USHL Tri-City Storm

Tri-City Storm's Playoff Experience Highlights Entrance to Clark Cup Playoffs

Published on April 11, 2016 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


The Tri-City Storm prepares for the opening round of the Clark Cup Playoffs against the Sioux Falls Stampede after completing the regular season Saturday.

Tri-City enters the Clark Cup Playoffs as the number-one seed in the Western Conference, finishing the regular season 28-15-10-7 (73 points), tied for the fewest regulation losses in the league. The Lincoln Stars and Waterloo Black Hawks match up in the other Western Conference opening-round series. There are three rounds in the Clark Cup Playoffs and all are best-of-five series.

The Storm opens the Western Conference Semifinals with a pair of home games against the Herd this Thursday, April 14 and Friday, April 15. Both games start at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are now on sale. Kids tickets are $5 for the playoffs. http://bit.ly/Storm_Tickets

Tri-City is in the postseason for the second straight season and looks for a measure of payback against Sioux Falls; in 2014-15, the Herd bested the Storm in the Western Conference Finals, three-games-to-one. Sioux Falls is the reigning Clark Cup Champions.

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

Last Week:

Friday, April 8 at Omaha, L, 5-4

Saturday, April 9 vs. Omaha, L, 5-4 (OT)

Western Conference Semifinals Schedule:

GAME 1: Thursday, April 14, 7:05 p.m. (Viaero Center) - Sioux Falls vs. Storm

GAME 2: Friday, April 15, 7:05 p.m. (Viaero Center) - Sioux Falls vs. Storm

GAME 3: Friday, April 22, 7:05 p.m. (Denny Sanford PREMIER CENTER) - Storm at Sioux Falls

GAME 4 (if necessary) : Sunday, April 24, 7:05 p.m. (Denny Sanford PREMIER CENTER) - Storm at Sioux Falls

GAME 5 (if necessary): Tuesday, April 26, 7:05 p.m. (Viaero Center) - Sioux Falls vs. Storm

Practice Schedule

Monday, April 11, 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, April 12, 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 13, 3:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 14, 10:30 a.m. (morning skate -only involves players that are not enrolled at Kearney High School)

Need to Know:

Playoff Experience

Eight players on the Storm combine for 55 games of Clark Cup Playoffs experience entering the 2015-16 postseason. This season's leadership group played a large role in Tri-City's run to the Western Conference Finals in 2015. Captain Tory Dello and assistant captains Mattias Goransson, Dan Labosky and Jake Wahlin played in all seven of the Storm's Clark Cup Playoff games.

Defenseman Jason Krych appeared in three playoff games with the Storm. Wade Allison, Tri-City's second leading scorer with 25 goals and 47 points, played in seven Clark Cup Playoff games last season.

This series also holds importance to the Storm's Walker Duehr, who is from Sioux Falls. In 2015, Duehr played with the Sioux City Musketeers, who dropped to Sioux Falls in the first round.

Max Humitz, playing in his last Clark Cup Playoffs, made the Finals last season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Humitz contributed two goals and four points in 12 games. Muskegon fell, three-games-to-zero, in the Clark Cup Finals to Sioux Falls. Humitz is a fourth-year USHL forward from Livonia, Michigan who was acquired by the Storm on February 2 from the Lumberjacks.

Storm Assistant Coach Ben Gordon won the Clark Cup in 2003 with the Lincoln Stars.

Do not discount non-USHL playoff experience; last season, goaltender Jake Kielly and forward Nico Sturm made the Robertson Cup Finals (NAHL) with the Austin Bruins.

Duhaime comes alive

Forward Brandon Duhaime scored goals in consecutive games against the Omaha Lancers this weekend, the first time the 18 year old has scored on consecutive days in a Storm uniform.

On Friday, Duhaime tied the game at four halfway through the third period. Saturday, Duhaime deflected Mattias Goransson's wrist shot with 30.5 seconds left to force overtime against Omaha.

Two of Duhaime's five goals have come in the final minute; in his third game, February 19, Duhaime scored with 39 seconds left to tie the Storm and Stampede.

Acquired from the Chicago Steel on February 6, the 18-year-old winger has found a place in multiple situations, frequently contributing on the power play and penalty kill. The native of Parkland, Florida is often the left winger on a line with center Nico Sturm and right winger Carson Meyer.

In 18 games with the Storm, Duhaime has ten points.

Hawk strikes

Brian Hawkinson scored his first goal of the season with 6:30 left in the third period Saturday against the Omaha Lancers. After receiving a pass from Jake Wahlin, Hawkinson spun and backhanded the puck while inverting his back to the goalie Zack Skog.

The 18-year-old senior at Kearney High School was surrounded by almost ten teammates on the ice after giving the Storm a 3-2 lead. Wahlin immediately requested the puck from the officials to hand to Hawkinson. While going through the handshake line, goaltender Jake Kielly accidentally clipped Hawkinson around the neck, knocking the excited winger to the ice.

Known for his defensive mentality, Hawkinson frequently penalty kills and blocks shots, a responsibility he accepts to contribute to the team. The 5-foot-10, 160-lb. forward hails from Aurora, Colorado. Hawkinson and Storm teammate Carson Meyer are committed to Miami University.

Quick Sioux Falls scouting report

The Stampede won six straight games from March 19 - April 8, its longest win streak of the season, to catapult it into the fourth and final playoff spot. Tied with the Fargo Force at 64 points entering the final weekend, the Herd won on April 8, 2-1, to clinch the postseason. Entering play on March 19, Sioux Falls had 54 points, two behind Fargo for the fourth spot.

Goalie Stefanos Lekkas, who backstopped the Stampede to a Clark Cup Championship last season, emerged as a wrecking ball during the hot streak. From March 19 to the end of the season, Lekkas went 6-0-0-0 with a 1.48 save percentage and a .961 save perecentage, both best in the league. He allowed nine goals over the six games.

Defenseman Joe Rutkowski had three goals and six points in the final seven games, while forward Parker Tuomie led the bunch with four goals and seven points. Both have been key offensive contributors this season. Rutkowski had 33 points, third on the team and best among Herd defenseman. Tuomie lead Sioux Falls with 30 goals and 54 points.

Tri-City earned points in five of six games against Sioux Falls, going 3-1-2-0. The Storm played the Herd in three straight games from November 14-21 and February 12-19.

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from April 11, 2016


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