USHL Tri-City Storm

Storm Sweeps Sioux Falls in Game 3, 4-1, Advances to Western Conference Finals

Published on April 22, 2016 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


Sioux Falls, S.D. - The Tri-City Storm exploded for three goals in the second period and Jake Kielly made 32 saves to sweep the Sioux Falls Stampede out of the playoffs with a 4-1 win in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Trailing by a goal to begin the middle frame, Tri-City mashed two goals in the first four minutes of the second. Kielly followed the Storm's lead, making 22 straight saves to end the game. The 19-year-old has allowed three goals in three playoff games.

Linemates Alex Limoges, Dan Labosky and Wade Allison continued to dominate, combining for two of the Storm's four goals. The center Limoges is on a season-high nine-game point streak (4g, 8a). Labosky led all players with six points (1g, 5a) in the opening round. Carson Meyer also contributed two assists.

The win is a measure of revenge of the Storm, knocking out the defending Clark Cup Champions. Last season, the Stampede eliminated the Storm in the Western Conference Finals, 3-1.

Tri-City awaits Lincoln or Waterloo in the Western Conference Finals. Game 1 is next Friday at 7:05 p.m. at the Viaero Center.

Sioux Falls scored the opening goal at 12:37 of the first. Defenseman Joe Rutkowski held the right point, and cycled it to the right half wall for Carson Gicewicz. The former Lincoln Star shot it behind Kielly's left pad and in. Sioux Falls' 11th shot. The Herd did not attempt another shot until five minutes into the second.

While Sioux Falls struggled, the Storm peppered Lekkas and broke through in the second for three goals to take a 3-1 edge at the end of two.

At 2:57 of the second, Max Humitz backhanded the puck from the slot under the left post, assisted by Brian Hawkinson and Tory Dello. On the Storm's next rush, Dan Labosky made an extra pass to Wade Allison, who one-timed a slap shot off Lekkas' pads. Alex Limoges filled in for Allison at the left circle and followed up with a rebound goal.

With 4:15 left in the second, Sioux Falls' Alex Stevens took a five-minute major penalty for head contact. Next, Csanad Erdely was called for tripping with 53 seconds left in the second. Tri-City's Nico Sturm creeped in just outside of the crease and jammed a shot under Lekkas for a 5-on-3 goal.

Kielly stopped 13 Sioux Falls shots in the third to preserve the win. Dan Labosky scored a power-play goal with 1:19 remaining into an empty net to ice the game.

Tri-City's man-up clicked for two goals on five attempts, while Sioux Falls was 0-for-4, finishing the series 0-for-13 on the power play.

Stay tuned to stormhockey.com for updates on Tri-City's Western Conference Finals opponent.

Storm postseason games can be heard on The Breeze 94.5 FM - kliqfm.com. Coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. for games one and two with the Viaero Wireless Pregame Show.

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from April 22, 2016


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