Aaron Lewadniuk's three-goal hat-trick helped the Lancer offense streak to a 6-0 lead enroute to a 7-3 breeze by the Tri-City Storm on Tuesday, February 12th at the Mid-America Center. It was the first hat-trick by a Lancer this season and helped the team win its seventh straight game, while holding on to a 12-point lead over Sioux City in the USHL West Division. The Lancers are also 11-0-1 in their last twelve games and have taken over first place in the overall USHL league standings by one point over second-place Indiana.
In addition to Lewadniuk's three goals, Joe Diamond, Ben Arnt, Drew Conboy and Chris Connolly netted goals on losing goaltender Nick Hopper in the victory. Jake Hauswirth and Barry Almeida added two assists apiece, and Conboy and Connolly also scored assists for a two-point night offensively.
At the crease, Drew Palmisano won his 21st game between the pipes (21-6-2) with a 16 save effort. Palmisano has now won 41 career games in goal in the USHL, with 40 of them coming as a Lancer netminder.
Omaha had a 4-0 lead after one period and extended the margin to 6-0 before Tri-City scored the next three goals with designs on closing the gap even more in the third period. However, Connolly's goal with just over four minutes left in the game squelched any further hopes of a Tri-City comeback.
The Lancers also excelled on the power play, scoring three times in six chances, while holding the Storm scoreless in two tries. Goals by Conboy, Arnt, and Diamond all came with the man advantage.
On the shot clock, the Lancers held a 35-19 advantage, including 18 shots on goal in the first period alone. Tri-City was held to only four shots on net in the final twenty minutes.
The teams meet again this week, but this time in Kearney on Friday night, February 15th. Omaha also plays in Sioux Falls on Saturday, February 16th. Both games are at 7:05 PM, with broadcast coverage on News Talk 1420, KOTK, beginning at 6:45 PM each evening.
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