Stars Sweep Weekend Set vs. Lancers
February 8, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
Ethan Weber and Matthew Maltais both scored twice as the Lincoln Stars defeated the Omaha Lancers, 7-2, on Saturday night at the Liberty First Credit Union Arena.
Weber recorded his first career USHL multi-goal game and Maltais got his second of the season and third in his career. Maltais also had an assist to lead all three players with three points.
Lincoln (30-11-1-0) earned its 11th consecutive victory Friday while handing Omaha (6-30-4-1) its 23rd consecutive loss (0-20-2-1) to improve to 5-0 vs. its rivals this season. This winning streak is now the second-longest in franchise history behind a 16-game streak Mar. 1-Apr. 5, 2002. The Stars scored three power-play goals in Saturday's win, marking the fifth time tallying at least three times on the man advantage this season.
Darian Anderson scored a backdoor goal on a nice setup by Lefty Markonidis 9:52 into the game to put the Stars up 1-0. Markonidis dished the puck on the backhand behind himself to Anderson all alone in front of the far post and scored his fourth goal of the campaign. The Stars improved to 23-2-1 when scoring first.
Just over 20 seconds after Omaha nearly tied the game, the Stars doubled up their lead with a power-play goal. Davis Borzinskis hit the far post on a two-on-one shorthanded rush before Maltais scored his 13th goal of the season on a rebound at the 18:29 mark. Gio DiGiulian's shot from between the circles was kicked aside but Maltais was right there at the near post to stuff the puck in.
Gio DiGiulian needed less than a minute into the second period to add to the Lincoln lead. He sniped the poke off the post and in off a quick give-and-go with Dashel Oliver just 39 seconds into the second period to match his jersey number with his 17th goal of the campaign.
Oliver scored Lincoln's second power-play goal of the night at the 7:43 mark of the second on their second man-advantage opportunity. He one-timed a pass from Hunter Anderson beneath the goal line at the base of the right-wing circle for his 18th goal. Oliver extended his point streak to 12 games. He has 19 points (8+11) over it and the Stars improved to 23-0 when he records a point and 14-0 when he scores.
Weber added the exclamation point on the three-goal second period with his fourth goal of the season. Omaha goaltender Aiden McKenna made the initial save of Bruno Idzan's shot but could not hold onto the puck long enough to force a whistle and paid the price as Weber poked in the loose puck.
Weber recorded his second of the night on a wrist shot all alone at the edge of the left circle. His fifth goal of the season came two minutes into the third to put Lincoln up 6-0. Jack Pechar picked up the primary assist to record his second apple of the night.
Maltais scored the Stars' final goal of the night by slipping past the defense and scoring left-wing side again on the power play at the 5:40 mark of the third. Omaha broke up the shutout bid at the 11:52 mark and added the evening's final goal at the 16:30 mark.
Lincoln holds the top record in the USHL and prepares for a home-and-home set with Sioux Falls next weekend. The Stampede are second in the Western Conference and four points behind the Stars. The first game is on Friday at 7:05 p.m. at the Ice Box before a 6:05 p.m. matchup the next night at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. Tickets for Friday's game are available now at lincolnstars.com.
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