Stampede Shoot Down the Stars to Stop Skid
November 26, 2022 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release
Sioux Falls, SD - Michael LaStarza's goal midway through the third period broke a 3-3 tie and propelled the Stampede to an impressive 5-3 victory over the second place Lincoln Stars Saturday night at the PREMEIR Center. The win snapped a seven-game winless streak for the Herd and improved their record to 6-10-3 on the season. Adam Zlnka sealed the game with a goal late in the third period and finished the night with a goal and two assists while Merril Steenari, Zack Sharp and Jaksen Panzer also tallied goals while Xavier Medina stopped 26 of 29 shots in goal to earn the victory for the Stampede who now have earned at least a point in three of their last four games.
It was a wild and crazy first period that took nearly 50 minutes to complete and featured three goals, 12 penalties, Lincoln's head coach being ejected and 44 combined penalty minutes. The Stampede came out strong for the third straight game, but it would be the Stars who would score first with teams playing 4-on-4. Brennan Ali found Tanner Ludtke streaking down in front of the net and tapped it in for a 1-0 lead.
Later in the period, Sioux Falls was on the power play and shot by Adam Zlnka would deflect off Ryan Gordon and bounced into the slot for Jaksen Panzer who quickly wristed it into the back of the net to make it a 1-1 game. Just over a minute later Zlnka sent a pass to the left point where Zack Sharp blasted a shot through traffic into the upper right-hand corner of the net to give Sioux Falls a 2-1 lead. Tempers would flare late with a hit from Clint Levens that would put the Stars on the power play to start the second. Lincoln outshot the Herd 11-9 in the period.
The second period would deliver more excitement for the PREMIER Center crowd. The Herd killed off the penalty to start the frame, but the Stars would tie the game at 4:41 when Brennan Ali took the puck from behind the net and wrapped around in front of the goal and tucked it under the pads of Medina. The Stars took their first lead of the night at 6:13 when Michael Mesic picked up a bouncing loose puck in the crease and knocked the puck in while falling down to make it a 3-2 game. Just as it looked like Lincoln would take the momentum, Sioux Falls struck at 11:25 when Kazimier Sobieski wristed a shot on goal that was stopped, but Merril Steenari knocked in the rebound for his first of the season and to tie the game at three. Sioux Falls out shot Lincoln 14-9 in the period.
In the third, the Stampede kept things rolling and retook the lead at 9:55 when Michael LaStarza stole the puck out of his own zone and raced away with it on a breakaway, taking nearly the length of the ice before wristing a shot past the Lincoln goaltender for a 4-3 lead. The Stampede would seal the game with just 1:25 remaining when Sam Harris chased down a loose puck in the Stars zone and sent a perfect pass in the slot to Adam Zlnka who wristed the puck right under the crossbar and put the game away at 5-3.
The Stampede out shot the Stars 12-9 in the period and 35-29 on the game. The Herd finished the game 1-for-5 on the power play while going 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Sioux Falls returns to action next weekend with two games against Waterloo. Friday's puck drop is slated for 7:05 while Saturday is 6:05 PM. Fans can listen live on KELO News Talk 1320-AM, 105.1-FM, 107.9-FM and KELO.com. The game is also available on FloHockeyTV.com.
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United States Hockey League Stories from November 26, 2022
- Lumberjacks Kill off Eight Madsion Power Plays, Capture a 3-2 Victory to Complete the Weekend Sweep - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Special Teams Say It All - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Ludtke Stays Hot But Stars Fall to Stampede - Lincoln Stars
- Stampede Shoot Down the Stars to Stop Skid - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Storm Set for Final Game of Three-Game Week - Tri-City Storm
- Lancers Fall in Fargo - Omaha Lancers
- Muskegon Takes Game One of Two-Game Series - Madison Capitols
- Ludtke's Third-Period Tallies Pushes Stars Past Bucs - Lincoln Stars
- Phantoms Feast on U17s in 6-1 Win - Youngstown Phantoms
- The Aftermath: Storm Defeat Stampede 6-3 - Tri-City Storm
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