Tri-City Opens Two-Game Set with Muskegon on Teddy Bear Toss Night at Viaero Center
USHL Tri-City Storm

Tri-City Opens Two-Game Set with Muskegon on Teddy Bear Toss Night at Viaero Center

Published on December 12, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


KEARNEY, Neb. - The Tri-City Storm begin a two-game series with the Muskegon Lumberjacks Friday night at Viaero Center. Puckdrop is set for 7:05 pm CT.

Friday is Tri-City's annual Teddy Bear Toss night. Bring a stuffed animal to throw on the ice after the first Storm goal. All animals will be donated to charity.

Kids tickets are $5 on Friday with the purchase of an adult ticket courtesy of the FunZone Arcade inside of Pizza Ranch Kearney.

Toys-for-tots will additionally be at the game this evening. Fans can bring a newly-packaged toy that will be given to children throughout the United States this holiday season.

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

Fans can watch the contest on FloHockey and listen on Storm Radio.

Tri-City (9-15-4, 22 pts, 5th place Western Conf.)

Previously:

Collected 4-3 road win over Omaha in shootout Wednesday

Was down 3-1 in third period, used Brecken Smith and Paul Bloomer goals to even game

Ashton Dahms also scored in regulation

Smith, Oliver Ozogany netted goals in shootout to seal victory

Owen Nelson stopped 23 of 26 Lancer shots en route to his second win of season

Team Notes:

Tonight: first Tri-City home game since Saturday, November 22 vs. Lincoln; Storm completed season-long stretch of six games away from Viaero Center Wednesday at Omaha

Snapped season-long six-game losing streak Wednesday, the team's longest skid since April 2021

Winless in 12 of past 14 games

Penalty kill (84.3%) ranks first in USHL

Averaging 10.32 penalty minutes per game, second-least among USHL teams (Fargo)

Wednesday: Paul Bloomer's game-tying third period goal was first Tri-City's power play marker in 35 attempts; last time Storm produced power play tally was November 7 vs. Waterloo

Wednesday: First time scoring more than one goal in game since Friday, November 21 (3-2 win vs. Sioux City)

Played 28 games this year, tied with Omaha for most among USHL teams

Player Notes:

Carson Pilgrim and Bode Laylin: missing Tri-City's games in early December while representing Team USA at 2025 World Junior A Challenge; tournament runs until Saturday in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec; Team USA is made of players who play in junior hockey leagues across the U.S.

Team USA is 2-1 in tournament after defeating Canada West 4-0 on Wednesday to finish preliminary round action; Laylin logged an assist in Wednesday's contest; Americans face Sweden in semifinal tonight at 7:00 pm ET

Michal Pradel: leads all USHL goaltenders in saves (522), places third in minutes (1150), goals against average (2.71) ranks tenth

Bode Laylin: three goals tie for fifth among USHL defenseman, 14 points tie for tenth among defenseman; three power play goals tie for second among defenseman, 51 shots tie for fifth among defenseman

Oliver Ozogany: ranks fourth among USHL rookies in shots (47)

Maddox Malmquist: ties for second among USHL rookies in game-winning goals (2)

Cooper Ernewein: fifth among USHL rookies in shooting percentage (three goals on 15 shots, 20%)

Carson Pilgrim (7-8-15) leads team in scoring followed by Bode Laylin (3-11-14)

Muskegon (20-5-0, 40 pts, 1st place Eastern Conf.)

Has won five consecutive games

Swept Fargo in pair of home matchups across Friday (2-1 W) and Saturday (5-3 W)

Saturday: Tynan Lawrence and Jake Stuart each scored twice, Chuck Blanchard contributed a third period empty net goal

Saturday: Carl Axelsson stopped 22 of 25 Force shots

Tonight: first road game since Wednesday, November 26 at U.S. NTDP

Melvin Novotny (14-15-29) leads team in scoring and ties for sixth among all USHL skaters in points; Drew Stewart (13-10-23) follows

Season series: Friday and Saturday are the lone matchups between Tri-City and Muskegon this year. The Lumberjacks took both meetings in the season series a year ago, sweeping a two-game set between the teams across February 7-8 at Trinity Health Arena.

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from December 12, 2025


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