USHL Sioux Falls Stampede

Stampede Stumble in Michigan vs Team USA

Published on March 18, 2016 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release


Plymouth, MI - Daniel Warpecha scored twice, but it wasn't enough as the Sioux Falls Stampede stumble Friday night at USA Hockey Arena, dropping a 5-3 decision to the U.S. Under-17 Development Program. The loss dropped the Stampede to 25-24-4 on the season and into fifth place in the Western Conference with seven games remaining in the regular season. Stefanos Lekkas started the game in goal and stopped 22 of 27 shots while Ales Stezka stopped all 11 shots faced in relief.

After a long two days of travel it would be understandable to see the Herd rusty in the first, but Sioux Falls tallied the first goal of the game just 5:42 into the game when Csanad Erdley intercepted a pass in the right wing corner and sent the puck through the crease to Daniel Warpecha who was all alone and tapped the puck into the net for his 9th of the year. Team USA responded at 11:45 of the first when Logan Cockerill skated into the right circle and wristed a shot through traffic and past Stampede goaltender Stefanos Lekkas to make it a 1-1 game.

The U.S. took a 2-1 lead at 15:08 when David Farrance wristed a shot from the left point that traveled through traffic and into the upper right hand corner of the net. Team USA wasn't done with that goal, they extended their lead at 17:45 when Farrance took the puck in the high slot and wristed a shot that took a weird bounce in front of Lekkas and through his pads to make it a 3-1 game. The Herd nearly pulled within a goal in the final minute when Lawton Courtnall came in on a breakaway, but USA goaltender Dylan St. Cyr got just a piece of his right pad on the puck to keep it out of the net.

In the second, the Herd were looking to get back in the game, but instead it was Team USA pulling away. Keenan Suthers made it a 4-1 game when he brought the puck into the left circle and wristed the puck perfectly underneath the crossbar and into the net. That would be the only goal of the period with Team USA outshooting the Herd 12-11.

Team USA showed they weren't going to let down, tallying yet another goal just 1:57 into the period when Logan Hutsko blasted a shot past Lekkas to extend their lead to 5-1. That would end Lekkas' night as Ales Stezka then came in relief. The Stampede would make a comeback attempt in the game to make things interesting. Daniel Warpecha tallied his second goal of the night at 3:58 when he took a pass from Erdely and slid it pas St. Cyr to bring the Herd within three goals. It stayed that way until the 14:20 mark when Lean Bergmann connected on the Herd's fifth power play of the night. Parker Tuomie sent a pass in front of the net to Bergmann who knocked it past the USA netminder and suddenly the Herd were down just 5-3.

The Herd had some chances to pull within a goal, but took a late penalty that took two minutes off the clock. Sioux Falls pulled Stezka in the final 90 seconds, but couldn't get the bounces they needed to get back into the game and came up short, falling 5-3.

Team USA outshot the Herd 38-29 and finished the night 2-for-4 while the Stampede were 1-for-5. The Herd will try and earn two much needed points on Saturday when they travel to Chicago to face the Steel at 7:05 PM. Fans can catch the game live on KELO News Talk 1320-AM, 107.9-FM and KELO.com.

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United States Hockey League Stories from March 18, 2016


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