Gameday Preview
February 24, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
STARS vs. STAMPEDE
When: Saturday, Feb. 25 at 6:05 p.m.
Where: Ice Box
Tickets: t.co/WROQIgWo3o
Watch: Flo Hockey (flohockey.tv/live/46065)
Listen: Mixlr (mixlr.com/lincoln-stars)
LINCOLN (25-16-3)
The Stars return to the Ice Box tonight after playing each of their last four games on the road. Lincoln is looking to bounce back after last night's 4-3 overtime loss to Sioux Falls at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. The Stars entered the third period trailing 2-1 but scored twice in a 4:27 span to take the lead. The Stampede would even the game up midway through the third before cashing in with the overtime winner. The loss marked the Stars' fifth consecutive and second in that span in overtime.
The Stars' top line of Brennan Ali, Tanner Ludtke and Jared Mangan found plenty of success last night as the trio all finished +2 and picked up at least one point. Ali and Mangan recorded a pair of assists apiece, including on Ludtke's game-tying goal 44 seconds into the third period. That tally was Ludtke's team-leading 24th of the season and third consecutive game finding the back of the net. Ali continued his torrid February in which he has picked up points in eight-of-10 games and has 11 (2+9) overall. Mangan now have back-to-back multi-point games after a two-goal performance last Sunday against Sioux City. He has six points (4+2) over his last six games.
SIOUX FALLS (17-21-4-3)
The Stampede snapped a six-game losing streak with last night's victory. Sioux Falls also snapped a four-game losing streak against Lincoln with the win. The Stampede captured the first two meetings of the regular-season series and can force a split with a win tonight. They are also looking to win consecutive games for the first time since winning four straight from Dec. 28-Jan. 6.
Jaksen Panzer scored for a second straight game against the Stars last night and for the seventh time overall. Each of his last two goals against Lincoln have been breakaway goals and three-of-his seven goals this season are against the Stars, including three-of-his-last-four.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
First Goal: The Stars encourage fans to bring prepackaged underwear to the Ice Box and toss it on the ice after the Stars score their first goal of the game. All underwear will be donated to Foster Care Closet and fans can purchase a McDonald's package to receive four tickets and two sets of prepackaged underwear for $65 here.
Special Teams Battle: The Stars and the Stampede only got one power play apiece last night with neither side able to cash in. Sioux Falls has the top power play in the Western Conference and the second-best in the entire USHL at 26-percent. They have scored 31.8-percent of opportunities against the Stars, but Lincoln has also scored three-of-its-four shorthanded goals against Sioux Falls. The Stars power play scored five times in 11 opportunities in their three games last weekend but is 1-for-21 against the Stampede in the first seven games of the season series.
One-Goal Games: The name of the game for the Stars in February has been close games and it's also been a constant in the season series between Lincoln and Sioux Falls. Six-of-seven meetings between these two teams have been decided by one goal as have eight-of-10 Stars overall games this month. Lincoln is 4-2 in one-goal games against Sioux Falls, 4-2-2 in one-goal games this month and 11-4-3 in one-goal games this season.
United States Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2023
- Phantoms Slip Past Roughriders 2-1 - Youngstown Phantoms
- Gameday Preview - Lincoln Stars
- Year of the Comeback Continues - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Steel Win 6-5 in Overtime Thriller - Chicago Steel
- Lumberjacks Battle Back to Win Their Second Game in a Row - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Stars Fall to Stampede in Overtime - Lincoln Stars
- The Aftermath: Storm Defeats Musketeers 4-3 - Tri-City Storm
- Stampede Put a Halt to Losing Skid - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Lumberjacks Have a Two-Game Winning Streak After Gutting Out a 7-4 Victory Over Team USA - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Musketeers Run into Storm on the Road - Sioux City Musketeers
- Capitols Prepare for Tilt with Dubuque in Home-And-Home Series - Madison Capitols
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Storm Set for Weekend Series against Musketeers - Tri-City Storm
- Phantoms Rock USHL Cleveland Classic 4-1 Over Cedar Rapids - Youngstown Phantoms
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