Power Play Guides Lancers to 5-2 Win Over Sioux Falls
Published on December 17, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Omaha, NE - Jonathan Liau scored twice and the Omaha Lancers matched a season-high with three power play goals as the Lancers outlasted the Sioux Falls Stampede 5-2 Saturday evening in front of 3,552 fans at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. With the win, the Lancers improved to 15-9-2 on the year and moved into a tie atop the Western Conference with 32 standings points. Omaha is now 6-1 under Interim Head Coach Mike Aikens and Interim Associate Coach Michael Zucker and has tallied 34 goals over its last seven games.
Sioux Falls grabbed the game's opening goal 7:56 into period one when, while on the power play, Matt Van Voorhis sent a left point shot through traffic and between the pads of Omaha goaltender Alex Lyon for his second goal of the season. Justin Selman and Joseph Lordo assisted on the man advantage marker, which marked just the eighth time in 21 games this season that the Stampede have scored the game's first goal. Omaha evened the game just under eight minutes later with a power play goal of its own when Nolan Zajac lifted a wrist shot from the high slot that deflected off a Sioux Falls defender in front before rolling over the goal line. Jimmy Murray and Kenney Morrison assisted on the power play tally notched 15:22 into the opening period of play. The Lancers then grabbed their first lead of the night 17:35 into the first period when Jonathan Liau fired a left wing shot just inside the right post for his sixth goal of the year. Tanner Lane and Max Vallis assisted on the even strength strike.
Omaha extended its lead to a 3-1 advantage 2:46 into the second period when Lane and Vallis found Liau again for his second goal of the game and seventh of the season. Liau's goal marked his second multi-goal game this season and his fourth multi-point outing of the year while Lane and Vallis earned their fifth and fourth multi-point games respectively this season. The Lancers grabbed a 4-1 advantage late in the middle stanza when Greg Gozzo cleaned up a power play rebound in the slot for his 11th goal of the season. Kevin Schulze and Victor Newell assisted on the man-advantage marker scored 18:58 into the second period.
Omaha landed its final strike on the score sheet 14:22 into the final period of regulation when the Lancers matched a season-high with three power play goals following Kenney Morrison's left point one-timer. Zajac and Murray assisted on Morrison's fourth goal of the year and fourth power play tally this season. Sioux Falls added an extra tally 17:31 into the third period when Austyn Young scored on a two-on-one from Bryan Moore but it was too little too late as the Stampede suffered their fifth consecutive loss.
Lyon earned the victory in goal for the Lancers after 24 saves on 26 Stampede shots. With the win, Lyon has won five of his last six starts in goal and improved to 11-7-2 on the year. Meanwhile, Sioux Falls netminder Charlie Lindgren suffered the loss despite 34 saves on 39 Lancers shots.
The Lancers are back in action on New Year's Eve when Omaha heads to the Viaero Event Center in Kearney, Nebraska to close out the 2011 calendar year with a showdown against the Tri-City Storm.
United States Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2011
- Phantoms Route Buccaneers, Head Into Break In Second Place - Youngstown Phantoms
- Stampede can't catch Lancers in Omaha - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Fighting Saints Cruise Past Black Hawks 5-1 Saturday - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Fighting Saints Cruise Past Black Hawks 5-1 Saturday - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Girgensons the Grinch - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Girgensons the Grinch - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Jacks Drop Tough One in Ann Arbor - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Power Play Guides Lancers to 5-2 Win Over Sioux Falls - Omaha Lancers
- Former Storm Forward Palmer Makes NHL Debut - Tri-City Storm
- Fighting Saints Renew Rivalry with Black Hawks Tonight - Dubuque Fighting Saints
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
