Herd Clinch First Round Bye After 6-4 Win against Musketeers
USHL Sioux Falls Stampede

Herd Clinch First Round Bye After 6-4 Win against Musketeers

Published on March 13, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release


Sioux City, IA - The Sioux Falls Stampede defeated the Sioux City Musketeers 6-4 after a back-and-forth game. Ryder Betzold stood out with a three-point game, while Tobias Öhman followed it up with a goal and an assist. Goaltender Linards Feldbergs made 23 saves.

The first period started slow, but for the second game in a row the Stampede gave up the first goal of the game. The Sioux City Musketeers netted a goal at 7:41 from William Tomko.

As has been routine, the Stampede responded with a goal of their own at 8:25. Tobias Öhman scored after a pass from Ryder Betzold left him alone in the slot and allowed Öhman to beat Sioux City goaltender Ryder Shea stick side.

At 11:56, Ryder Betzold extended the Stampede lead with a shot from low in the right-side faceoff dot. The quick snipe earned Betzold his fourteenth goal of the season, and Matthew Grimes picked up an assist on the play.

The Stampede continued the scoring a few minutes later when Thomas Holtby earned his fifth goal of the season with a nearly identical shot to Betzold's. The goal marked Holtby's eighth point in his last nine games.

Less than a minute later, the Musketeers responded with their second goal of the night. Kyle O'Leary's goal sent the game into the first intermission at 3-2, with the Stampede holding the advantage.

To start the second period, the Stampede committed the first penalty of the night. Thomas Zocco was called for holding, putting the Stampede on the penalty kill.

At 5:34, defenseman Anthony Bongo extended the Stampede's lead to two goals. The play started with Tobias Öhman, who brought the puck into the zone and rushed the net before dropping the puck to Bongo with a backhanded pass. The defenseman's low-slot shot beat the goaltender glove side and marked his fourth goal of the season.

A few minutes later, fellow defenseman Wade Weil dropped the gloves with Dakotah Bailey after a hit on Markus Jakobsen. Following the fight, the game settled down until 17:25 when Matthew Grimes was called for hooking.

Sioux City scored on the power play with a controversial tip-in in front of the net. After a lengthy conversation with head coach Ryan Cruthers, the referees reviewed the goal but maintained the call on the ice. The good goal cut the Stampede's lead down to one heading into the final frame.

At 9:08 of the third period, Sioux Falls drew their first power-play opportunity of the game but were unable to convert. Thirty seconds after the penalty expired, they drew another penalty but once again could not capitalize.

With 2:59 left in regulation, the Musketeers pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker. A minute and a half later, Cooper Soller earned his 25th goal of the season with an empty-net shot. Forty-five seconds later, the Musketeers responded to cut the Stampede's lead back to one, but a Logan Renkowski empty-net goal sealed the game at 6-4.

Linards Feldbergs earned his 30th win of the season with a 23-save performance. He now has a 2.57 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. The win puts Feldbergs just one victory away from tying the Stampede franchise record for second-most wins in a single season.

Feldbergs and the Stampede will head to the Ice Box to take on the Lincoln Stars in a 6:05 p.m. matchup tomorrow night.

With the win tonight, the Stampede have clinched a first-round bye in the Clark Cup Playoffs. They will play their first playoff game at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, April 17, followed by Game 2 on Sunday, April 19 at 4:05 p.m. Tickets for the playoffs will go on sale next week.

Check out the Sioux Falls Stampede Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from March 13, 2026


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