Sports stats

USHL Lincoln Stars

Stars Face Black Hawks for Third Straight Postseason

April 14, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release


The Lincoln Stars begin the 2024 Clark Cup Playoffs with a first-round matchup against the Waterloo Black Hawks this week at Young Arena.

The Stars and the Black Hawks meet in a best-of-three series to determine who will advance to the second round and face the Sioux City Musketeers next weekend. Lincoln went 1-2-0-1 against Waterloo in the regular season.

The Stars and the Black Hawks are battling in a best-of-three series in Party Town for a second straight season after third-seeded Lincoln ended second-seeded Waterloo's season by taking the decisive Game 3 of the second round. That victory avenged an upset at the Ice Box the year before when the sixth-seeded Black Hawks dropped Game 1 but rallied to win the next two games and eliminate the third-seeded Stars in the first round.

Lincoln finished the regular season 27-30-3-2 to earn the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Stars clinched that berth with a 2-1 win over Sioux City on Friday before dropping the regular-season finale on Saturday to the Musketeers, 7-2. Lincoln began the season 3-12-0-2 but won 19 of its next 30 games from Thanksgiving until early March to record more regulation wins than losses (22-21-2-2) for the lone time this season.

Blake Montgomery and Keaton Peters tied for the team lead with 22 goals. Peters ends his Stars regular-season career with 42 goals, 13th most in franchise history. Peters and Jared Mangan tied for the team lead with 44 points.

This is the third consecutive season that the Stars have made the Clark Cup Playoffs and the 19th time in franchise history. Lincoln is looking to win its third Clark Cup this spring to join its 1997 and 2003 titles.

Waterloo went 35-25-0-2 to record its seventh 30-win season in the last nine campaigns. The Black Hawks bounced back from a 1-4 start to the season by winning five of their next six games to get over .500. Waterloo dominated close games at home, going 10-3-0-2 in one-goal games at Young Arena to become the only USHL team to record double-digit victories in those situations at home. The Black Hawks were also 12-2-0-2 when leading after one period at home and 15-1-0-2 when leadings after two periods in Waterloo. They finished the regular season 21-7-0-2 at Young Arena.

Gavyn Thoreson led the Black Hawks with 65 points, good enough for 13th-most in the USHL. John Mustard finished second among all USHL rookies with 56 points while leading them and all Waterloo skaters with 29 goals. Mustard also led all first-year USHL players with seven power-play goals and 16 power-play points.

Waterloo has qualified for the postseason 32 times in their 45 seasons of existence. The Black Hawks are also back in the postseason for a third consecutive season. They won their lone Clark Cup in 2004.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Waterloo PP: 55-for-220, 25% (6th)

Waterloo PK: 169-for-219, 77.2% (T-8th)

Waterloo PP vs. LIN: 6-for-16, 40%

Waterloo PK vs. LIN: 18-for-21, 85.7%

Waterloo PPG leader: Lindberg (10)

Waterloo SHG leader: Altrichter (3)

Lincoln PP: 31-for-200, 15.5% (15th)

Lincoln PK: 149-for-193, 77.2% (T-8th)

Lincoln PP vs. WAT: 3-for-21, 14.3%

Lincoln PK vs. WAT: 9-for-15, 60%

Lincoln PPG leader: Peters, Pechar (6)

Lincoln SHG leader: Peters (2)

HEAD-TO-HEAD REGULAR-SEASON SERIES RECAP

Oct. 20 @ Young Arena: Waterloo, 4-3 (SO)

Jack Pechar scored two power-play goals to erase two separate one-goal Waterloo leads and Jared Mangan gave the Stars their first lead of the game at 17:38 of the third but Griffin Erdman tied the game up with 33 seconds remaining in regulation with the Black Hawks net empty. Pechar scored in the second round of the shootout for the Stars' lone tally in it. Teddy Townsend scored as the last shooter of the third round to keep the game alive and then Gavin Lindberg delivered the shootout winner in the fifth round.

Oct. 27 @ Young Arena: Waterloo, 5-1

Waterloo went a perfect 4-for-4 on the power play and nine-for-nine on the penalty kill despite being outshot 37-24, including 31-12 over the final two periods. Calvin Vachon stopped 36 Lincoln shots to earn the win.

Jan. 5 @ Ice Box: Waterloo, 4-3

Grady Deering broke a 2-2 tie 2:21 into the third after the Stars overcame two different deficits earlier in the game. Lincoln briefly led when Keaton Peters and Blake Montgomery scored 1:24 apart midway through the first period but Myles Hilman scored his first of two goals just over nine minutes later.

Jan. 6 @ Ice Box: Lincoln, 5-3

Justin Mexico scored twice while Max Ferkodic scored the game-winning goal. The two times combined for four goals in the first period to be tied, 2-2, after 20 minutes before the Stars netted the next three goals.

HEAD-TO-HEAD POSTSEASON HISTORY

2023: Lincoln, two games to one, in Western Conference Semifinals

2022: Waterloo, two games to one, in first round

2018: Waterloo, three games to one, in Western Conference Semifinals

2016: Waterloo, three games to one, in first round

2012: Waterloo, three games to one, in Western Conference Finals

Check out the Lincoln Stars Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from April 14, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Lincoln Stars Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central