SIOUX CITY, Ia. – The Sioux City Musketeers (13-4-1) came out ahead after a wild game, defeating the Tri-City Storm (9-5-3) 7-5 in a battle of the top two teams in the Western Conference at the Tyson Events Center on Saturday night.

Storm forward Cody Milan scored twice in the first period, while captain Garrett Gamez, defenseman Kevin Kerr and forward Nick Master all found the back of the net later in the game for Tri-City.

Milan opened the scoring 2:06 into the game, taking a perfect pass from Matthew Freytag and wristing a shot into the top left corner of the Sioux City net to give Tri-City a 1-0 lead.

But 1:01 after Milan’s tally, Storm forward Chris Wilkie was called for a checking from behind penalty and received a game ejection. On the ensuing double minor power play for the Musketeers, both Robert Carpenter and Joel Janatuinen scored goals and Sioux City had themselves a 2-1 lead.

Later in the opening frame, Milan struck again on the power play and tied things up at 2-2. Defenseman Tory Dello took a shot from the top of the zone and the White Lake, Mich. native found the rebound in the crease, pushing it past Musketeers’ netminder Collin Olson. Freytag picked up his second assist of the game on the goal.

After a Waltteri Hopponen goal made it 3-2 Sioux City at 3:10 of the second period, Gamez tied the game right back up with his sixth goal of the year 33 seconds later. While on a power play, forward Mason Appleton set the captain up perfectly in front of the net, and Gamez outwaited Olson, beating the netminder to his left.

The Musketeers took control of the game late in the middle frame, scoring three times in the final six minutes. Janatuinen had two of the three tallies, securing a hat trick on the night, while defenseman Avni Berisha scored his first goal of the year. Tri-City was trailing 6-3 as the teams headed to the third period.

The Storm fought to the end, scoring twice to cut the score to 6-5. First Master got his fourth of the season on the power play at 2:50 from Gamez and forward Jake Wahlin.

Then as time was running out on Tri-City, Kevin Kerr scored his second goal of the weekend with just 3:47 left in the game to cut the Musketeer lead to just one.

Tri-City pulled netminder Blake Weyrick in the final minute, but a late penalty to Chase Berger derailed the comeback and Berisha scored an empty net power play goal to finish things off with eight seconds to go.

Weyrick finished with 19 stops in the game for Tri-City, while Olson had 25 saves for Sioux City in the win. The Storm had the edge in shots on goal in the game, 30-26.

Tri-City will be back in action Wednesday with a Thanksgiving Eve contest on the road in Des Moines against the Buccaneers at 7:05 p.m. The Storm will return to the Viaero Event Center on Tuesday, Dec. 9 in a matchup with the Lincoln Stars.

Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Conner Valesano and Wade Allison along with defenseman Jason Krych…

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

Tri-City – Cody Milan (Matthew Freytag) 2:06
Sioux City – Robert Carpenter (power play) (Sam Kurker, Joel Janatuinen) 4:41
Sioux City – Joel Janatuinen (power play) (Robert Carpenter) 6:23
Tri-City – Cody Milan (power play) (Tory Dello, Matthew Freytag) 16:05

2nd Period

Sioux City – Waltteri Hopponen (Alexandre Payusov) 3:10
Tri-City – Garrett Gamez (power play) (Mason Appleton) 3:43
Sioux City – Joel Janatuinen (power play) (Ryan Zuhlsdorf) 14:22
Sioux City – Avni Berisha (Sam Kurker, Joe Snively) 14:59
Sioux City – Joel Janatuinen (unassisted) 19:28

3rd Period
Tri-City – Nick Master (power play) (Garrett Gamez, Jake Wahlin) 2:50
Tri-City – Kevin Kerr (Jake Wahlin, Nolan Aibel) 16:13
Sioux City – Avni Berisha (empty net) (unassisted) 19:52

PENALTIES

1st Period

Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Checking From Behind), 4 min, 3:07
Tri-City – Chris Wilkie – (Checking From Behind) (Game Ejection), 10 min, 3:07
Sioux City – Jake Durflinger – (Slashing), 2 min, 15:07
Tri-City – Tory Dello – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 16:56

2nd Period

Sioux City – Jake Durflinger – (Charging), 2 min, 3:17
Tri-City – Cody Milan – (Slashing), 2 min, 5:09
Tri-City – Tory Dello – (High Sticking), 2 min, 12:51

3rd Period

Sioux City – Jacob Wilson – (Checking From Behind), 2 min, 1:51
Sioux City – Jacob Wilson – (Checking From Behind) (Misconduct), 10 min, 1:51
Sioux City – Avni Berisha – (Interference), 2 min, 8:06
Tri-City – Chase Berger – (Checking From Behind), 2 min, 18:29

Power Play

Tri-City – 3/4

Sioux City – 4/6

Shots

Tri-City: 10, 11, 9 = Total: 30
Sioux City: 8, 11, 7 = Total: 26

Saves
Tri-City – Blake Weyrick – 19/25
Sioux City – Collin Olson – 25/30

KEARNEY, Neb. – Five goals from five different players propelled the Tri-City Storm (9-4-3) to a 5-2 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers (9-6-2) and into second place in the USHL’s Western Conference on Friday night at the Viaero Event Center.

Storm captain Garrett Gamez tallied a goal and an assist for his team in the victory, while defenseman Mattias Goransson recorded two assists and Kevin Kerr scored his first of the season.

Tri-City netminder Blake Weyrick made 21 saves to earn his first win of the year and the Storm outshot Des Moines 41-23 in the game.

Three first period goals put Tri-City in front early and the team never looked back. Forward Chris Wilkie opened the scoring with his 10th goal of the year at 7:12 of the opening period.

Gamez then added a power play goal to make it 2-0 at 16:55. The recent Providence College commit deflected a shot from defenseman Tory Dello by Bucs’ netminder Ryan Ruck for his fifth strike of the season. Goransson picked up the second assist on the tally.

Just 1:10 later, forward Nolan Aibel scored his second goal of the year, with assists from forward Chase Hatcher and defenseman Jalen Schulz.

The Storm widened their lead to 5-0 in the second period with goals from Kerr and forward Cody Milan. Kerr got his first of the year with Kyle Eastman screening Ruck in front on a pass from defensive partner Cameron Spicer.

Milan scored the first short-handed goal of the year for Tri-City, his third tally on the year. The forward took the puck into the Des Moines’ end on the backhand, and lifted it over Ruck perfectly, making it a five-goal advantage for the Storm.

The Buccaneers scored twice in the final period to make it 5-2 on goals by forward Nikita Pavlychev and defenseman Alec Rauhauser.

The Storm now head to Sioux City to take on the Musketeers for the first time this season on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. Tri-City returns to the Viaero Event Center on Tuesday, Dec. 9 in a matchup with the Lincoln Stars.

Notes: The Storm scratched defensemen Gordi Myer and Jason Krych. Forward Joel Herbert was also scratched, serving a one-game suspension…

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

Tri-City – Chris Wilkie (Jake Wahlin, Chase Berger) 7:12
Tri-City – Garrett Gamez (power play) (Tory Dello, Mattias Goransson) 16:55
Tri-City – Nolan Aibel (Chase Hatcher) 18:05

2nd Period

Tri-City – Kevin Kerr (Cameron Spicer, Garrett Gamez) 14:37
Tri-City – Cody Milan (short-handed) (Mattias Goransson) 16:45

3rd Period
Des Moines – Nikita Pavlychev (power play) (Georgy Gorodetsky, Alec Rauhauser) 9:22
Des Moines – Alec Rauhauser (Tanner Karty) 16:29

PENALTIES

1st Period

Tri-City – Conner Valesano – (Interference), 2 min, 0:56
Des Moines – Chandler Lindstrand – (Interference), 2 min, 15:21

2nd Period

Tri-City – Conner Valesano – (Slashing), 2 min, 3:48
Tri-City – Cody Milan – (Holding), 2 min, 7:29
Tri-City – Wade Allison – (Holding), 2 min, 16:26

3rd Period

Tri-City – Jalen Schulz – (Boarding), 2 min, 8:38
Des Moines – Brennan Sanford – (Slashing), 2 min, 11:43

Power Play

Des Moines – 1/5

Tri-City – 1/2

Shots

Des Moines: 9, 7, 7 = Total: 23
Tri-City: 17, 12, 12 = Total: 41

Saves

Des Moines – Ryan Ruck – 36/41
Tri-City – Blake Weyrick – 21/23

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm announced a new partnership with the Team Jack Foundation, and will host Team Jack Night when they battle the Sioux Falls Stampede on Saturday, January 24.

The Team Jack Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to fund pediatric cancer research at the world’s best research institutions. As of January 2013, the Team Jack Foundation has committed more than $1.1 million and counting to pediatric brain cancer research.

Starting today, fans can go to Team Jack’s website and either make a one-time donation or pledge a donation to the Foundation for each goal recorded by the Storm score for the remainder of the season (45 games).

“We are very excited for the opportunity to partner with the Tri-City Storm and are so grateful for their support,” said Andy Hoffman, Chair of the Team Jack Foundation. “By pledging per goal recorded by the Storm, individuals will have a chance to make a direct impact on pediatric brain cancer, the leading cancer cause of death in children.”

The Storm are also working to provide other donation options, including adopting individual players. For example, fans could adopt one or multiple players and donate based on their success for the remainder of the season.

The game promotion will also include Star Wars Night, featuring themes from a galaxy far, far away.

In addition, the Storm have designated the Team Jack Foundation as a recipient for the month of January in the annual Jerseys For A Cause program, presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to work with the Team Jack Foundation in an effort to build a memorable game night theme and ultimately generate dollars for pediatric brain cancer research,” said Tri-City Storm President Greg Shea.

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011 or visit www.stormhockey.com.

KEARNEY, Neb. – Tri-City Storm captain Garrett Gamez has signed a National Letter of Intent to play Division I College Hockey with the Providence College Friars next season.

Gamez, who has appeared in a total of 116 games with the Storm over the past three seasons, currently ranks 18th all-time among Storm skaters with 42 assists. Through 13 games this season, the Chino Hills, Calif. native has four goals and four assists.

The forward will become the second player to go from Tri-City to Providence in the last three years, joining forward Trevor Mingoia, who played for the Storm during the 2012-13 season.

The two will be reunited for one more season next fall, as Mingoia, currently a junior, will have only his senior season remaining.

The 19-year-old was previously committed to Denver University and was recruited by then assistant coach Steve Miller. Although things didn’t work out with the Pioneers, Gamez will end up getting a chance to play for Miller after all, as he is currently an assistant with the Friars under head coach Nate Leaman.

“The coaching staff there was a huge hit for me,” Gamez said. “Coach [Miller] was with Denver when I was committed there so I already had a really good relationship with him.”

Since taking the reins in 2011-12, Leaman has changed the culture at the school, guiding the team to its first winning seasons since the 2005-06 campaign. The Friars qualified for the NCAA Tournament last spring for the first time since 2001 and fell one game short of reaching the Frozen Four, losing to Union College in the quarterfinals after defeating Quinnipiac in the opening round.

“I liked that he was very honest with me,” Gamez said of his now future head coach. “He’s not really a player pleaser; he’s just very honest and very straight with you. He tells you how you need to improve and what you’re doing well. I like being able to go to a coach that’s very honest and not scared to hurt my feelings.”

Gamez also said he felt more mature with the way he went through the college selection process a second time.

“I had a better understanding of what I needed to look for and the opportunity I was getting at each college that offered me a scholarship,” Gamez said. “I felt that Providence was the best offer for me and I’m really excited to attend. I liked the atmosphere there.”

With his future now firmly in place, Gamez is looking forward to concentrating on his time left with Tri-City and achieving his goal of winning a championship in the USHL.

“The last couple weeks were pretty stressful getting everything situated and figured out,” Gamez said. “It’s definitely a blessing for myself to be committed there and it’s a bit of a sigh of relief knowing that I’m going to college next year.”

The Storm will take on Des Moines at the Viaero Event Center Friday night at 7:30 p.m., before hitting the road to face Sioux City on Saturday at 7:05.

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011 or visit www.stormhockey.com.

KEARNEY, Neb. – With 15 games down and 45 to go, there’s still a long road ahead in the 2014-15 USHL season. Through the first quarter of the year, the Tri-City Storm have an overall record of 8-4-3 and 19 points which is good for third place in the Western Conference.

During the upcoming weekend, Tri-City will face the two teams ahead of them in the standings, Des Moines and Sioux City.

“We’re very excited to line up against the top two teams in our conference this weekend,” said Storm Head Coach Jim Hulton. “This is a time for us to make up some ground and we think we’re at that stage in the season now that we’re ready to take it to another level. We’ve been satisfied with our play, but we’d like to be a lot more consistent and make a real push to the top.”

The Buccaneers (9-5-2, 20 points) come to Kearney on Friday night, for a 7:30 p.m. matchup. In the first meeting of Tri-City and Des Moines back onOct. 4, the Storm skated out of Buccaneer Arena with a 2-1 shootout victory. Forward Nick Master scored for Tri-City in the first period of the contest, while Chris Wilkie and Bobby Nardella took care of the extra point, scoring in the shootout.

Sioux City (11-4-1, 23 points) is at the top of the Western Conference and second-best in the USHL. Saturday’s game at the Tyson Events Center will be the first of six matchups between the teams this season.

With eight wins in their first 15 games, the Storm are off to their best start since the 2006-07 season, when they had nine wins in the team’s first 15 contests.

Tri-City has been led offensively by Chris Wilkie, who has nine goals and five assists this season. Three defensemen are tied for the lead in scoring amongst blueliners, with Mattias Goransson, Kevin Kerr and Bobby Nardella each recording nine points on the season.

Goaltender Alec Dillon has shouldered most of the load between the pipes, posting a record of 8-3-2 with a goals against average of 2.16 and a save percentage at .921.

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011 or visit www.stormhockey.com.