USHL Tri-City Storm

Storm's January Was One to Remember

Published on February 2, 2016 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


The Tri-City Storm collected three points over the weekend at the Fargo Force, continuing to separate itself from the middle of the pack in the Western Conference. The Storm holds a seven-point lead on the fifth-ranked squad in the conference, Sioux City. The top four teams in the Western Conference make the playoffs.

Following a 5-4 win on Friday, the Storm's late-game resilience reappeared, scoring with 19.5 seconds left to coax an extra session with Fargo. Tri-City has gone past regulation in 12 games this season, most of any USHL team. Jake Kielly backstopped the Storm, combining for 75 saves in two games, the most he's made in back-to-back contests. The Storm's Mattias Goransson finished with four assists and was named USHL/CCM Defenseman of the Week.

Continuing a season-long six-game road trip, Tri-City drives 1,034 miles to Youngstown, OH, its furthest travel of the campaign, for a pair of contests against the Phantoms. The two-game set pits the furthest-west and furthest-east teams in the USHL. The Storm has points in seven straight away games, the best road run in the league this season.

http://bit.ly/Storm_Tickets

Last Week:

Friday, January 29 at Fargo, W, 5-4

Saturday, January 30 at Fargo, L, 3-2 (OT)

This Week:

Friday, February 5 at Youngstown, 6:05 p.m.

Saturday, February 6 at Youngstown, 6:05 p.m.

Need to Know:

A January to Remember

The Storm completed January with a 6-1-2-1 record, its winningest month this season, to boost to sole possession of second place in the Western Conference. During the month, Tri-City averaged 3.8 goals a game, pushing to seventh in the league in team scoring (2.87 GF/gm). Tri-City allowed 2.5 goals a contest in January.

The month started with arguably the Storm's most-dominant effort of the season, a 4-0 win at Lincoln on Jan. 2, led by Jake Kielly's 35-save shutout. The 19-year-old goalie established himself as a go-to option in cage, appearing in seven of ten games and boosting his save percentage to second-best in the league, .924. He has helped Tri-City get points in his last eight decisions (6-0-2-0).

As the month continued, Wade Allison also continued making a strong impression, at one point scoring 14 goals and 15 points in a 16-game span. The 18-year-old was named Team West M.V.P. at the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, scoring a goal and an assist on Jan. 12 at Omaha's Ralston Arena. One week later, Allison was ranked as the 192nd best North American skater in the NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings.

The Storm tied a season-best three game win streak from Jan. 15-22. Tri-City's eight-game point streak from Dec. 29-Jan. 22 is the second-longest point streak in the league this season.

Road Warriors

The Storm has points in seven straight road games, the best run in the USHL this season. The stretch, which began Dec. 29 at Green Bay, includes four wins, giving the Storm a 12-5-4-0 away record, the most wins and points (28) of any Western Conference team. Overall, the 12 road wins are third in the league.

The Storm's road run has coincided with its strong play in other Western Conference barns; Tri-City points in ten straight conference road games (7-0-3-0), a stretch that began Nov. 14 at Sioux Falls.

Heading into the weekend against Youngstown, the Storm is 9-0-2-2 in its last 13 conference games, boosting to an overall conference mark of 12-8-4-2.

The Men Can Pass

Linemates Dan Labosky and Wade Allison boast the two best active points streaks in the USHL. Labosky has points in seven straight games, best in the circuit, while Allison has points in six consecutive contests.

Though each possesses a fearsome shot, the tandem's passing prowess has been a large reason for their success; the left winger Labosky has an assist in each of the last seven games while the right winger Allison has three goals and five helpers over the six-game stretch.

Labosky had ten assists in ten games this month, giving the forward 18 assists in 30 games, third on the club. Allison has had two multi-assists games in the last three contests, giving him three-career multi-assist games. Their passing has helped center Alex Limoges, who has five of his six goals in the last ten games.

In particular, Allison's recent passing skills have thrown opponents for a loop. From Nov. 28-Jan. 22, a period of 16 games, Allison had 14 goals and one assist. Since that time, he has five assists, giving the native of Myrtle, Manitoba 14 goals and 21 points in his last 21 games.

Don't Mess With the Rock of Gibraltar

After being named CCM Defenseman of the Week by the USHL for the third time, Mattias Goransson, nicknamed the Storm's "Rock of Gibraltar" by Head Coach Bill Muckalt, has reasserted his place as the top defenseman scorer in the league with 29 points. He has been on ice for 62 of the Storm's 109 goals this season, the most of any Tri-City player and 56.8% of the team's offensive production.

Here are some notable stats Goransson stats on the offensive end.

Goransson's notables

- 1st: Points by a USHL defenseman (29) | Team assists (22) | Team plus/minus (+13)

- T-1st: Assists by a USHL defenseman (22) | Power-play points by a USHL defenseman (14)

- 2nd: Shots by a USHL defenseman (98) | Points on the Storm (29).

- 4th: Power-play assists by a USHL defenseman (10)

Standings:

1) Lincoln - 47 points

1) Tri-City - 44 points

3) Omaha - 41 points

4) Waterloo - 40 points

5) Sioux City - 37 points

6) Fargo - 36 points

7) Des Moines - 36 points

8) Sioux Falls - 36 points

Game Recaps:

Game 37 at Fargo: Dominant Tri-City offense rides to 5-4 win

Mattias Goransson and Carson Meyer had three point games, giving the Storm enough to escape the Force, 5-4.

Up, 5-2, with one minute remaining, Fargo scored two goals with its net emptied to pull within a score, but Jake Kielly made 36 saves in victory and added his second assist of the season on Nico Sturm's first-period power-play marker.

Meyer's two-goal game gives him four multi-goal games this campaign, one more than Chris Wilkie, who tied the Storm scoring record with 35 goals in 2014-15.

Goransson's season-high points effort began a four-point weekend, earning him USHL/CCM Defenseman of the Week.

Alex Limoges and Monte Graham also scored. Each are seniors at Kearney High School.

Game 38 at Fargo: Last-minute video review gets Storm to OT, Fargo wins, 3-2

An official USHL review judged a good Tri-City goal tied the Storm and the Fargo Force with 19.5 seconds left, forcing overtime before defenseman Jere Astren scored with 1:08 remaining in 3-on-3 to crash the Storm, 3-2, Saturday at Scheels Arena.

With 19.5 seconds left, Meyer tapped the puck at the left post past goalie Ryan Wischow, a goal that inched over the goal line, but play continued after officials signaled no goal. Time ran off the clock before the review ensued.

Fargo fans thought the game had ended initially; time had expired, but referee Robert Lukkason, after watching the video review, judged the puck had fully crossed the line and called the play a good goal.

The goal restored 19.5 seconds left on the clock on Meyer's team-leading 21st of the season.

Before Astren's overtime goal, Jake Kielly tied a season-high 39 saves, helping Tri-City earn a three-point weekend and stay in sole possession of second in the Western Conference at 44 points.

Schedule:

Tuesday, February 2, 2016:

Practice - 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016:

Travel Day

Thursday, February 4, 2016:

Travel Day

Friday, February 5, 2016: Game at Youngstown

Storm at Youngstown - 6:05 p.m.

Saturday, February 6, 2016: Game at Youngstown

Storm at Phantoms - 6:05 p.m.

Sunday, February 7, 2016:

Off Day

Monday, February 8, 2016:

Off Day

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The Storm travels to the eastern outpost of the USHL, Youngstown, for a pair of games against the Phantoms next Friday and Saturday at 6:05 p.m. The Viaero Wireless Pregame Show starts at 5:45 p.m for both games. Tri-City is next at home on Feb. 19 against Sioux Falls for Thunderstruck Night, with a Free Kids Friday and a special thunderstick giveaway. Listen to the Storm's games on the Breeze 94.5 FM with David Fine.

http://bit.ly/Storm_Tickets

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.

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 2, 2016


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