Stars Tie It up Late, Win in Shootout
November 23, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
Caeden Herrington tied the game up with 65 seconds remaining and Alex Pelletier scored the lone goal in the shootout as the Lincoln Stars defeated the Waterloo Black Hawks, 4-3, on Saturday night at Young Arena.
Herrington's heroics came after a dramatic start to the frame when Waterloo (10-5-2-4) scored twice on the power play in a 2:05 span to take a 3-2 lead. Kaeden Hawkins tied the game at the 4:53 mark before Grady Deering gave the Black Hawks their second lead of the night by poking in a loose puck in the crease at the 6:58 mark.
Lincoln (14-6-0-0) earned its fifth power play of the night thanks to a kneeing minor at the 18:46 mark and needed just nine seconds to cash in. The Stars called a timeout and then emptied its net for the extra attacker for the late surge. Herrington uncorked a one-time blast from the left point for his fifth goal and team-leading fourth power-play tally to even it up.
"We took a timeout there and set up a play on the board and did it to perfection," Herrington said. "(Etienne Lessard) made an unreal play there getting it across the middle and putting it right into my wheelhouse. It was a great screen by (Layne) Loomer and (Jack Pechar) there. That doesn't happen if they don't get to the front of the net."
Pelletier scored the only goal of the shootout in the fourth round and Yan Shostak stopped all four shots to earn his Yan Shostak stopped all four shots that he faced in the shootout and made 23 saves to earn the win in his fourth straight start between the pipes.
The Stars remain in first place in the Western Conference and a point ahead of Fargo and two up on Waterloo thanks to overcoming two different one-goal deficits. Lincoln led 2-1 after the third period thanks to second-period tallies from Pechar and Matt Maltais. The Stars improved to 12-0 when leading after 40 minutes despite surrounding the lead in the third period.
Brady Peddle put the home team up 1-0 late in the first period on a shot from just inside the blue line at the 17:51 mark directly after a faceoff win following a Lincoln icing.
The Stars switched up their forward line combinations to begin the second period and took the lead thanks to their captain. Maltais walked to the net from beneath the goal line near side and couldn't get his pass off to Lefty Markonidis but whacked home the loose puck amidst a chaotic net-front scramble 1:29 into the second stanza.
Pechar gave the Stars their first lead of the weekend shortly after the expiration of a second-period power play. He carried the puck from off the near wall to the middle of the blue line and into the offensive zone before ripping a wrist shot in just before a pair of defenders could take away his shooting lane. Pechar's seventh of the season came at 14:19 of the second and marked his fourth career goal against Waterloo (playoffs included).
The Stars return home Wednesday to face the Tri-City Storm at the Ice Box the night before Thanksgiving. Purchase a Blackout Wednesday package to get four tickets and two drink vouchers for $75 plus tax.
• Discuss this story on the United States Hockey League message board...
United States Hockey League Stories from November 23, 2024
- Lancers Can't Finish Phantoms - Omaha Lancers
- Lancers Come Up Short Against Phantoms - Omaha Lancers
- Saints Drop Tight Game to Bucs - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Sioux Falls Stops the Streak. Take Back End of Weekend Set 2-1 - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Stars Rally, Hawks Settle - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Stars Tie It up Late, Win in Shootout - Lincoln Stars
- Stampede Axe Down Lumberjacks - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Sasson Achieves NHL Dream - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Fighting Five: Saints Host Bucs to Finish Weekend - Dubuque Fighting Saints
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.
