Stampede Top Madison in OT Thriller at PREMIER Center
March 15, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release
Sioux Falls, SD - In a game the Stampede knew they had to win, Joe Rutkowski (Rah-kow-skee) provided the game winning goal with 1:55 left in overtime as the Herd topped Madison 2-1 before 5,135 fans at the PREMIER Center Tuesday night. The win moved the Stampede into a third place tie with Fargo and a point ahead of fourth place Waterloo with eight games remaining in the regular season. Only the top four teams in each conference qualify for the Clark Cup Playoffs. Parker Tuomie scored the only Stamped goal in regulation for the Herd while Stefanos Lekkas earned his 19th win of the season, stopping 26 of 27 shots as the Herd improved to 25-23-4 on the season.
The first period looked much like the game from last Friday night when both teams struggled to get things going, but the Stampede gained some momentum late in the period when they went on the power play. With the advantage the Herd turned to their captain Parker Tuomie who didn't disappoint. Tuomie took a pass inside the right circle from Garrett Cecere and blasted the shot into the upper left hand corner of the net to give Sioux Falls a 1-0 lead with just 25 seconds remaining in the period. The Herd took that lead into the locker room, outshooting the Caps, 12-7.
In the second the Herd were looking to add to their lead, but Madison goaltender Daniel Lebedeff stopped all 10 shots he faced to keep the Herd off the board. On the other end of the ice, Stefanos Lekkas was brilliant between the pipes, keeping the Caps off the board and the Stampede led 1-0 heading into the third period.
Sioux Falls was hoping to add to their lead in the third period and had several power play chances to do so, but Lebedeff and the Madison defense were solid in holding off the Herd attack. Madison would get on the board at 6:43 of the period when Robby Fosdick wristed a shot from the right point that was deflected by Dmitri Buinitsky and squeaked past the left pad of Lekkas to make it a 1-1 game. That goal would force overtime with Madison outshooting the Herd 11-7 in the period.
In the overtime, the Joe Rutkowski would play hero with 1:55 left in the extra session after he took a pass from Lawton Courtnall and cut past the Madison defense and in front of the net where he wristed a shot that was first stopped, but followed up and tapped in the rebound to send all 5,135 fans home happy with a victory and two big points in the standings.
The Herd will get back on the road this weekend with a game in Plymouth, Michigan against the U.S. Under-17 Development Team at 6:05 PM on Friday and then a trip to Chicago for a 7:05 PM puck drop against the Steel on Saturday. Fans can catch both games live on KELO News Talk 1320-AM, 107.9-FM and online at KELO.com.
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United States Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2016
- Stampede Top Madison in OT Thriller at PREMIER Center - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Stampede Prevails vs. Caps in OT Amid Controversy - Madison Capitols
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- Mark Yates Hired as Director of Player Personnel - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Capitols Game Moved to 8:05 p.m. Friday; Hoops Viewing Party at Coliseum 6-8 p.m. - Madison Capitols
- Tri-City Storm Hires Matt Moran as Head Scout - Tri-City Storm
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