While defenseman Mattias Goransson was in the box serving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Labosky raced into the Lincoln end alone on a breakaway and converted to put his team up 2-1.
Labosky now has three total goals on the season, all of them coming while his team was short-handed.
Gamez got his ninth goal of the year to make it 3-1 at 13:43 from Master and defenseman Bobby Nardella. Master found the captain in front of the net for a tap-in.
The team’s captain now has 11 points in seven games since returning from an injury. On the season, he’s recorded 24 points in just 23 games.
Tri-City again dominated play in the final period to hold off the Stars, outshooting Lincoln 17-4. The final shots-on-goal total was 50-16 in favor of the Storm.
Tri-City remains in second place in the USHL’s Western Conference with 51 total points.
The Storm now head to Waterloo to take on the Black Hawks on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
Notes: The Storm scratched forward Nolan Aibel along with defensemen Jason Krych and Gordi Myer…
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
Lincoln – Joe Lappin (power play) (Biagio Lerario) 3:46
2nd Period
Tri-City – Matthew Freytag (Nick Master, Garrett Gamez) 4:10
Tri-City – Dan Labosky (short-handed) (unassisted) 9:50
Tri-City – Garrett Gamez (Nick Master, Bobby Nardella) 13:43
3rd Period
(no scoring)
PENALTIES
1st Period
Tri-City – Jake Wahlin – (Tripping), 2 min, 3:15
Tri-City – Dan Labosky – (Boarding), 2 min, 5:44
Lincoln – Biagio Lerario – (Tripping), 2 min, 16:45
2nd Period
Lincoln – James LaDouce – (Elbowing), 2 min, 4:38
Lincoln – Dylan Woolf – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 7:36
Tri-City – Mattias Goransson – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 9:33
Lincoln – Dylan Woolf – (Boarding), 2 min, 15:25
Lincoln – Dylan Woolf – (High Sticking), 5 min, 15:25
Lincoln – Dylan Woolf – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 15:25
Tri-City – Cody Milan – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 15:25
3rd Period
Tri-City – Kyle Eastman – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 9:58
Lincoln – Miguel Fidler – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 min, 9:58
Lincoln – Jack Badini – (Delay of Game), 2 min, 9:58
Power Play
Tri-City – 0/5
Lincoln – 1/3
Shots
Tri-City: 12, 21, 17 = Total: 50
Lincoln: 9, 3, 4 = Total: 16
Saves
Tri-City – Alec Dillon – 15/16
Lincoln – Cam Hackett – 47/50
