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March 3, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
STARS vs. MUSKETEERS
When: Friday, March 3 at 7:05 p.m.
Where: Ice Box
Tickets: t.co/KKB006w0SG
Watch: Flo Hockey (flohockey.tv/live/45991)
Listen: Mixlr (mixlr.com/lincoln-stars)
LINCOLN (25-17-3)
The Stars enter tonight looking to break up a 0-4-2 skid. Lincoln played a lot of tight games in February, with eight-of-11 games being decided by one goal and each of the other three by two goals. The Stars went 3-3-2 in one-goal games last month but are 11-4-3 in one goal games overall. Lincoln dropped a home-and-home set with Sioux Falls last weekend despite outshooting their opponent both night. The Stars earned a point with an overtime loss last Friday thanks to two-goals in the second period. The next night at the Ice Box the two teams did not score until just over 37 minutes into the game but Lincoln could not overcome surrendering three goals in the third.
Despite a pair of losses the Stars had a few impressive individual performances last weekend. Tanner Ludtke scored in both games to stretch his goal streak to a team-high four consecutive games, which is also the second-longest active streak in the USHL. Three of Ludtke's last four goals have come on the power play. Brennan Ali recorded three assists to finish February with 12 points (2+10) in 11 games. He has five points (2+3) in five games against Sioux City and three (1+2) of them came Feb. 4, the last time that the Musketeers visited the Ice Box.
SIOUX FALLS(19-20-2-3)
The Musketeers come to the Ice Box win one win in their last seven games. That victory was a 7-5 game against the Stars on Feb. 19 in which Sioux City outscored Lincoln, 5-2, in the third period. While the Stars' goal differential is minus-8 over the last six games the Musketeers' is minus-16 in their last seven. They are tied with Sioux Falls for fifth place in the Western Conference with 43 points entering this weekend.
Grant Slukynsky scored twice against the Stars a couple of weeks ago and is tied for the most among all Musketeers skaters with four goals against Lincoln. Ryan Conmy leads Sioux City with 26 goals, tied for fourth-most in the USHL, and has scored three times in the last four games. He has scored in four of the last five games against the Stars.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Home Cooking: Ten of the Stars' final 17 games are at the Ice Box, where they are 14-4-2. Lincoln has not lost consecutive games at home yet this season and is looking to keep that streak intact tonight. The Stars have split a pair of games at the Ice Box against Sioux City, first falling 4-2 on Jan. 20 before picking up a 5-3 win on Feb. 4.
Shots On Goal: The Stars have outshot their opponent in four consecutive games and in five of the last six games. They have not won any of those games but are 14-8-3 when outshooting the opposition.
Third Period: The final frame of regulation has been difficult for the Stars during the losing streak. Lincoln is being outscored, 12-6, in the third period since Feb. 14. The numbers are a bit inflated by a big third period the last time that these two teams met. The Mustketeers trailed 3-2 after 40 minutes on Feb. 19 but outscored the Stars, 5-3, in the third to come back and defeat the Stars.
United States Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2023
- Tri-City Wins Five Consecutive Games - Tri-City Storm
- Special Teams Hurt Jacks in 4-1 Loss at Cedar Rapids - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Gamblers Fall to Team USA on Mental Health Awareness Night - Green Bay Gamblers
- High-Scoring Streaks Topple Stampede - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Lincoln Steals One from Musketeers - Sioux City Musketeers
- Cole Helm Commits to Arizona State Sun Devils - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Affiliated Players Finn Brink & Tommy Cronin Named Finalists for Minnesota's Mr. Hockey - Madison Capitols
- USHL President and Commissioner Bill Robertson Not Seeking Contract Renewal - USHL
- Schifsky Adds "C" in Second Season - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Weekend Preview: Caps Hit Road to Chicago for Saturday-Sunday Series - Madison Capitols
- Gameday Preview - Lincoln Stars
- Storm Set to Host Stampede in Kearney - Tri-City Storm
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