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USHL Tri-City Storm

Tri-City Storm's Hot Stretch Ties Team for Conference Lead

January 18, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


The Tri-City Storm is tied for first in the Western Conference with the Lincoln Stars after besting Lincoln and Des Moines this weekend. The Storm is on a seven-game point streak, its longest of the season, and has garnered points in 13 of its last 14 contests.

One of the keys to Tri-City's success is its recent play against the Western Conference. The Storm is 8-0-1-2 in its last eleven conference games, boosting to an overall conference mark of 11-8-3-2.

The Storm prepares for a pair of home games against the second-best team in the USHL, the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Friday is Sammy's Superheroes Night presented by First National Bank, benefitting pediatric cancer research. Tri-City players will wear special, one-night-only jerseys (available for auction after the game) and give six children affected by cancer a "game-day experience".

http://bit.ly/Storm_Tickets

Last Week:

Friday, January 15 vs. Lincoln, W, 4-2 (OT)

Saturday, January 16 at Des Moines, W, 6-3

This Week:

Community Events

Tuesday, January 19, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: Hilltop Mall Player Meet-and-Greet + Fashion Show

Thursday, January 21, 4:00 p.m.: Stormy visits Holdredge YMCA - 4:00 p.m.

Games

Friday, January 22 vs. Lincoln, 7:30 p.m. (Sammy's Superheroes Night)

Saturday, January 23 vs. Dubuque, 7:05 p.m. (Casino Night)

Need to Know:

Two Lines Find Their Way

The Storm has received a majority of its production from two lines this season; the trio of Jake Wahlin-Nico Sturm-Carson Meyer and Dan Labosky-Alex Limoges-Wade Allison.

Friday against Lincoln, Sturm and Wahlin scored the first two goals for the Storm, giving Tri-City energy to outstretch the Stars, 4-2. Wade Allison saved arguably his prettiest goal of the season for late in the second (watch the highlight), when he deked the puck under defenseman Christian Evers and slung it short-side past goalie Peyton Jones. Saturday against Des Moines, the two lines factored on four of six Storm goals. The past four games, the two lines have contributed 12 of Tri-City's 19 goals.

The lines came together after a pair of early-season injuries; Sturm's unit formed when Alex Limoges and Dan Labosky suffered mid-October injuries. Meyer moved up to play with Sturm and Wahlin and has not left the line since.

Meanwhile, Limoges' unit has clicked since the 18-year-old high school senior returned from Injured Reserve Dec. 18 at Sioux City.

The six players have combined for 57 of the Storm's 96 goals (59.3%).

Allison Takes Team West M.V.P.

Wade Allison picked up a goal and assist for Team West Tuesday in Omaha, taking Team West M.V.P. at the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Omaha, Nebraska this Tuesday, Jan. 12. The event featured the top NHL-draft-eligible players in the league. Team East beat Team West, 6-2.

Carson Meyer played on a line with Allison's Team West squad. Both players have been key offensive contributors; Meyer leads the squad with 16 goals and 29 points. Allison has 13 goals and in his last 15 games.

Don't Forget The Defense

While the Storm has been one of the hottest-scoring clubs in the USHL over the past month (36 goals over its last 10 games), Tri-City's defense has held opponents to fewer than three regulation goals in each of its last 14 games.

The streak, which began after a 4-3 loss at Muskegon on Nov. 28, coincides with Tri-City's recent hot stretch; the Storm has one regulation loss over its last 14 games.

Dayton Rasmussen, who made his first Storm appearance Nov. 28, has a 2.04 goals against average and .926 save percentage. Jake Kielly has provided steady goaltending as well, winning his last four starts and boasting a .941 save percentage in January.

The Storm's defensive pairing of Andrew Peski and Tory Dello has been effective recently; Dello is a tied for a team-leading +12 rating, while Peski is a squad-best +10 over the last 14 games.

Other News and Notes

- Jake Kielly is up to second in the league with a .923 save percentage.

- Mattias Goransson has seven goals, tied for most among USHL defenseman, after scoring Saturday at Des Moines.

Standings:

1) Tri-City - 39 points

1) Lincoln - 39 points

3) Omaha - 37 points

4) Sioux Falls - 36 points

5) Sioux City - 35 points

6) Waterloo - 34 points

7) Des Moines - 32 points

8) Fargo - 30 points

Game Recaps:

Game 33 vs. Lincoln: Storm and sell-out crowd deafens Stars, 4-2

In front of a sell-out crowd of 4,002, four Tri-City Storm players scored to double the Lincoln Stars, 4-2, Friday at the Viaero Center.

Nico Sturm, Jake Wahlin, Paul Washe and Wade Allison scored for Tri-City. Washe earned his third multi-point game of the season.

Allison's goal may have his nicest of the season (watch the highlight), deking defenseman Christian Evers out of position before ripping a short-side shot by Peyton Jones.

After the Storm dropped the first four games of the season series, Tri-City ended the eight-game slate with four straight wins against the Stars. The Storm earned nine points in the series (4-3-0-1), while Lincoln earned eight.

No Storm skater finished with a "minus" rating, nine Tri-City players had points and Jake Kielly made 22 saves to outduel Peyton Jones.

After scoring two goals in the first and the second to hold a 4-2 lead after two, Tri-City's stifling defense allowed four shots to the Stars in the third.

Game 34 at Des Moines: Third-period surge carries Tri-City to 6-3 win

The Storm tied its most-productive period of the year, scoring four goals in the third, to tear the Des Moines Buccaneers, 6-3, Saturday at Buccaneer Arena.

After falling behind, 3-2, with 15 minutes left, Mattias Goransson responded with a power-play goals less than a minute after the Bucs took the lead.

After Goransson's seventh of the season, Monte Graham scored against the Bucs for the second time this season about three minutes later to give the Storm a lead it did not surrender. Carson Meyer finished off Des Moines with consecutive goals, including an empty-net tally. Meyer leads Tri-City with 16 goals.

While the offense found its way, Jake Kielly turned in a 36-save performance in his second straight day of work. This weekend was first time this season Kielly has started on consecutive days. He is 3-2-1 when appearing on consecutive days.

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Check out a pair of Storm home games next Friday, Jan. 22, and Saturday, Jan. 23 against the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Friday at 7:30 p.m. is Sammy's Superheroes Night as the Storm hopes to cure pediatric cancer with Sammy's Superheroes Foundation. Tri-City will wear one-time only specialty jerseys.

Saturday at 7:05 p.m. is Casino Night, with fun prizes handed out at the Viaero Center. Plus, it's a Coca Cola Family Four Pack, with four tickets, hot dogs, cokes and chips for $44.

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



United States Hockey League Stories from January 18, 2016


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