USHL Lincoln Stars

Stars Clinch Playoff Berth, Shut Out Lancers Again

Published on February 22, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release


The Lincoln Stars locked up a berth in the 2025 Clark Cup Playoffs with a 4-0 win over the Omaha Lancers in front of a sellout crowd of 4,211 fans on Saturday night at the Ice Box.

Lincoln (34-12-1-0) improved to 7-0 against Omaha (6-34-5-1) while simultaneously handing the Lancers their 28th consecutive loss. This is the fourth straight season that the Stars have made the Clark Cup Playoffs and the 20th time in 29 seasons. Lincoln will attempt to win its third Clark Cup this spring (1997, 2003).

Jack Pechar recorded his second hat trick, good for his third multi-goal game of the season and 27th multi-goal effort by a Star this season. William Prowse stopped all 18 shots for his third shutout of the season and his second in the last three days. He is now tied with teammate Yan Shostak and two others for the most shutouts in the USHL.

Pechar scored the game's first goal for the second time in the last three days with both instances coming against the Lancers. After he struck 25 seconds in to Thursday's road game, he tallied at the 16:59 mark of the first period Saturday. He cashed in on a wrist shot off a feed from Drew DellaSalla as Lincoln scored the game's first goal for the third straight day and improved to 26-2-1 when getting on the board first. DellaSalla carried the puck into the attacking zone from just behind center ice and dropped it for Pechar, who scored far-post side on a writer from the edge of the near circle.

Pechar's second goal came a period later but much earlier in the frame at the 3:37 mark. Michael Sandruck applied contact in the far corner to force a loose puck that Aidan Janz hustled to at the far dot. Janz corralled it and found Pechar between the circles on the backhand for a one-timer that he blasted past Daniel Moor before stumbling after a collision.

The Northeastern commit used a spectacular individual effort to send the hats flying 42 seconds into the third period. Pechar received a pass at the bottom of the left-wing circle all alone against Moor and finessed the puck around his right pad to make it 3-0, Stars. It marked the Stars' fifth hat trick of the campaign and the first since Pechar and Matthew Maltais recorded a double hat trick vs. Tri-City Dec. 28.

Jacob Rombach scored an empty-net goal from beyond his own blueline between the circles in the Stars' end at the 19:04 mark of the third. His fifth goal of the season helped him finish at a plus-2 for the game and Rombach is a plus-20 over his last 16 games. The Minnesota commits' plus-28 is fifth best in the USHL.

The Stars head on the road next weekend to wrap up February and open March. Lincoln makes its second and final road trip of the regular season to Fargo next Friday and Saturday. Fans are encouraged to head to Buffalo Wild Wings at 1328 P Street in downtown Lincoln for a watch party on Feb. 28 for the 7:05 p.m. game.

Lincoln's next home games are Mar. 6 vs. Sioux City and Mar. 8 vs. Waterloo. Tickets are available now at lincolnstars.com.

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 22, 2025


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