Tri-City Storm Tied for 1st, Magic Number to Clinch Playoff Spot 8 Points
March 14, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release
Another weekend of close games has kept the Tri-City Storm in a first-place tie with the Lincoln Stars entering the final nine games of the regular season. The Storm forced overtime in two games against Team USA's U-18s (36-11-1) to pick up two weekend points.
The Storm (24-12-8-7) has been to overtime in its last three games and has gone past regulation in 18 this season, most in the USHL and more than a third of the squad's 51 contests. Teams are awarded two points for a win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss.
The tight-match theme has allowed Tri-City to pick up points in 11 straight games, the longest streak in the USHL this season.
This week, Tri-City is on the road in Des Moines Friday, March 18 at 7:05 p.m. before returning home for a game against the Sioux City Musketeers on Saturday, March 19 for I Heart Country and Ag Appreciation Night, presented by G.I. Family Radio.
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 11 vs. Team USA, L, 4-3 (OT)
Saturday, March 12 vs. Team USA, L, 3-2 (SO)
This Week:
Friday, March 18 at Des Moines, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, March 19 vs. Sioux City, 7:05 p.m.
Need to Know:
Magic Number
The Storm's "magic number" to clinch a spot in the Clark Cup Playoffs is eight points entering the final nine games. Magic number determines how close a team is to clinching a spot in the postseason.
To find the Storm's magic number, Tri-City looks to the fifth place team in the Western Conference, Sioux Falls, because the top four teams in the conference make the Clark Cup Playoffs.
Currently, Sioux Falls has 52 points entering its final nine games, meaning the Herd can finish with no more than 70 points this season. To guarantee a spot, the Storm needs eight points to reach 71.
The Storm's magic number decreases in two ways: as Tri-City gets points and losses from the team that is "first" out of the playoffs. If Sioux Falls loses Tuesday against Madison, Tri-City's magic number falls to six points.
Labosky's new season highs (plus a milestone)
Forward Dan Labosky had goals in consecutive games over the weekend, allowing the 20 year old to establish a new single-season high in goals (11) and points (34).
Prior to this season, Labosky had a previous best of 10 goals and 32 points in the 2013-14 season. After playing two games with Colorado College in 2014, the native of Edina, MN returned to Tri-City for 41 games in 2014-15, scoring seven goals and 24 points.
One month ago, the third-year player had four goals in 31 contests, but a recent hot tear has helped Labosky score seven goals and 12 points in his last 11 games.
In addition to points, the assistant captain Labosky and Storm Captain Tory Dello each participated in their 150th USHL games on Friday. Following Saturday's game, Dello and Labosky have each played in 144 regular season games, tied for 13th in Storm history, plus seven Clark Cup Playoff games.
Close Games
The Storm has played 25 one-goal games this season, tied for third in the league and one behind Green Bay for second-most.
Because the Storm's last five losses have been past regulation, Tri-City has picked up points necessary to keep pace with Lincoln for first. The Storm has lost two one-goal games in regulation the entire season (Nov. 28 at Muskegon, Dec. 28 at Green Bay), tied with Dubuque for fewest in the circuit.
Meanwhile, the Storm has made a knack of winning games by large margins; four of Tri-City's last six victories have been by at least three goals.
Game Recaps:
Game 50 vs. Team USA: Storm finds footing in 2nd, Team USA wins in OT, 4-3
Down 3-1 halfway through the game, Collin Rutherford and Alex Limoges scored to tie the contest before Chad Krys ended it in overtime to capture a 4-3 win for Team USA.
The goals by the Storm's rookies continued a strong trend for Tri-City's young players; two of the Storm's top high school players, Limoges and Brandon Duhaime, rank in the top eight of the team's scorers.
Rutherford has three goals and six points. Limoges has 30 points, the seventh rookie with at least 30 this season.
Meanwhile, reigning USHL Rookie of the Year Kieffer Bellows contributed a goal and two assists for the U-18s, including the only assist on Krys' overtime goal.
Jake Kielly started both games for the Storm and had 16 saves on Friday.
Game 51 vs. Team USA: Team USA wins physical contest in shootout, 3-2
In the Storm's third straight game past regulation, Team USA's Clayton Keller scored the only goal in the three-round shootout to sink Tri-City, 3-2.
Keller, predicted as a NHL first-round pick in a recent NHL.com Mock Draft, pestered Tri-City with a team-high six shots, but the Storm's Jake Kielly limited Keller to two assists over the weekend. Kielly has points in 18 straight appearances (12-0-4-2).
Dan Labosky scored for the second straight game and Walker Duehr notched his ninth of the season for the Storm. Those two players were involved in key moments that led to Storm man advantages.
Looking to avenge Chad Krys' overtime winner from Friday, Labosky picked off Krys for a short-handed goal to tie the game at one in the second. Minutes after Labosky's tally, with six seconds left in the second, Krys hit Labosky in the shoulder and throat. Play continued and time expired in the second. During second intermission, the officials determined the check was illegal and assessed a five-minute major for cross checking plus a game misconduct on Krys. The Storm was unable to score on the five-minute major to begin the third despite taking three shots.
Next, Duehr took a slashing penalty on Team USA's leading scorer Clayton Keller about halfway through the third. On his first shift after being freed from the box, Duehr scored at the left post to break a 1-1 tie.
Team USA tied the game with four minutes left, courtesy of a snipe by Joey Anderson.
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