Stars Travel to Des Moines, Host Omaha this Weekend
January 23, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
The Lincoln Stars look to add to their four-game winning streak as they face the Des Moines Buccaneers on the road at 6:05 p.m. Friday and then host the Omaha Lancers at 6:05 p.m. Saturday.
The Stars are coming off back-to-back sweeps and are attempting to add to their second-longest winning streak of the season. Lincoln picked up 6-2 and 7-3 wins over the Muskegon Lumberjacks at the Ice Box last weekend to improve to 11-2 against Eastern Conference opponents. Lincoln has scored 32 goals over the last four games and lead the USHL with 145 goals.
The most recent team to beat the Stars will host them on Friday night to begin the weekend. Des Moines is three points back of Tri-City for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. They are looking to get back into the win column after losing to the Storm, 6-4 and 5-3, last weekend. They defeated the Stars Jan. 4 with a 2-1 overtime victory at home but are 3-3 since facing Lincoln. Two of those wins featured a pair of impressive wins on the road at Fargo two weeks ago. Ben Kevan has not scored and has been held to one assist in two games against the Stars this season after tallying twice and adding three apples in four games against Lincoln last season. He was the 44th-ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings.
The Omaha Lancers will look to snap their 16-game losing streak and earn their first win since Nov. 16 this weekend. The Lancers are 0-13-2-1 since then and most recently lost, 6-1, at Des Moines Monday. That came following after a 5-3 home loss vs. Waterloo, 5-3, last Saturday and a 6-2 loss at Waterloo last Friday. Omaha has lost 26 of its last 28 games since opening the season 4-4-0-0 and have employed three different head coaches this season in Lennie Childs (0-4-0-0), Colten St. Clair (6-10-2-0) and Scott Pietruszka (0-9-2-1). The Lancers open the weekend up Friday night at Sioux City.
A big key for Lincoln this weekend is to continue sustaining hot starts. The Stars are outscoring opponents 17-1 in the first period over the last four games and 52-25 overall. Lincoln has scored first in all six games in 2025 and is 4-1-1-0 in the new year. The Stars are 17-2-1 when scoring first and have the second-most wins (Muskegon, 18) when getting on the board first.
Defenseman Etienne Lessard was named the USHL Defenseman of the Week after recording 4 points (1+3) and a plus-4 rating last weekend. The Union commit is fourth in the USHL in assists (18) and is sixth in points (21) in his first season with the Stars. Lessard has recorded seven multi-point games, including four in the last month.
Stars players will sign autographs and skate with fans after Saturday's game. Skating admission is $5 and can be done at the skate window by the main entrance at the conclusion of the game. Waivers can be filled out at any point in the evening once doors open. A limited number of skates will be available for a $5 rental. Fans unable to attend may also skate with select Stars players at the Railyard Rink from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tickets for Saturday's nights' game are available at lincolnstars.com
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