Hough's Hat Trick Lifts Lancers to 7-5 Win in Lincoln
February 14, 2014 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
RALSTON, NE - In the final game of the two teams' eight game regular season series, the Omaha Lancers climbed out of an early 3-0 hole to defeat their archrivals, the Lincoln Stars, 7-5 on Friday at the Icebox Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. With the win, Omaha's fourth consecutive victory, the Lancers improved to 31-9-4 overall this season and pulled into a tie for first place in the Western Conference and overall USHL standings with the Waterloo Black Hawks.
Energized by a sold out Icebox crowd, the Stars came out flying on Friday and scored on their first two shots of the game as Christian Lampasso's seventh goal of the season came just 39 seconds into the first and gave way to a Johnathan Desbiens marker at 2:06 that made it 2-0 Lincoln. Former Lancer Dominick Sacco made it 3-0 at 9:42, but Gage Hough halted the Stars' momentum at 11:13 as the Omaha native wedged home a rebound off a Connor Light point shot to send the Lancers into the first intermission down by a 3-1 score.
Revitalized entering the second, the Lancers' offense came to life in the middle period, as Omaha rattled off a power-play goal from Tucker Poolman at 7:56, assisted by Jake Randolph, to get within one at 3-2. Then, in the frame's final minute, an unassisted transition power-play rifler by Hough at 19:13 tied the game and gave way to an in-close nudge from Jake Henderson that delivered the Lancers their first lead of the night at 4-3, a score, assisted by Anthony Angello, that came with just seven tenths of a second remaining in the period.
The Lancers took full advantage of their newfound momentum to start the third, as Poolman buried his second of the night just 41 seconds into the final period and Tyler Vesel followed suit, collecting his league-leading 32nd of the season at 3:24 to make it 6-3 Omaha. Two late Lincoln goals were interrupted by a hat-trick score for Hough at 15:54, assisted by Vesel, as the Lancers hung on for a satisfying 7-5 victory.
Next up for the Lancers, it's a Friday trek to the Mystique Community Ice Center in Dubuque, Iowa for a 7:35 pm clash with the defending Anderson and Clark Cup Champion Dubuque Fighting Saints. Full coverage of Friday's game begins with the "Valpak Pregame Show" at 7:20 pm on the Lancers' flagship station, "the Mighty" 1290 KOIL, with Lancers broadcaster Tony Brown providing the play-by-play.
In 2013-14, the five-time Anderson Cup and seven-time Clark Cup Champion Omaha Lancers drop the puck on their 28th season in the USHL. Season ticket packages for the Lancers' second campaign at the state-of-the-art Ralston Arena are available now starting at just $12.50 per game! To reserve your seats, contact the Lancers' ticket office today at 402-344-7825, extension 1, or log on to www.lancers.com for more information. Be sure to follow the Lancers on Twitter @OmahaLancers and don't forget to 'Like' the official "Omaha Lancers" fan page on Facebook.
United States Hockey League Stories from February 14, 2014
- Sour Valentine for Hawks - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Stampede Suffer Heartbreaking Shootout Loss to Des Moines at the Arena on Valentine's Day - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Hough's Hat Trick Lifts Lancers to 7-5 Win in Lincoln - Omaha Lancers
- Ice Skate Past Storm, 4-1 - Tri-City Storm
- "Ten-Minute Lapse" blitzes Phantoms as Jacks hold on to win - Youngstown Phantoms
- Ice win 4-1 - Indiana Ice
- Big First Period Carries Muskegon Past Youngstown in Home Barn - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Bucs Offer $5 Valentine's Day Ticket Special - Des Moines Buccaneers
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