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USHL Sioux City Musketeers

Lincoln escapes with 2-1 win over Musketeers

October 31, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux City Musketeers News Release


SIOUX CITY | Biagio Lerario and the Western Conference leaders dodged a bullet Friday night.

Play stopped with 47 seconds remaining in the third period of the Sioux City Musketeers' biggest game of the young season. Jake Ryczek's shot that clanked the goalpost and almost plunked into the net during a power play was being reviewed.

The shot didn't fall for Ryczek, a Musketeer defenseman who broke his stick while taking a hard second-period shot. Lerario's goal with 12:05 left in the third period enabled the Lincoln Stars to escape the Tyson Events Center with a 2-1 Halloween eve United States Hockey League victory.

"We thought it went in, but the video was inconclusive," said Musketeers Coach Jay Varady, whose 6-5 team ended a four-game winning streak.

"(Jake) has an outstanding shot. Tonight, it was two really good teams. I thought it was a great game. Sometimes, the puck luck goes your way, sometimes it doesn't. I thought we hit at least four posts or crossbars. Ryczer hit two posts, Sunny (Connor Sundquist) hit a post, Willie (Josh Wilkins) hit a post. I thought we did a good job, I thought we played hard and I thought we did what we needed to do to win."

Winning goaltender Patrik Virtanen (5-1) stopped 23 consecutive shots after allowing a Brian Rigali goal midway through the first period. Sundquist and the USHL's defenseman scoring leader, Ryan Zuhlsdorf, assisted on Rigali's second goal of the season.

All of Zuhlsdorf's 11 points have come via assist. He has a team-best four-game scoring steak.

During a contest where the first penalty didn't get called until 25 seconds into the third frame, Sioux City goalie Cam Gornet (5-5) also looked sharp. Gornet, 2-3 in his career against Lincoln, stopped 20 shots before Lerario's goal that snapped a 1-all tie.

"We had a faceoff in the offensive zone," said Lerario. "Adam (Brady) tried winning the faceoff back, then the puck actually went forward. I was in front of the goalie all by myself. I kind of threw a backhander at the goalie, got my own rebound and put it in. Obviously, it was a big goal."

Virtanen started in place of the USHL's second-leading goaltender, Peyton Jones, whose 1.80 goals-against average included Tuesday night's 6-2 home loss at Icebox Arena to Des Moines. The defense in front of him blocked shots as effective as the teammates in front of Gornet, the league's leader with 597 minutes.

Sioux City wasn't able to take a shot on the ensuing power play following a hooking penalty from the Stars' Anthony Wyse. The Musketeers, 14 of 16 on the penalty kill over the last five games, held their ground when Lincoln went on the man advantage with seven minutes left in the game.

If there's a situation the Musketeers need to correct going into Saturday night's game at Fargo (3-5-1), it's better positioning during the faceoff. Lincoln scored both goals directly off the faceoff, Grant Jozefek's score coming with 29 seconds before the first intermission.

"That's where we got to be better," said Varady. "Tonight, I thought we checked really well. I don't think we gave up a whole lot in terms of our five-on-five game, which was most of the night. We checked hard and we stayed on top of it. We forced some turnovers.

"What I really liked, we had 12 forwards that were all going tonight and were able to contribute and work and be a part of the game. (Against Fargo) we have to put in the same effort. I'd love to see us play the exact same game, except for a better result."

Sioux City is currently without its leading scorer, Eeli Tolvanen (5 goals, 7 assists), who is playing for his native Finland at the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge, which began Friday night and will continue until Nov. 7 at Dawson Creek, British Columbia.

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