Stampede Punch Ticket to the Clark Cup Playoffs
March 1, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release
Sioux Falls, S.D. - The Sioux Falls Stampede have secured their spot in the 2025 Clark Cup Playoffs with a 5-3 win over the Sioux City Musketeers. Logan Renkowski got the team going, while goals from Ben Wilmott and Gennadi Chaly sealed the game. An 18-save performance from Aiden Wright earned him his nineteenth win of the season.
The first period was chaotic on both sides of the puck. Just 2:48 into the game, Ritter Coombs and the Musketeers' Kason Muskcutt dropped the gloves and attempted to fight, but the referees quickly intervened. Both players received two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. As the penalties expired, the two came out of the box and dropped their gloves again. This time, both were sent to the locker room with a fighting major and a game misconduct for a staged fight. Less than a minute later, the Stampede went on their first power play of the night. The Musketeers nearly scored a short-handed goal near the end of the penalty, but Herd goaltender Aiden Wright shut them down. As the penalty expired, the Stampede netted their first goal of the night. Adyn Merrick scored by tucking the puck past Sioux City goaltender Bjorn Bronas' stick side, with Austin Baker earning an assist. The Stampede extended their lead to 2-0 at 15:50 with a goal from Logan Renkowski, who netted his sixth of the season with a quick snipe from the right faceoff dot. The unassisted goal helped the Stampede outshoot the Musketeers 12-7 in the opening period.
After a sloppy first period, the Stampede came out strong with a goal just 1:06 into the second. Noah Urness notched his fourteenth goal of the season after receiving an off-the-glass pass from goaltender Aiden Wright. Urness then beat Bronas on his stick side to give the Stampede a 3-0 lead. At 13:45, the Stampede went on their first penalty kill of the night when Gennadi Chaly was called for cross-checking. As the penalty expired, the Musketeers got on the board with a goal from Justin Stupka. Before the period ended, three more penalties were called after Matthew Grimes was thrown into the boards. The Musketeers' Klepov was penalized for boarding, while coinciding roughing penalties were handed out after Ben Wilmott stepped in to defend Grimes. The Stampede challenged the boarding penalty for a major but were unsuccessful and lost their timeout. The Herd outshot the Musketeers 15-7 in the second period.
The penalty issues continued into the third period. The Stampede failed to convert on the remaining Sioux City boarding penalty and were instead called for a major penalty. At 3:13, Matthew Grimes was ejected with a five-minute major and game misconduct for slew footing. Both Bryce Ingles and Sioux City's Trey Jefferies also received roughing minors on the play. A couple of minutes later, another scrum broke out, sending Joe McGraw and Landen Gunderson to the box for roughing. With just over a minute remaining in the major penalty, the Musketeers' Nick Sykora scored to bring Sioux City within one goal. The Musketeers tied the game at 9:06. Following the play, Sioux City challenged for a major penalty, but it was determined there was no infraction, and the Musketeers lost their timeout. At 11:48, the Herd earned their third power play of the night on a slashing call but failed to convert. At 14:31, the Stampede thought they had regained the lead when the puck crossed the goal line, but the goal was immediately waved off as it was batted in with a hand. The decisive goal finally came at 15:59. Bryce Ingles carried the puck into the zone and sent a crisp pass to Ben Wilmott, who fired it bar down to put the Stampede ahead. The Herd sealed the victory with a penalty shot after Sioux City's goaltender threw his stick. Just like last Saturday, Gennadi Chaly capitalized, securing the 5-3 win and punching the Stampede's ticket to the 2025 Clark Cup Playoffs.
The Stampede outshot the Musketeers 41-21.
Goaltender Aiden Wright made 18 saves to improve his record to 19-7-3-0. He now holds a .906 save percentage.
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