Stars Can't Hold Early Lead, Snaps Streak
March 7, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
The Lincoln Stars raced out to an early lead but could not hold on, as they fell to the Sioux City Musketeers, 4-3, on Thursday night at the Ice Box.
Lincoln (36-13-1-0) lost its first home game since Dec. 13 and saw its 10-game home winning streak come to an end. The Stars led 3-0 after the first period but surrendered three goals in the third. The loss also snapped Lincoln's five-game winning streak and is only its third regulation loss in 2025.
Sioux City (24-19-3-4) snapped a three-game losing skid behind a two-goal performance from Landen Gunderson on the power play. Luke Garry gave the Musketeers their only lead of the night that they needed by netting the game-winning shorthanded goal with 1:46 remaining in regulation.
Jack Pechar opened the scoring with his seventh goal over the last four games 1:09 seconds into the game as the Stars struck on their first shot of the night. Pechar leads the Stars with 25 goals and is tied for the third-most in the USHL. He now has 11 points (8+3) over his last six games and is tied for third in the USHL with 55 points. Pechar moved into a tie with Jared Brown (2005-07) for the 12th-most goals in Stars history with 45 apiece.
Lincoln pushed the pace in the first period, outshooting Sioux City, 21-5, and added two more goals. Aiden Janz kept the puck onside from just inside the blue line, pulled the trigger and had his shot redirected by Lefty Markonidis. His 13th goal came at the 14:05 mark and put Lincoln up, 2-0.
Bruno Idzan continued his brilliant play by scoring for a third straight game on a wrist shot between the circles at the 16:10 mark. Idzan has points in 18 of his first 24 games and has scored five times in his last three games for his third different three-game goal-scoring streak.
Gunderson netted his first-of-two power-play goals in the second period to put the Musketeers on the board. He put him up a loose puck off a broken pass that ricocheted back to him at the side of the cage at the 5:42 mark. His 24th goal of the season was the only tally of the period between the two teams. Gunderson lit the lamp again at the 12:06 mark of the third period on a one-timer off a pass from Gavin Garry at the base from the far circle in front of the crease.
Justin Stupka tied the game up with 5:05 remaining and 10 seconds after the end of a Sioux City penalty kill. He tapped in Liam Hupka's feed from the near wall to erase the three-goal deficit.
Luke Garry handed the Stars their first loss this season in 33 instances when leading after two periods. His shorthanded strike on a wrist shot from the left wing late in the third marked the Musketeers' ninth shorthanded goal of the season and his first.
Lincoln is at Sioux City Friday night at 7:05 before returning home Saturday to host Waterloo at 6:05. Tickets are available now at lincolnstars.com
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United States Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2025
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- Stars Can't Hold Early Lead, Snaps Streak - Lincoln Stars
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