Stars Host Storm Saturday Night in First Game After Christmas
December 27, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
The Lincoln Stars return from the 13-day holiday break to face the Tri-City Storm at 6:05 p.m. Saturday at the Ice Box.
Lincoln returns in a tie with Sioux Falls for second place in the Western Conference. The 17-10-0-0 Stars opened up the season with wins in eight of their first nine games before splitting each of their last 18 games.
Lincoln wrapped up the pre-Christmas schedule with a 5-2 win at Tri-City Dec. 14 to snap a four-game losing streak. The Stars scored three times in the second period and lit the lamp twice on the power play. Layne Loomer also scored twice in Lincoln's first win since Nov. 30.
Tri-City has won four of its last six games and looks to continue climbing the standings this weekend. The Storm resume play Friday night at the Omaha Lancers at 7:05 at the Liberty First Credit Union Arena. Tri-City holds the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference but is only six points back of first-place Fargo.
The Stars will look to slow down Artemi Nizameyev, who is off to a dominant start to the season with a USHL-best 22 goals and 38 points. Nizameyev scored three times and added three assists in two games against the Stars before the holiday break to earn the latest USHL Forward of the Week honor. The three-year member of the Storm has scored on each of the last six games with nine goals overall in that span.
The Stars return two important players this weekend in Jack Pechar and Jacob Rombach, who have not appeared in a game this month. They captured gold with USA Hockey at the World Junior A Challenge Dec. 15 and will be welcome re-additions to the lineup. Pechar is tied for eighth in the USHL in assists (16), tied for 11th in points (23) and has recorded a point in 17-of-22 games. Rombach was listed as a B-Rated skater by NHL Central Scouting on its preliminary draft watch list this fall and was just named a Chipotle All-American on Thursday.
This will be the sixth matchup of the season between Tri-City and Lincoln, with the Stars claiming three of the first five meetings. Lincoln will also travel to Kearney next Friday to wrap up a stretch in which the Stars will face the Storm four times in a five-game span.
Saturday's game is the first-of-two at home before the end of 2025. The Stars are also home on Tuesday for a New Year's Eve showdown with the Omaha Lancers. Tickets are available at lincolnstars.com
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United States Hockey League Stories from December 27, 2024
- Saints Drop Weekend Opener to RoughRiders - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Phantoms Fall to Muskegon 3-2 - Youngstown Phantoms
- Chicago Explodes for Eight Goals in Return from Break - Chicago Steel
- Two Early Goals Lead Jacks to 3-2 Win over Youngstown - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Stampede Take Home Win in First Game Back - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Danylov's Hat Trick Lifts Green Bay Past Madison 4-1 - Green Bay Gamblers
- Capitols Hit Road to Green Bay - Madison Capitols
- Stars Host Storm Saturday Night in First Game After Christmas - Lincoln Stars
- Capitols Drop Final Game Before Holiday Break to Muskegon - Madison Capitols
- Fighting Five: Saints Host RoughRiders on Friday - Dubuque Fighting Saints
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