Mingoia's Hat Trick Pushes Tri-City 6-3 Past Lancers
Published on March 8, 2013 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Kearney, Neb. - Trevor Mingoia scored three goals and the Tri-City Storm earned their sixth straight victory over the Omaha Lancers Friday evening with a 6-3 win in front of the 3,461 fans at the Viaero Event Center. The loss was Omaha's sixth in its last eight games as the team remains in fifth place in the Western Conference just one standings point behind the Waterloo Black Hawks for the fourth and final playoff spot in the West.
Tri-City opened the scoring less than six minutes into the contest when Trevor Moore slipped behind the Omaha defense on the left wing before chipping in his 19th goal of the season. Joel L'Esperance garnered the only assist on the even strength strike netted 5:51 into the first period. The goal marked the 25th time in 53 games this season that the Lancers have surrendered the game's opening tally. Omaha bounced back and was able to even the game just prior to the midway point of the first period when Connor Chatham came streaking down the right wing before throwing a sharp angle chance that glanced off netminder Justin Quale before rolling over the goal line. Luca Frigo earned the primary assist on Chatham's 15th goal of the year while, in his return to the Lancers lineup, Jake Bischoff grabbed the secondary helper. Tri-City bounced right back though and regained the lead just 22 seconds later when Garrett Cecere threw a pass through the Omaha goal crease, which was beautifully deflected into the back of the cage by Ben Foster for his 18th goal of the season. Brian Ward earned the secondary assist on the even strength tally notched 10:09 into the opening period. The Lancers answered back again though and tied the game less than two minutes later when, off a clean faceoff win in the offensive end, Jake Randolph was able to sweep around the Storm net before wrapping in his 11th goal of the year. Kyle Osterberg and Bischoff assisted on the five-on-five marker 11:55 into the first frame.
Omaha then grabbed its first and only lead of the night less than nine minutes into the second period when Drew Melanson won a race for a loose puck below the Storm goal line before centering a pass for Robbie Baillargeon atop the crease, which was promptly punched in for his team-leading 18th goal of the season. The lead evaporated though before the close of the middle stanza after a pair of tallies from Mingoia just 1:16 apart. First, Mingoia launched a power play one-timer into the back of the Omaha net 14:07 into the period from Brian Ward and L'Esperance for his 10th goal of the year. Then, just over a minute later, Mingoia snapped in his 11th marker of the year with a wrist shot from the high slot that solved Lancers netminder Alex Lyon inside the right post. Martin garnered the only assist on the five-on-five goal netted 15:23 into the second period.
The Storm then put the game away with a pair of empty net conversions in the final 70 seconds of the contest. First, Mingoia completed his hat trick 18:51 into the final period with his third goal of the game and 12th the season. Then, Heikki Liedes landed the final strike of the evening with his third goal of the year 19:35 into the third frame.
Quale earned the victory in goal for the Storm after 36 saves on 39 Omaha shots. The first-year netminder is now 3-0 against the Lancers this season and 7-5-2 overall this year. Meanwhile, Lyon suffered the loss for Omaha after 22 saves on 26 Storm shots. The veteran goaltender is now 1-4 against Tri-City this season and 23-17 overall this season.
The Lancers are back in action Sunday evening when the team returns to Ralston Arena for a 5:05 PM showdown with the Muskegon Lumberjacks.
United States Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2013
- Hayton Stops Saints to Lead Musketeers to 3-2 Win Shootout Win Friday - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Mingoia's Hat Trick Pushes Tri-City 6-3 Past Lancers - Omaha Lancers
- Hawks Downed at Home - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Stampede Hold off Bucs, 3-2 - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Shooting Stars Muscle Their Way Past the Lumberjacks at Home, 5-2 - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Ice lose 5-2 - Indiana Ice
- Phantoms F Luke Stork Commits to Ohio State - Youngstown Phantoms
- Lumberjacks Announce Promotions & Community Events - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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