KEARNEY, Neb. – This season the Tri-City Storm have teamed up with the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department to honor an unsung hero after each win.

The department has donated an authentic fire helmet, detailed in purple by Bobby Turner with Turner Body Shop, for the team’s locker room. After a Storm win the helmet will be presented to a player who made a big contribution to the team’s success, but may not have been recognized in the box score.

“We really wanted to have something that represented the community as well as our town,” said Storm head coach Josh Hauge. “There’s no better representation of an unsung hero that isn’t always recognized than the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department.”

Hauge said the firefighters were a little surprised when the staff reached out with the idea, but felt honored and excited that they were chosen.

The department took the idea and ran with it, putting a special dedication plate on the front and making sure the paint job was professionally done.

“I think I had a vision of what it might look like,” Hauge said. But when I saw how it came out, it was better than anything we could have hoped for. They did a great job and it’s definitely something our players are striving to earn. It’s an honor to put on.”

The Storm will recognize all the volunteer fire departments in the Central Nebraska region on Saturday during ‘Fire and Ice Night’ at the Viaero Event Center. The night is part of Fire Prevention Week, presented by the National Fire Protection Association. The helmet will be on display, along with a video feature that captures the dedication of the helmet from the fire department.

Tickets are still available for Saturday night’s game with the Waterloo Black Hawks at the Viaero Event Center Box Office. Game time is at 7:05 p.m.

KEARNEY, Neb. – Tri-City Storm goaltender Jacob Johansson continued his early season brilliance Saturday night, shutting down the Des Moines Buccaneers in a 1-0 Storm win at Buccaneer Arena.

Forward Ryan McMurphy netted his second goal in as many games and that was all Tri-City needed to pick up two points and stay undefeated in regulation.

Johansson made 35 saves and has now allowed just a total of two goals in his first three games.

The contest was scoreless until the end of the second period when McMurphy found a rebound in front of the net, beating Des Moines goaltender Billy Christopoulos for the games only goal.

Joel L’Esperance picked up an assist on the play, his first point of the season. L’Esperance won a battle in the corner and took the initial shot to create the scoring chance for McMurphy.

Christopoulos made 31 saves for the Buccaneers in their defeat.

The Storm are back at the Viaero Event Center for Rivalry night against Sioux City on Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

 

Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Ross Olsson, Steven Haydon, Joey DiBenedeto, Nick Hutchison and defenseman Garrett Cecere.…

KEARNEY, Neb. – In a game that was similar to the Storm’s home opener last Saturday, Tri-City couldn’t find their way through a shootout, picking up a point, but losing to the Sioux City Musketeers 2-1 at the Viaero Event Center on Friday night.

Storm goaltender Jacob Johansson came up big for the second consecutive game, keeping his team in the game with 44 saves, including two when Tri-City was shorthanded in overtime.

In a penalty-filled opening period, the Musketeers took a 1-0 lead on a late goal by Adam Johnson at 17:14. The forward got ahead of the play off a pass from defenseman Terrance Amorosa and beat Johansson with a wrap around.

It didn’t take long for Tri-City to even the score however, as veteran forward Ryan McMurphy beat Sioux City goaltender Kyle Hayton up high with a shot off the crossbar just 2:21 into the middle frame.

Both Cutler Martin and Chase McMurphy picked up assists on the Storm’s only goal of the night. It was Martin’s second helper in two games, while Chase picked up his first career USHL point. The goal was Ryan’s third of his USHL career, after scoring two for the Storm a season ago.

With the game even at 1-1, the goaltenders took over and shutdown each team’s offense for the remainder of the game.

The Musketeers were given a big opportunity late in the game when Storm forward Drew Mayer was given a five-minute major and a game ejection penalty for kneeing with just 1:29 left in regulation.

But the Storm killed off the penalty both in regulation and in overtime, helped out by some huge saves from Johansson.

Neither team could find the back of the net in overtime, but both Avery Peterson and Jared Thomas scored for Sioux City in the shootout to finish the game.

Tri-City will travel to Des Moines to take on the Buccaneers in their first road contest of the season on Saturdaynight at 7:05 p.m. The Storm are back at the Viaero Event Center for Fire and Ice Night on Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Notes: The Storm scratched forwards Ross Olsson, Steven Haydon, Joey DiBenedeto, Kyle Eastman and defenseman Kevin Kerr.…

KEARNEY, Neb. – For the third consecutive year, the Tri-City Storm is partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska to present the Jerseys For A Cause program, which begins with Pink In The Rink night this Friday, Oct. 4.

Storm players will don limited edition pink jerseys during Friday’s game against Sioux City, and the ice surface will be painted pink in honor of the program.

One jersey will be raffled off during every home game this season, with different cancer awareness organizations receiving 100 percent of the proceeds each month.

“This is one of many community based programs that we feature throughout our hockey season, but this one carries a great amount of significance because it’s actually an opportunity to generate some dollars that stay right here in Central Nebraska,” said Storm President Greg Shea. “To have a partner like Blue Cross Blue Shield to continue to support us and the program says a lot about what we’re doing and what we’re accomplishing.”

October’s recipient is the Good Samaritan Hospital’s Kearney Tackles Cancer Fund, which raises money to help those that are struggling financially while fighting cancer.

“This week is a great way to kick off our program for the year,” Shea said. We get an opportunity to contribute here locally to the Kearney Tackles Cancer campaign and it’s something that all the fans get to participate in.”

Other beneficiaries include:

November: Central Nebraska’s Relay for Life

December: The Make-A-Wish Foundation

January: Phelps Memorial Health Center Holdrege

February/April: Susan G. Komen Foundation

March: Mary Lanning Healthcare’s Morrison Cancer Center

“We try to have a good mix of organizations that have ties throughout the region,” Shea said. We have also looked to places like Hastings and Holdrege as examples outside of Kearney where we want to have an impact.”

In total during the past two seasons, the Storm and their dedicated fan base has raised over $25,000 for their various recipients.

This season, the special edition jersey is gray with the commemorative Pink In The Rink logo in the center, along with a pink stripe across the chest and the traditional Storm logo on each shoulder.

The Storm will wear the uniforms and help contribute to this cause Friday night when they host the Sioux City Musketeers at the Viaero Event Center at 7:30 p.m.

KEARNEY, Neb. – Swedish goaltender Jacob Johansson didn’t disappoint in his first game for the Tri-City Storm, making 37 saves and coming up big late in the contest, a 2-1 shootout win at the Viaero Event Center on Saturday night.

Newcomers Robbie Payne and Chris Wilkie scored for the Storm in the shootout, sending the Kearney fans home happy with a win in their first game of the season.

Lincoln’s Jason Stephanik opened the scoring with a power play goal at 9:56 of the first, giving the Stars an early 1-0 lead.

The first period also saw two fights, as Steven Haydon went at it with Zach Frye and Robbie Payne battled Zack Pittman.

Tri-City evened the score in the second with a power play tally of their own on a deflection in front by Chase Berger. It was Berger’s first USHL goal and both Cutler Martin and Dan Labosky were credited with assists.

The goaltenders took it from there, not allowing any more scoring plays in either regulation or overtime. Johansson finished with 37 saves for Tri-City, while veteran Michael Bitzer stopped 30 pucks.

At the end of the third period a penalty shot was awarded to Stephanik with just 47 seconds remaining. As he moved in on Johansson the goaltender stood his ground and made a blocker save to force the game to overtime.

Garrett Gamez had the best opportunity for the Storm in the extra session, sending a shot off the crossbar that missed by inches.

The Storm went 2-for-2 in the shootout with goals from Payne and Wilkie before Johansson stopped Magnus Hoff in Lincoln’s final attempt.

Tri-City will stay in Kearney and host the Sioux City Musketeers for the first time this season on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm and Viaero Wireless are proud to announce they have agreed to an extension on the presenting sponsorship rights for Storm Hockey.

Viaero originally signed on in 2007 and six years later, they still believe in Storm Hockey.

“We are proud to announce the recent launch of our new 4G network in Kearney,” said Lisa Murray, Vice President of Marketing. The excitement and speed of Storm hockey provides us the perfect partnership to promote the speed and value of our new 4G network.”

The presenting sponsorship is separate from the Event Center naming rights, which Viaero has been in control of since 2009 and will continue to hold through the 2015-16 season.

“We’re excited to reach this extension with Viaero Wireless,” said Tri-City Storm President Greg Shea. “It’s been a great process to get to this point. This only happens when you have tremendous synergy with a corporate partner and you have a certain level of checks and balances or expectations that are constantly being met by both parties.

“This is the pinnacle of sponsorship in our industry and to have a partner like Viaero in a small market setting like Kearney and the Tri-Cities, says a lot about both products.”

The presenting sponsorship agreement includes exposure with in-arena signage, big screen content, radio broadcast elements and marketing content.

In addition, Viaero will introduce a new in-game contest called the 4G Slapshot Challenge, bringing fans on the ice and giving prizes to those who have the fastest shot each game.

Terms and conditions of the agreement will not be disclosed.

Viaero Wireless is headquartered in Morgan, Colo. and has been in business since 1991 providing wireless service throughout the United States.

To celebrate a new season of Storm hockey, Viaero Wireless is presenting a free pregame barbeque to the first 2,000 fans in attendance and a fireworks show on Saturday night, the opening night of the 2013-14 season.