Stars Out-Slug Black Hawks in 7-4 Victory
January 5, 2019 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
Waterloo, IA-The Stars made the trip east to Waterloo on Saturday, looking to kick off 2019 with a big win.
Against the high-octane Black Hawks offense, the Stars didn't back down in the first. USHL-leading goal-scorer Matej Blümel landed the first punch in a high-action opening frame. He blitzed down the ice on a one-on-one entry and snuck a backhanded try past Stars starter Tyler Johnson. The Stars answered four minutes later when on the power play, Declan Carlile ripped his third goal of the season past Logan Stein off helpers from Shane Pinto and Samuli Niinisaari. Pinto's assist extends his point streak to 11 games. Lincoln would strike again at 14:39 after Carlile found a streaking Agriogianis up the ice. As he burst into the attacking end, Agriogianis flipped a perfect cross-ice feed to Caleb Rule, who buried his 9th tally of the season. Things appeared to be tilting further in Lincoln's favor, as they drew a power play late in the first. Instead, Mason Palmer fed a perfect lead pass to Wyatt Schingoethe who raced into the Stars zone shorthanded. On one of the better moves of the USHL's 2018-19 season, Schingoethe tucked the puck around Johnson to even the score at two.
In the second, Kyle Haskins gave the Black Hawks back the lead with a shot through a screen to beat Johnson at 5:49. The Stars bounced back with a goal from Tristan Ashbrook, his second tally in his last three games, set up by perfect passing from Caleb Rule and Logan Britt. Shane Pinto added a power play goal at 16:55 on a top-shelf snipe assisted by Devlin McCabe. The 4-3 lead wouldn't survive the period however, as James Marooney threaded a perfect pass to an open Matej Blümel through the middle of the ice. Blümel drove in on Johnson, who made the initial save but saw an awkward bounce find its way through to even the score in the final minute of the third.
In the third, the Stars struck the first blow. On a hard drive to the net, Max Ellis returned the Stars the lead when he pushed the puck home through a scramble in front. Lincoln would never give it back. Through power plays and extended Waterloo shifts in the attacking zone, the Stars weathered the storm. At 18:34, they received insurance from Josiah Slavin, after another crash to the net, in which the puck found the Stars captain on the back door which he planted the home for the 6-4 lead. It would be Slavin leading the way down the ice with an empty net open for Waterloo. Through a relentless effort, Slavin pushed the puck to Devlin McCabe in front for the Stars seventh goal-a season high for the team-sealing the Lincoln victory.
The Stars special teams were crucial in the win, despite allowing a shorthanded goal in the first. Almost two months after allowing five power play goals at Young Arena, the Stars pitched a shutout shorthanded, killing off all five penalties they faced. The power play remained hot, picking up two goals in five tries on the evening.
Lincoln returns to play on Thursday at home against Des Moines at 7:05 pm CST. The 2019 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game comes first with a 7:05 pm CST puck drop at the Ice Box. Tickets available now-order tickets online!
Later in the month, Faith & Family Day returns to The Ice Box for another matinee for an afternoon of faith and community as well as a post-game skate with the Stars. A portion of ticket sales for Faith & Family Day will benefit Food for the Hungry, a faith-based mission to build clean water solutions in third-world countries. Last year, the Stars and the Lincoln Stars Foundation helped to raise over $230,000 toward clean water initiatives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Looking for a belated holiday gift this season, or any season? Order a Stars 5-Game Holiday Pack for loved ones! For all other tickets, call the Stars Box Office at (402) 474-7827, or order tickets online!
United States Hockey League Stories from January 5, 2019
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- Musketeers Go Winless Against The Phantoms - Sioux City Musketeers
- Late Push Not Enough for Steel in 6-4 Loss - Chicago Steel
- Stars Out-Slug Black Hawks in 7-4 Victory - Lincoln Stars
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