LINCOLN, Neb. – Ludvig Hoff scored a breakaway goal in overtime for the Lincoln Stars to defeat the Tri-City Storm 4-3 at the Ice Box on Friday night.

Storm forwards Mark Petaccio, Aleksi Ainali and Chase Berger each scored goals in the loss, while goaltender Blake Weyrick made 33 saves.

The game got off to a fast start and saw three goals in just over three and a half minutes. Lincoln’s Ryan Jones opened the scoring when he put a puck on net that deflected past Storm goalie Blake Weyrick and gave his team a 1-0 lead.

Tri-City responded less than a minute later with a goal from forward Mark Petaccio. The Sicklerville, N.J. native took a pass from linemate Aleksi Ainali off a face-off and made his shot count, tying the game at 1-1.

After Lincoln’s Blake Christensen made it 2-1, Ainali responded for the Storm and re-tied the game at 2-2 on a pass from defenseman Bobby Nardella.

Late in the opening period, Storm forward Chase Berger got a pass off the boards in stride from defenseman Kevin Kerr and wristed a shot into the top left corner of the net to give Tri-City a 3-2 lead going into the first intermission.

No scoring in the second period kept the Storm in front going into the third.

After over 15 minutes of scoreless play in the final period, a late double minor penalty to Petaccio allowed the Stars a four-minute power play. Lincoln made their chance count when Christensen scored his second of the game to tie things up at 3-3 with just 1:05 remaining.

With the score tied, the teams elected to play a 3-on-3 overtime for five minutes. During the extra period, Hoff found himself all alone and beat Weyrick to give Lincoln their first preseason win in their fourth exhibition game.

Tri-City now has a record of 2-0-1 in preseason play.

The two teams will play a rematch in Kearney at the Viaero Event Center on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m.

Tri-City will finish up a three-game weekend on Sunday afternoon with a 4 p.m. game in Omaha against the Lancers.

The Storm will open the regular season in Lincoln on Sept. 26 in and return to Kearney for their home opener on Oct. 3 vs. Sioux Falls.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

Lincoln – Ryan Jones (unassisted) 2:16
Tri-City – Mark Petaccio (Aleksi Ainali) 3:08
Lincoln – Blake Christensen (Chris Klack) 3:33
Tri-City – Aleksi Ainali (Bobby Nardella) 6:05
Tri-City – Chase Berger (Kevin Kerr) 17:27

2nd Period

(no scoring)

3rd Period

Lincoln – Blake Christensen (power play) (Ludvig Hoff) 18:55

Overtime

Lincoln – Ludvig Hoff – (unassisted) 2:16

PENALTIES

1st Period

Lincoln – Blake Christensen – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 6:38
Lincoln – Blake Christensen – (Fighting (Instigator)), 2 min, 6:38
Lincoln – Blake Christensen – (Fighting), 5 min, 6:38
Lincoln – Blake Christensen – (Fighting) (Misconduct), 10 min, 6:38
Tri-City – Kyle Eastman – (Fighting), 5 min, 6:38
Tri-City – Kyle Eastman – (Fighting) (Misconduct), 10 min, 6:38
Lincoln – Jared Bethune – (High Sticking), 2 min, 10:55
Tri-City – Tory Dello – (Holding), 2 min, 11:31
Lincoln – Tony DeVito – (Slashing), 2 min, 19:16
Lincoln – Connor Frantti – (Roughing), 2 min, 19:56

2nd Period

Tri-City – Jason Krych – (Tripping), 2 min, 2:57
Lincoln – Tye Ausmus – (Interference), 2 min, 16:54

3rd Period

Tri-City – Jalen Schulz – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 0:44
Tri-City – Chase Berger – (Cross Checking), 2 min, 5:17
Lincoln – Tye Ausmus – (Roughing), 2 min, 16:06
Tri-City – Mark Petaccio – (Boarding), 2 min, 16:06
Tri-City – Mark Petaccio – (Roughing) (Double Minor), 4 min, 16:06

Overtime

(no penalties)

Power Play

Tri-City –0/6

Lincoln – 1/6

Shots

Tri-City: 16, 14, 4, 0 = Total: 34
Lincoln: 11, 7, 13, 6 = Total: 37

Saves

Tri-City – Blake Weyrick – 33/37
Lincoln – Cam Hackett – 13/16, Peyton Jones – 18/18

OMAHA, Neb. – In a preseason opening day-night doubleheader, the Tri-City Storm swept the Des Moines Buccaneers, winning 5-2 in the afternoon and finishing the day with a 3-2 shootout victory in the nightcap.

Forward Cody Milan scored two goals for Tri-City in Game 1, while forward Chris Wilkie had goals in regulation and the shootout during Game 2.

Storm netminder Blake Weyrick played the entirety of both games in between the pipes, picking up wins in both games.

Each game featured two periods with a running clock, making the exhibitions an informal day at the Ralston Arena in Omaha, a neutral site for the two clubs.

In Game 1, Tri-City had a slow start to the first period, but turned it on in the second frame, scoring five straight times.

Des Moines took a 1-0 lead into the locker room at the conclusion of the first on a goal by forward Ryan Dmowski.

The Storm started the second period shorthanded after a penalty to forward Mark Petaccio, but they were able to tie the game at 1-1 on a goal by Milan while down a man.

After evening the game, Tri-City came to life and took control. Defenseman Cam Spicer made it 2-1, scoring a goal off a face-off that had been won by center Conner Valesano.

Additional goals were tallied by Mark Petaccio and Joel Herbert before Milan made it 5-1 with his second strike of the period and put the game out of reach for the Buccaneers.

Brendan Shane had the second Des Moines goal of the game that closed the scoring in the opener.

In Game 2, Wilkie got the Storm out in front with the only score of the first, throwing a puck at the net which defected off a Buccaneer and into the goal to give Tri-City a 1-0 lead.

The Omaha native was at it again in the second, connecting with forward Jake Wahlin on a play in front to get the puck past Des Moines goaltender Ryan Ruck and make it a 2-0 Storm lead.

Des Moines got back into the game late in the second, scoring twice to tie things up at 2-2. Forward Patrick Grasso got the first, while defenseman Corey Schueneman notched a power play goal as the equalizer.

In the shootout, Tri-City got ahead when Wilkie, the team’s first shooter, converted to take a 1-0 lead. Petaccio sealed the win, scoring as the team’s third and final attempt.

Next weekend Tri-City will be tested three more times, playing Lincoln on the road Friday, in Kearney vs. the Stars on Saturday and in Omaha against the Lancers Sunday.

The Storm will open the regular season in Lincoln on Sept. 26 in and return to Kearney for the home opener on Oct. 3 vs. Sioux Falls.

GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

Des Moines – Ryan Dmowski

2nd Period

Tri-City – Cody Milan (shorthanded) (Mason Appleton)
Tri-City – Cam Spicer (Conner Valesano) off a face-off
Tri-City – Mark Petaccio (Cam Spicer)
Tri-City – Joel Herbert (Nolan Aibel, Mark Petaccio)
Tri-City – Cody Milan (Mason Appleton, Matt Freytag)
Des Moines – Brendan Shane

GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

Tri-City – Chris Wilkie

2nd Period

Tri-City – Jake Wahlin
Des Moines – Patrick Grasso
Des Moines – Corey Schueneman

KEARNEY, Neb. – As the 2014-15 season approaches, the Tri-City Storm coaching staff have taken the next step towards putting together their opening night roster.

Storm Head Coach and General Manager Jim Hulton announced the team’s training camp roster Wednesday, consisting of players who will make the trip to Kearney and battle for a spot on the roster during the preseason in September.

“We’ve worked diligently to try to improve the team and we’re very happy with the group we have coming in,” said Hulton.

Tri-City has 11 players reporting from last season’s roster and an additional three players that suited up as members of the team’s affiliate list.

“I think the thing that has us excited about the coming season is our experience coming back,” Hulton said. “I look at Garrett Gamez and Kyle Eastman going into their third years and not only are they proven players on the ice but equally as important is their proven leadership away from the rink, which I think our group might have been lacking.”

All players will be in Kearney for preseason camp by Aug. 27.

The team has made roster changes since their initial 30-man list was initially submitted last month, including a trade that sent a 5th round pick in the 2015 Phase II Draft to Cedar Rapids in exchange for forward Nick Master.

Master appeared in 27 games for the RoughRiders last season, scoring four goals and nine assists. The native of Broomall, Penn. is committed to play collegiately at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell in the Hockey East conference.

“We’re very excited to add Master into our lineup,” Hulton said. “A former first round pick, he helps to lessen the blow of losing Sam Lafferty. Sam was accepted early into Brown University which is great for Sam and good for his career, but it put a dent in our center ice lineup. To be able to reach out and grab an experienced veteran in Master, who has an offensive pedigree, definitely helps improve our team.”

All other players on the preseason roster participated in the team’s annual tryout camp in Las Vegas in June.

While Tri-City will kick off their season in Lincoln against the Stars on Sept. 26, they will host the Sioux Falls Stampede a week later for their home opener on Oct. 3.

Single game tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Sept. 2 through the Viaero Event Center Box Office.

Season tickets for the 2014-15 season are on sale now with packages as low as $375. Call the Storm office today at 308.338.8011 or visitstormhockey.com for more information.

The preseason roster, in alphabetical order separated by position, is below.

Forwards

Nolan Aibel – 5/26/1997 – Brookville, N.Y. – Tri-City Storm
Aleksi Ainali – 4/12/1995 – Vihti, Finland – HIFK U20
Wade Allison – 10/14/1997 – Myrtle, Man. – Omaha AAA
Mason Appleton – 1/15/1996 – Green Bay, Wis. – Notre Dame HS
Chase Berger – 11/14/1994 – St. Louis, Mo. – Tri-City Storm
Kyle Eastman – 1/31/1995 – Angola, N.Y. – Tri-City Storm
Matthew Freytag – 2/15/1997 – Wayzata, Minn. – Wayzata HS
Garrett Gamez – 2/17/1995 – Chino Hills, Calif. – Tri-City Storm
Joel Herbert – 6/24/1994 – Edson, Alb. – Whitecourt Wolverines
Cody Milan – 4/11/1996 – White Lake, Mich. – Tri-City Storm
Nick Master – 1/28/1995 – Broomall, Penn. – Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Mark Petaccio – 3/26/1994 – Sicklerville, N.J. – Pembroke Lumber Kings (CCHL)
Conner Valesano – 2/10/1995 – Duluth, Minn. – Tri-City Storm
Jake Wahlin – 11/9/1996 – White Bear Lake, Minn. – White Bear Lake HS
Chris Wilkie – 7/10/1996 – Omaha, Neb. – Tri-City Storm

Defensemen

Tory Dello – 2/14/1997 – Crystal Lake, Ill. – Tri-City Storm
Mattias Goransson – 3/10/1995 – Grums, Sweden – Byrnas J20
Grant Hutton – 7/25/1995 – Carmel, Ind. – Tri-City Storm
Kevin Kerr – 2/9/1996 – Bensalem, Penn. – Tri-City Storm
Jason Krych – 4/12/1997 – Champlin, Minn. – Totino-Grace HS
Gordie Myer – 2/28/1996 – Sylvania, Ohio – Cleveland Barons
Bobby Nardella – 4/22/1996 – Rosemont, Ill. – Sioux City Musketeers
Jalen Schulz – 4/29/1995 – Cambridge, Minn. – Tri-City Storm
Cameron Spicer – 2/22/1996 – Erie, Colo. – New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs

Goaltenders

Alec Dillon – 5/5/1996 – Victoria, B.C. – Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL)

Blake Weyrick – 2/5/1996 – Ojai, Calif. – USNTDP

KEARNEY, Neb. – Tri-City Storm Head Coach Jim Hulton announced his team’s 2014 preseason schedule on Monday. The slate will consist of seven games against other Western Conference teams, including the annual Fall Classic West at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Ia. Sept. 19-20.

The Storm will host one preseason game on Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Viaero Event Center against the Lincoln Stars at 7:05 p.m.

Tickets to the exhibition contest will be $5 for the general public, while current season ticket holders will be granted admission free of charge.

Tri-City’s Fall Classic schedule begins on the 19th against Des Moines at 1 p.m., and continues the following morning when they’ll battle the Fargo Force at 10 a.m.

The Fall Classic matchup with the Buccaneers will be the third meeting of the teams during the preseason, as they’ll play a doubleheader at a neutral site on Sept. 7. While the site of the games is still to be determined, the teams will play at 12 p.m. and then again at 7 p.m. The day of two games will be the Storm’s first contests of the preseason.

The following weekend, Hulton has his team playing three games in three days, starting with a Friday night tilt in Lincoln on Sept. 12 at 7:05 p.m. The two in-state rivals will play in Kearney the next day, and Tri-City will complete the weekend in Omaha against the Lancers on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 4 p.m.

Tri-City will host the Sioux Falls Stampede to open the 2014-15 regular season on Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Below is a look at the preseason schedule in full.

2014 Tri-City Storm Preseason Schedule

Sept. 7 – Tri-City Storm vs. Des Moines Buccaneers – 12 p.m. – TBA

Sept. 7 – Tri-City Storm vs. Des Moines Buccaneers – 7 p.m. – TBA

Sept. 12 – Tri-City Storm vs. Lincoln Stars – 7:05 p.m. – Lincoln, Neb.
Sept. 13 – Lincoln Stars vs. Tri-City Storm – 7:05 p.m. – Kearney, Neb.
Sept. 14 – Tri-City Storm vs. Omaha Lancers – 4:00 p.m. – Omaha, Neb.

Sept. 19 – Tri-City Storm vs. Des Moines Buccaneers – 1 p.m. – Sioux City, Ia.

Sept. 20 – Tri-City Storm vs. Fargo Force – 10 a.m. – Sioux City, Ia.

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm and United States Hockey League (USHL) announced its 60-game regular season schedule for the 2014-15 seasonTuesday. Throughout the upcoming season, the Storm will be celebrating their 15th Anniversary as a USHL franchise.

The new campaign will be Storm Head Coach and General Manager Jim Hulton’s first full season behind the bench, and the league will welcome two new franchises in the Madison Capitols and Bloomington Thunder.

While Tri-City will kick off their season in Lincoln against the Stars on Sept. 26, they will host the Sioux Falls Stampede a week later for their home opener on Oct. 3.

In addition to facing in-state Western Conference rivals Lincoln and Omaha a total of eight times each, the Storm will host Eastern Conference foes Chicago, Green Bay, Muskegon, Youngstown, and Cedar Rapids.

The Storm will also have three Tuesday night games with the Lincoln Stars. Tri-City will host Lincoln on Dec. 9 and Jan. 27, while traveling to the Ice Box on March 10.

Tri-City will travel to Madison to play the Capitols Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 and head to Bloomington for two games with the Thunder Jan. 17-18. Madison will play in the league’s Eastern Conference, while Bloomington will join Tri-City as the ninth team in the Western Conference.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the top four teams in each conference based on points in the standings will qualify for the Clark Cup Playoffs. All three rounds in the postseason will follow a best-of-five games format.

The Storm have also announced a selection of the promotions schedule for 2014-15 which includes the return of the Free Kids Friday for each home Fridaynight game.

Opening night will once again feature a fireworks display after the game, to go along with the kickoff of the team’s 15th Anniversary Season.

On Oct. 10 in a matchup with the Steel, Tri-City will have a 15th Anniversary puck giveaway.

The following night, Oct. 11, the Storm will once again face the Steel and present Bachelor Night, featuring special guests Sean and Catherine from the 17th season of ABC’s The Bachelor.

A week later, Tri-City will host the Green Bay Gamblers for Paint the Ice Night on Friday, Oct. 17 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska. The new promotion will feature the team’s home ice painted by fans with tributes, memorials and well wishes for those battling cancer. The Gamblers and Storm will play on the decorated ice surface and Tri-City will don specialty jerseys to kick off the annual Jerseys For A Cause Program.

Dec. 13 vs. Youngstown will be Stormy’s 15th birthday, with an afternoon start time of 3:05 p.m.

Jan. 31 will see the return of last season’s popular promotion, Casino Night against Sioux Falls.

Pack-It-In-Purple Night will be during a matchup with Lincoln on Feb. 21.

Tri-City’s final home contest and Fan Appreciation Night will be on April 4 vs. the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

The team’s full promotional schedule and single game ticket information will be released later this summer.

All Friday night home games will start at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday night contests will get underway at 7:05.

Full 2014-15 Regular Season Schedule

Season tickets for the 2014-15 season are on sale now with packages as low as $375. Call the Storm office today at 308.338.8011 or visitstormhockey.com for more information.