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USHL Lincoln Stars

Stars Open 2025 on Road

January 2, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release


The Lincoln Stars look to build on their three-game winning streak as they travel to face the Tri-City Storm and Des Moines Buccaneers this weekend.

The Stars face the Storm for the fourth time in the last five games this Friday at 7:05 p.m. at the Viaero Center. Lincoln is 4-2 against Tri-City, including defeating the Storm, 9-3, last Saturday. Matt Maltais and Jack Pechar both recorded hat tricks in the win. This is the seventh matchup of 2024-25 between the Stars and the Storm and the last until wrapping up the head-to-head series and the regular season Apr. 11-12.

Lincoln travels to Des Moines Saturday night for a 6 p.m. game at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. The Stars defeated the Buccaneers, 4-3, in the only previous matchup this season on Oct. 11. Gio DiGiulian broke a 3-3 tie with the game-winning goal at 14:32 mark of the third and Ryan Seelinger scored all three of Des Moines' goals for the first three of his USHL career. Lincoln has won 17 of the last 25 games against Des Moines.

The Stars concluded 2024 with a 4-1 win over the Omaha Lancers on Tuesday night at the Ice Box. Lincoln recorded a season-high 70 shots in Tuesday's win for its most in a game over the last four seasons, surpassing the previous high of 51, achieved twice in 2022-23. The Stars concluded 2024 with a 37-26-4-0 record, regular season and postseason games included.

Pechar continued his dominant play as of late with a goal in Tuesday's win, scoring for a second straight game after recording his first career USHL hat trick last Saturday. He is tied for the fifth-most points in the USHL (28) and is tied for 11th in assists (17). The Niskayuna, N.Y. native opened the season with a nine-game point streak (5+6) and has recorded 16 points (8+8) in his last eight games.

The Storm did not play on New Year's Eve after falling to the Stars last Saturday at the Ice Box. Tri-City is 3-3 since Marco Trevino took over as head coach at the beginning of December and is 4-1 since Thanksgiving in games not against the Stars. The Storm are in fifth place in the Western Conference and nine points back of first while looking to snap a two-game losing skid at home. Tri-City is 4-9-1 at the Viaero Center with all three of its overtime wins this season coming in Kearney.

The Buccaneers shut out Omaha, 5-0, last Saturday before falling at Sioux Falls, 3-2, on New Year's Eve. They are seventh in the Western Conference and six points back of Sioux City for the final playoff spot. Des Moines is 4-4 since winning four straight games Nov. 16-29. Ben Kevan, a B-rated prospect by NHL Central Scouting on its preliminary draft watch list headlines their roster. Kevan recorded 8 points (6+2) in five games with USA Hockey at the World Junior A Challenge last month.

Fans can catch Friday's game with other Stars fans at Buffalo Wild Wings on P Street in downtown Lincoln for our latest watch party. Both game will be broadcast on FloHockey and Mixlr.

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