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USHL Tri-City Storm

Storm Hang on to Win in 7-6 Thriller

April 3, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


Forward Chris Wilkie of the Tri-City Storm
Forward Chris Wilkie of the Tri-City Storm
(Tri-City Storm)

KEARNEY, Neb. - The Tri-City Storm (35-16-6) outlasted a late comeback by the Sioux Falls Stampede (31-21-5) and held on for their first victory in the new Denny Sanford Premier Center, winning 7-6 on Friday night.

Forwards Chris Wilkie and Wade Allison each had two goals for Tri-City, while Jake Wahlin, Bobby Nardella and Mason Appleton also scored in the win.

Wilkie now leads the USHL with 34 goals this season. Appleton also had three assists, finishing the night with four points. For Allison, it was his first career multi-goal game.

The Storm had a quick start in the first period when Allison scored 4:05 in, and Tri-City built a 3-0 lead before the first intermission.

The Myrtle, Man. native scored off a face-off win by Chase Berger, putting the puck high glove side on Stampede goalie Arthur Brey.

Later in the frame, Wahlin made it 2-0 with a power play goal from Appleton and Gamez. It was the forward's 13th tally of the year in his first USHL season.

Nardella extended the lead in the final minute of the first, scoring with 29 seconds to go on a slap shot.

Sioux Falls started the second period with Stefanos Lekkas in between the pipes. Brey finished with four saves through 20 minutes.

The Storm scored twice in the middle period on goals by Appleton and Wilkie, and led 5-1 after two. Clint Lewis had the lone Stampede goal through 40 minutes.

Wilkie's goal came with 11 seconds remaining in the frame. The North Dakota commit leads the team with 52 points this season.

With a quick start in the third, Tri-City pushed their lead to 7-1 on Allison and Wilkie's second goals of the game.

Allison found the back of the net on a rebound after an initial shot by Dan Labosky. Berger was credited with the second assist. Then Wilkie scored on the power play from Wahlin and Nardella.

But Sioux Falls didn't give up, scoring five straight goals to get back in the game at 7-6.

Mikey Eyssimont had the first strike at 6:39 of the final period. Then Dakota Joshua scored at 12:40, to start a run of three Stampede goals in under a minute. The next two tallies went to Parker Tuomie, and it was a 7-5 game with less than seven minutes remaining.

Collin Peters got the home team within one goal at 15:15, but Tri-City was able to shut the door to get a one-goal victory.

Storm goalie Alec Dillon got the victory, making 29 saves in the win.

Tri-City is currently in second place in the USHL's Western Conference with 76 points. Three games remain in the regular season and the team has clinched a spot in the 2015 Clark Cup Playoffs.

The Storm return to Kearney for their final home game of the regular season and Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday against Cedar Rapids at 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics




Images from this story

Forward Wade Allison of the Tri-City Storm
Forward Wade Allison of the Tri-City Storm
 Forward Chris Wilkie of the Tri-City Storm
Forward Chris Wilkie of the Tri-City Storm
  



United States Hockey League Stories from April 3, 2015


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