Stampede Rally, But Fall in a Shootout to Omaha
January 10, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release
Sioux Falls, SD-The Stampede rallied twice, but couldn't rally for a third time in a shootout, falling 4-3 to the Omaha Lancers before a festive crowd of 6,289 fans at the PREMIER Center Saturday night. The Herd earned a point in the game, but saw their five-game winning streak and six-game home winning streak come to an end as they fall to 16-12-4 on the season. Logan O'Connor tied the game with a goal late in the third period to force overtime and eventually a shootout, but the Herd were outscored in the shootout 3-2 by the Lancers who improved to 17-8-5 on the season. Stefanos Lekkas stopped 31 shots in goal for the Herd who are still 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.
The Stampede were not as sharp in the first period of the previous games as they struggled to connect on passes and put much pressure on Omaha goaltender Kris Oldham. The Lancers grabbed the first goal of the game exactly 10 minutes into the game when Anthony Angello tallied his eighth goal of the season. Drew Best sent a pass into the slot for Angello who wristed the puck perfectly into the upper left hand corner of the net and past Stampede goaltender Stefanos Lekkas to make it 1-0. Both teams had a couple of power play chances in the period, but did not convert and the Lancers took a 1-0 lead into the locker room, outshooting the Herd 9-2 in the period.
The Lancers extended their lead with a 5-on-3 goal at 9:40 when Jakob Forsbacka-Karlson sent a pass to the right point for Matt Joyaux who one-timed the puck through traffic and past Lekkas to make it a 2-0 game. For most of the period the Herd looked tired and struggled to get any shots on net, but got the bounce they were looking for at 16:29 when Daniel Warpecha sent a shot in off the back board that bounced off the back of Omaha netminder Kris Oldham and bounced in the crease where Lawton Courtnall dived in and knocked it into the back of the net for his second of the season and got the Herd on the board. Less than a minute later the Herd changed the momentum of the game when Chris Pohlkamp sent a shot towards the goal that was deflected at the bottom of the right circle by Cooper Marody. Marody sent the puck into the upper right hand corner of the net past Oldham and tied the game 2-2. It was the 10th goal of the season for Marody and his 8th in 12 games as a member of the Stampede. The Herd went into the locker room tied 2-2, despite being outshot 16-6 in the period.
The Lancers regained the lead 3:33 into the third period when Nick Rivera's shot was stopped by a right pad of Lekkas, but the rebound came in front of the net for Brian Williams who quickly put the puck into the back of the net to give the Lancers a 3-2 lead. It stayed that way until late in the game when the Stampede were able to make their second comeback of the night when Logan O'Connor tallied his 11th goal of the season. O'Connor took a pass from Marody and broke through the high slot where he wristed a shot past the right pad of Oldham to tie the game 3-3 and send all 6,289 fans in attendance into a frenzy. That goal would force overtime and eventually a shootout.
The Lancers had the hot hands in the shootout scoring in all three rounds with goals from Shane Gersich, Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson and Anthony Angello. The Stampede got goals from Troy Loggins and Logan O'Connor in the shootout, but Marody was denied by Oldham in round three giving the Lancers the victory.
Omaha outshot Sioux Falls 35-19 and went 1-for-5 on the power play while the Herd went 0-for-6.
The Stampede return to action at the PREMIER Center next Friday and Saturday night when they host Waterloo for a two-game series. Friday night is presented by Sioux Falls Ford and former head coach Kevin Hartzell will be at the game, selling and signing copies of his book Leading From The Ice. Tickets for both games are available at the KELOLAND Box Office or any Ticketmaster outlet.
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United States Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2015
- Storm Sweep Waterloo with 3-2 Win - Tri-City Storm
- Stampede Rally, But Fall in a Shootout to Omaha - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Phantoms Break out the Brooms, Win Fourth Straight at Home - Youngstown Phantoms
- Six Unanswered Goals Help Thunder Top Musketeers - Bloomington Thunder
- Fighting Saints Dominant in 7-1 Victory over Stars - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Lancers Tame Stampede in Shootout 4-3 - Omaha Lancers
- Thunder Bounce Back in Second Half of Weekend Series with Musketeers - Bloomington Thunder
- Storm Swing Past Hawks - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Christian Wolanin Registers Third Period Tally as Lumberjacks Edged by Capitols - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Smith's Splendid Stops Preserve Caps' 2-1 Win - Madison Capitols
- Thunder Back at Home against Sioux City - Bloomington Thunder
- Game Notes: vs Green Bay - Youngstown Phantoms
- Wilkie's Hat Trick Propels Storm to 5-3 Win - Tri-City Storm
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