Jake Kielly Sets Unique Storm Goaltending Record
March 7, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release
The Tri-City Storm enters the final month of the regular season tied for first in the Western Conference with the Lincoln Stars. Following its second straight three-point weekend, Tri-City has points in nine consecutive games, tied the second-longest feat in the league this season.
Goaltender Jake Kielly continued his excellent run with his fourth shutout Friday at Omaha in a 4-0 win, his second perfect performance in his last three outings. In addition to the saves, Kielly earned his third assist of the season, the most ever by a Storm goaltender.
On Saturday, Tri-City's Walker Duehr had two goals in a shootout loss, 4-3. The Storm has gone to overtime in 16 of its 49 games, nearly one third of all contests.
Tri-City has eight home games in its final 11 regular season contests. This weekend, the Storm is home on Friday and Saturday to face Team USA's Under-18 Team.
STANDINGS/STATS
Friday at 7:30 p.m. is Hockey Appreciation Night, presented by Applebee's, plus a Free Kids Friday and a post-game skate.
Saturday, March 12 at 7:05 p.m., bring the "Entourage" out for a Guys' Night Out, presented by Kearney Regional Medical Center and Platte Valley Medical Group. Saturday's game is also a $1 beer night. Pick up a Coca-Cola Family four-pack with four tickets, pops, hot dogs and chips for $44.
Groups of 10+ can get discounted group tickets for as low as $11. For information contact the Storm Box Office at 308-338-8144.
http://bit.ly/Storm_Tickets
Last Week:
Friday, March 4 at Omaha, W, 4-0
Saturday, March 5 at Sioux City, L, 4-3 (SO)
This Week:
Friday, March 11 vs. Team USA , 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 12 vs. Team USA, 7:05 p.m.
Need to Know:
Kielly's Unique Record
Jake Kielly picked up his third assist of the season Friday at Omaha, a career best for Storm goalies and the most by a USHL netminder in 2015-16.
Kielly's power-play assist did not have much glitz; following an Omaha clear, he touched the puck behind his net to Wade Allison. Allison proceeded to carry the puck up the right wing and snipe a shot past the Lancers' Kris Oldham. Nonetheless, Kielly took the only helper.
Seventeen Storm goalies have picked up an assist and six have more than one point; Jacob Johansson, Adam Wilcox, Scott Diebold, Carsen Chubak and T.J. Massie each had two assists in their Storm careers.
Twelve teams have had goalies pick up assists this season, but Tri-City is the only squad to have three goalies earn helpers. Dayton Rasmussen and former Storm goalie Matt Greenfield each were credited with an assist earlier this season. This Storm club is the first to have three goalies get assists; in 2009-10, Carsen Chubak and Steven Bolton combined for three helpers, the previous club high.
In total, Tri-City goalies have contributed five assists in 2015-16, two more than Dubuque, who has had three goalie helpers.
Kielly's three helpers are one ahead of Muskegon's Joey Daccord, Waterloo's Garrett Metcalf and Dubuque's Hunter Miska for most in the goaltenders' union.
An amazing conference points streak
By picking up points in both games over the weekend, the Storm has earned at least a point in 20 straight conference games (14-0-3-3), a streak that extends back to November 25 against Lincoln.
Entering that November game, Tri-City was 3-8-2-0 in conference games. Overall, the Storm is 17-8-5-3 against the Western Conference, good for 42 points in 33 games. The Lincoln Stars have the most points in conference, 45, with a 22-17-1-0 mark in 40 contests.
The Storm also has the best record on the road in the Western Conference (16-6-4-1) and has picked up at least a point in 13 straight conference away games (9-0-2-2), a stretch that started November 14 at Sioux Falls.
Duehr gleams against former club
Walker Duehr had a pair of goals Saturday at Sioux City, his third game against his former club. The outburst continued a strong stretch for Tri-City's 18-year-old winger; Duehr has three points (2g, 1a) in his last two games.
Acquired by the Storm on May 6, 2015 for Conner Valesano, Duehr began his Tri-City career on fire, scoring six goals and 12 points in his first 12 games. Until yesterday's game, the Musketeers had held the second-year player scoreless despite Duehr attempting a combined ten shots on goal in his first two games against Sioux City.
A native of Sioux Falls, SD, the home of the USHL's Stampede, Duehr picked up his first point against his hometown team on February 12. Duehr has played in 15 games against the Herd, including five games in the Clark Cup Playoffs in 2015.
Game Recaps:
Game 48 at Omaha: Kielly takes fourth shutout in dominating win, 4-0
For the second time in his last three appearances, Jake Kielly earned a shutout, making 26 saves in a 4-0 win over the Lancers Friday at Ralston Arena.
Wade Allison scored late in the first, Dan Labosky and Brandon Duhaime tallied in the second, and Paul Washe scored into an empty net in the third. Allison, who did not play Saturday, is on an eight-game point streak (5g, 9a), the longest streak by a Storm player in 2015-16 and the fifth-longest feat by a USHL player this season.
Labosky is up to 31 points, one short of his career high set in 2013-14.
Tri-City's power play also tallied twice on three chances; after scoring three man-up goals this weekend, Tri-City is fourth in the league converting at 21 percent. The Storm's road power play has 30 goals, ten more than any other USHL club. With a conversion rate of 28.6 percent in away games, the Storm is nearly ten points ahead of Bloomington for best road man up.
Game 49 at Sioux City: Storm stays first in conference, loses in shootout, 4-3
Walker Duehr scored twice, but the Tri-City Storm surrendered two goals in the final 47 seconds of the third, allowing the Sioux City Musketeers to force overtime and win in the fifth round of the shootout, 4-3, Saturday at the Tyson Events Center.
Duehr's effort, his second multi-goal game, culminated with a power-play marker with 1:03 left that put Tri-City in the lead, 3-1.
Sixteen seconds after Duehr's goal, Trey Dodd scored his second of the game. Josh Wilkins tallied 23 seconds later to tie.
Alex Steeves beat Dayton Rasmussen in the fifth round of the shootout for the game winner. The Storm's Brandon Duhaime and Carson Meyer scored in the skills competition.
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United States Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2016
- Runneth over to See the Cup - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Nick Jenny Commits to Robert Morris University - Omaha Lancers
- USHL CCM Players of the Week - USHL
- Jake Kielly Sets Unique Storm Goaltending Record - Tri-City Storm
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