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USHL Tri-City Storm

Storm Secondary Scoring Comes in Handy

November 23, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


The Tri-City Storm wraps up its three-game homestand Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. against the Lincoln Stars after splitting a weekend series against the Sioux Falls Stampede.

The Storm played the Herd in each of its last three contests, earning points in two of the three.

After Tri-City hosts "Hunger Games Night" Wednesday, presented by the Nebraska Lottery, the Storm heads to Muskegon for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday to complete a three-games-in-four-days stretch.

Last Week:

Friday, November 20 vs. Sioux Falls: Win, 5-4

Saturday, November 21 vs. Sioux Falls: Loss, 3-1

This Week:

Wednesday, November 25 vs. Lincoln, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, November 27 at Muskegon, 6:15 p.m.

Saturday, November 28 at Muskegon, 6:15 p.m.

Need to Know:

Kielly racks up saves

Storm goaltender Jake Kielly notched his third win of the season against the Herd Friday, making 31 saves. Kielly has faced at least 30 shots in a game three times, and won all three.

Kielly, 19, started off modestly, making 16 saves on 19 shots in the first two frames. In the final frame, Kielly nearly doubled his production, making 15 saves on 16 shots.

The goalie also earned an assist on Jake Wahlin's power-play goal Friday, the second assist by a Storm goalie in 2015-16. Matt Greenfield had an assist in the first game of the season against the Omaha Lancers.

The native of Eden Prairie, MN has a 3-4-0-0 record, 2.66 goals against average and .906 save percentage.

Second line support

The Storm's second line - Joe Cipollone, Collin Rutherford and Wade Allison - was on the ice for a pair of the Storm's six tallies this weekend, supporting the top unit of Jake Wahlin, Nico Sturm and Carson Meyer.

The second-year forward Allison doubled his points total from two to four over the weekend set, contributing a goal Friday and a primary assist Saturday.

Additionally, two newer faces on the squad, Rutherford and Cipollone, combined for two assists and plus-three rating over the weekend.

Rutherford, acquired by the Storm from Cedar Rapids Oct. 28, has three points (1g, 2a) in nine games and is a plus-4 since the trade.

Cipollone, transferred from the Vernon Vipers (BCHL) a week before Tri-City acquired Rutherford, also has three points (2g, 1a) in nine games.

Don't shoot

Tri-City's defense continues to limit opponents' shots, allowing 26.8 a game, second in the league. This Friday against Sioux Falls, the Storm yielded 35 shots, just the fourth time this campaign Tri-City has allowed at least 30 in a game.

Part of the Storm's defensive aptitude results from an experienced blue line, headed by returners Tory Dello, Mattias Goransson and Jason Krych.

The Storm takes more shots on average in the third than any other period and is stingiest in the final frame, when it outchances opponents, 10.4 to 8.5.

Tri-City attempts 30.9 shots a game, fourth in the league.

Other News and Notes

- Carson Meyer is tied for fourth in the league with nine goals and fifth in the USHL with 17 points.

- Mattias Goransson scored yet again for the Storm this weekend, upping to 14 points, most for defensemen. He is tied for a USHL blueliner-best six goals.

- Jake Wahlin had two goals and tied a career best with four points against the Herd Friday, matching his high from March 10, 2015 against the Lincoln Stars. In between Wahlin's four-point efforts, two other Storm players, Garret Gamez (3/14/15 vs. Omaha) and Mason Appleton (4/3/15 at Sioux Falls), had four-point games.

Game Recaps:

Game 16 vs Sioux Falls: Wahlin and Storm charge by Tuomie and Herd, 5-4

Storm forward Jake Wahlin and Sioux Falls forward Parker Tuomie went point-for-point, each finishing with a career-best four, but Wahlin's Storm got the better of the Herd, 5-4, Friday from the Viaero Center.

Wahlin finished with a pair of goals and had two assists to match a career-best point total, while Tuomie had three helpers. Nico Sturm had a goal and an assist, giving him ten points (4g, 6a) his last nine games.

The game went back-and-forth; Tri-City held two-goal leads on three separate occasions. The Storm never held a three-goal edge, but each time the Storm went up a pair, Sioux Falls pulled within one. The Herd tied once in the middle of the game but never lead.

Stefanos Lekkas made 31 saves in the loss, falling to the Storm's Kielly, who also stopped 31 shots.

Game 17 vs. Sioux Falls: Goransson continues to spark offense in 3-1 Storm loss

Mattias Goransson scored his sixth goal of the season with six minutes left in the second period to tie the game, but the Sioux Falls Stampede scored a pair of goals in the final frame to edge the Tri-City Storm, 3-1, Saturday from the Viaero Center.

The Storm allowed the go-ahead goal to A.J. Vanderbeck halfway through the third to break the tie. Josh Passolt scored into an empty-net with 39 seconds left, the first time in the game the Storm trailed by more than one.

Goransson's sixth goal of the campaign moved him into a tie with Keegan Ford (Dubuque) and Matt Filipe (Cedar Rapids) for most goals by a USHL defenseman. Wade Allison earned the primary assist, his second point of the weekend, by crashing the crease. Joe Cipollone garnered the secondary helper.

Matt Greenfield saved 22 of 24 shots in defeat. Ales Stezka made 29 saves for his first win against the Storm.

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The Storm wraps up its three-game homestand Wednesday, November 25, at 7:05 p.m. against the rival Lincoln Stars on "Hunger Games Night", sponsored by the Nebraska Lottery. The first 1,000 visitors in the door will receive a free Mockingjay pin.

Groups of 10+ can get discounted group tickets for as low as $11! For more information contact the Storm Box Office at 308-338-8144.

The Storm is on the road against the Muskegon Lumberjacks next Friday and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. Each game can be heard on "The Breeze 94.5 FM" with David Fine at 6:00 p.m. for Storm Pregame.

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from November 23, 2015


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