Pelletier, Loomer Lead Stars to 7-1 Defeat of Tri-City on Friday Night
USHL Tri-City Storm

Pelletier, Loomer Lead Stars to 7-1 Defeat of Tri-City on Friday Night

Published on February 27, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


KEARNEY, Neb. - Alex Pelletier and Layne Loomer each contributed two goals and three other Lincoln players put up multiple points as the Stars defeated the Tri-City Storm 7-1 on Friday night at Viaero Center.

Lincoln (23-23-5, 51 pts) snapped a five-game road losing streak. Tri-City (25-20-5, 55 pts) concluded its five-game winning streak, which matched a season-high.

Alongside Pelletier (2-1-3) and Loomer (2-0-2), the Stars additionally received multi-point performances from Nik Young (1-1-2), Nate Pederson (0-2-2), and Will Kortan (0-2-2).

The Stars broke the scoreless tie just 1:40 into regulation. As Tri-City worked on the power play, Pelletier swiped the puck behind the Tri-City net, then rapidly stuffed it inside the near post past Storm netminder Michal Pradel.

Lincoln struck again while on the power play at the 15:06 mark of the first. Jackson Rudh received a Kortan cross-ice feed at the bottom of the left circle, then ripped a high wrist shot beyond Pradel for his fourth power play goal of the campaign.

The Stars extended their advantage to 3-0 early in the second. Loomer snatched a loose puck near center ice following a Tri-City turnover. The Miami commit walked in on a breakaway toward Pradel, then sniped a shot past the netminder's glove side.

Tri-City got on the board at the 12:56 mark of the second. Adam Obusek won an offensive zone faceoff in the left circle directly back to Cooper Ernewein, who was positioned at the top of the circle. Ernewein caught the puck, then quickly released a shot beyond Lincoln goaltender Will Prowse into the top right corner of the Stars' net. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native has scored in back-to-back games for the first time this season.

It didn't take long for Lincoln to answer. About two and a half minutes later, a Young shot from the left halfwall redirected in front of the Storm net and snuck past Pradel to make it 4-1.

The Stars added another with less than three minutes left in the second. From the Storm slot, Pederson set up Pelletier with an open one-time shot in the right circle. The Boston College commit slapped it home for his second goal of the night and league-leading 41st of the campaign.

Lincoln finished the scoring with two more goals in the third. At the 10:55 mark of the period, former Tri-City forward Samuel Murin chipped a shot over Pradel's right shoulder after gathering the puck in front of the Storm net.

Loomer tallied his second marker of the night as Lincoln worked on the power play about five minutes later. As the Stars moved in toward Pradel, Pelletier fed Loomer in front of the cage. The Lethbridge, Alberta native then released the puck over the netminder's shoulder. It was Loomer's 24th marker of the year.

Pradel exited the game after Loomer's second goal and was replaced by Owen Nelson. The Colorado College commit stopped 33 of 40 Lincoln shots in just over 55 minutes of action. Nelson played the last 4:24 of regulation halting each of the two shots he faced.

Prowse shut down 18 of 19 Tri-City shots to pick up his 17th win of the year.

Up next: Tri-City closes the weekend at Lincoln on Saturday. Puckdrop inside the Ice Box is set for 6:05 pm CT. The matchup will be broadcast on FloHockey and Storm Radio.

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 27, 2026


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