USHL Omaha Lancers

Lancers Close Regular Season with 5-2 Win Over Sioux City

Published on April 14, 2012 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release


Omaha, Neb. - Tanner Lane and Kenny Gillespie each tallied a goal and an assist as the Omaha Lancers closed the 2011-2012 regular season with a 5-2 victory over the Sioux City Musketeers Saturday evening in front of 3,064 fans at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. With the win, the Lancers finished the regular year with an overall mark of 38-19-3. With 79 standings points, Omaha finished second behind the Lincoln Stars who earned a 2-1 victory in Fargo on Friday to lock up the top seed in the Western Conference portion of the 2012 Clark Cup Playoffs. The Lancers closed the regular season on a three-game winning streak and captured wins in eight of the team's last 11 games.

Omaha opened the scoring early with the team's league-leading 34th power play goal scored on home ice when Tanner Lane redirected Victor Newell's shot from the right point. The man-advantage tally netted 1:52 into the first period was Lane's 13th goal of the season and the 33rd time in 60 games this season that the Lancers have scored first. Omaha then doubled its lead late in the period when a give-and-go between Lane and Max Vallis resulted in Vallis' 20th goal of the season. The five-on-five marker came 17:49 into the opening period of play.

Sioux City sliced Omaha's lead in half 6:22 into the second period when Brett Patterson scored his first of two goals in the game netting a power play tally from Dan Molenaar and Pontus Johansson. The Lancers responded quickly though and reestablished their two-goal lead just 17 seconds later as Gillespie gathered a right wing rebound before landing his fifth goal of the season. Jake Bischoff and Mark Miller assisted on Gillespie's first game-winning goal of the year. The Lancers then jumped out to a 4-1 advantage just under five minutes later when Greg Gozzo set up Michael Ferrantino in the slot who made no mistake in driving in his ninth goal of the year. Kenney Morrison earned the secondary assist on the even strength goal 11:29 into the middle stanza. The Musketeers climbed back to within two goals late though as Patterson landed his second goal of the period and sixth of the season with just 15 seconds left in the frame.

Omaha put the game away with the only goal in the final period of regulation when Eli Lichtenwald backhanded in his fifth goal of the season 9:24 into the third period. Gillespie and Kevin Schulze assisted on the goal as the Lancers scored five or more goals for the 19th time this season.

Alex Lyon earned the victory in goal for Omaha after 21 saves on 23 Musketeers shots. With the win, Lyon finished the regular season with an overall record of 28-15-3. Thatcher Demko relieved Lyon with a little over eight minutes left in regulation and recorded the team's final two saves. Meanwhile, Austin Priebe suffered the setback for Sioux City after 31 saves on 36 Lancers shots.

The Lancers are back in action next Friday when they return to the Civic Auditorium for Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

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United States Hockey League Stories from April 14, 2012


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