Strong Third Period Lifts Tri-City to 5-3 Thursday Night Victory in Lincoln
USHL Tri-City Storm

Strong Third Period Lifts Tri-City to 5-3 Thursday Night Victory in Lincoln

Published on January 9, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


LINCOLN, Neb. - With the game tied at three after forty minutes, the Tri-City Storm used Paul Bloomer's eventual game-winning goal and Carson Pilgrim's empty netter in the final frame to defeat the Lincoln Stars 5-3 on Thursday night at the Ice Box.

Tri-City (14-17-4, 32 pts) scored five goals in one game for the first time since September 26 (6-2 win vs. Omaha). Lincoln (17-14-1, 35 pts) has lost five of its past seven contests.

Bloomer snapped the 3-3 tie at the 7:33 mark of the third thanks to a beautiful rush feed from Bode Laylin. Laylin sent a crisp pass from the right circle, connecting with Bloomer in front of the Stars' net. The Chicago native swiftly ripped the puck past Stars netminder Will Prowse for his fifth marker of the year.

Down a goal with two minutes left in regulation, Lincoln pulled Prowse for an extra attacker. The Storm found the vacant cage with just under a minute to go. Pilgrim swept the puck from Lincoln defenseman Nik Young in the Storm zone, then retrieved it at neutral ice. The North Dakota commit hit the vacant cage from the red line, making it 5-3.

The first two periods of regulation were back-and-forth, with many ties and lead changes.

The Stars were first to score. At the 11:20 mark of the opening period, Brady Cunningham sent a center point snapshot past the glove of Storm netminder Michal Pradel. Cunningham retrieved the puck off a Casey Vandertop feed from the right corner. It was the Bowling Green commit's third marker of the season.

Tri-City tied the contest a few minutes later. In the midst of a Storm power play, Mason Jenson cleaned a rebound off the body of Prowse in the Lincoln crease. A right circle shot was initially stopped by the netminder, setting up Jenson's chance. It was the Ohio State commit's eighth marker of the year.

The Storm produced a shorthanded goal inside the final three minutes of the opening frame. Directly after Lincoln was assessed a delayed penalty, Tri-City worked the puck to an open Cam Springer at the Stars blue line. The Dexter, Michigan native raced on a breakaway toward Prowse, tucking the puck over his left shoulder for Tri-City's fifth shorthanded goal of the campaign.

Lincoln evened the contest at 2-2 with just under nine minutes remaining in the second. Drew DellaSalla tipped a Samuel Hybsky shot from the right wing while screening Pradel, deflecting the puck to the top right corner of the Tri-City net. It was the Harvard commit's first marker since November 21.

The Stars jumped ahead with under two minutes left in the middle frame. Young grabbed a deflected puck near the left wing of Lincoln's offensive zone, then blasted a shot beyond Pradel's blocker side for his fifth goal of the season. Young entered the contest tied for the second most points among all USHL defenseman on the year.

It didn't take long for the Storm to re-tie the game. As play transitioned toward the Stars' zone, Connor Brown raced the puck from neutral ice to the Lincoln net. After bobbling the puck near Prowse, the Estero, Florida native regained control and slid a shot beyond the goaltender's right pad for his second tally in as many games.

Pradel stopped 38 of 41 Lincoln shots for his second-highest save total in one game this season. The Slovakia native picked up his tenth win of the year. Prowse halted 35 of 39 Tri-City attempts.

Tri-City's Bloomer (1-1-2) and Lincoln's DellaSalla (1-1-2) each finished with multiple points. Thursday was Bloomer's fourth multi-point game of the campaign.

Up next: Tri-City continues its three-in-three with Lincoln at Viaero Center on Friday (7:05 pm CT puckdrop) and Saturday (6:05 pm CT puckdrop).

Kid's tickets are $5.00 with the purchase of an adult ticket on Friday courtesy of the FunZone Arcade inside of Pizza Ranch Kearney.

In addition, the Storm are offering Nebraska Lottery Rivalry Packs for Friday and Saturday's matchups. Get four tickets, four hot dogs and four cans of soda for $44. Each pack also includes 10 Nebraska Lottery scratch-off tickets. Limited quantities are available.

To purchase tickets, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person.

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from January 9, 2026


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