Weekend Preview: January 26-27, 2023
Published on January 26, 2023 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
STARS vs. BLACK HAWKS
When: Friday, Jan. 27 at 7:05 p.m.
Where: Young Arena
Watch: Flo Hockey (flohockey.tv/live/45935)
Listen: Mixlr (mixlr.com/lincoln-stars)
STARS vs. BUCCANEERS
When: Saturday, Jan. 28 at 6 p.m.
Where: Buccaneer Arena
Watch: Flo Hockey (flohockey.tv/live/45972)
Listen: Mixlr (mixlr.com/lincoln-stars)
LINCOLN (20-11-1)
The Stars suffered back-to-back losses last weekend for the first time in their last 13 games. This Friday is the first matchup with Waterloo since a pair of games Nov. 18-19, which the Stars lost 6-2 and 2-1, respectively. Saturday is the fourth regular-season meeting with Des Moines, whom the Stars are 3-0 against (4-3, Oct. 22; 4-2, Nov. 12; 3-2, Nov. 25).
Lincoln scored three power-play goals against the Musketeers, but were held to three goals total. The Stars' power play has been on a tear lately as they have scored on 38.4-percent of man-advantage opportunities since returning to game action from the holiday break on Dec. 30. Lincoln has scored two-or-more power-play goals four times in the last eight games.
WATERLOO (21-12)
The Black Hawks' seven-game win streak came to an end last Saturday with a 3-2 loss to Dubuque but that streak from Dec. 31-Jan. 20 tied for their season-best and the longest winning streak in the USHL. Waterloo has rallied back from three-goal deficits to enter the third period three times in its last six games. The most recent instance came last Friday when the Black Hawks trailed the then-league-leading Chicago Steel 5-2 after 40 minutes but rallied to win. Waterloo outshot Chicago 25-0 in the third and scored three times in the final 1:40 to steal two points on the road.
Waterloo made news a week ago by acquiring Miko Matikka from the Madison Capitols. The Black Hawks surrendered a couple of draft picks in the 2023 USHL Draft and forward Oliver Flynn but received a player who now has 37 points (17+20) in 30 games. Matikka, a 2022 third-round pick by the Arizona Coyotes, scored his first goal for Waterloo last Saturday and is tied for sixth in the USHL in points.
DES MOINES (12-16-4-2)
The Buccaneers enter the weekend on a four-game slide at 0-3-1 since Jan. 13. Des Moines went into the holiday break on a three-game win streak but is 1-7-1 since Dec. 29. Seven of those games came on the road but 12 of their next 16 games will be at Buccaneer Arena beginning this weekend. The Buccaneers are 8-5-1 at the "Madhouse on Hickman."
Despite dropping all three games to Lincoln this season every meeting in the season series has been tight. The Buccaneers held third-period leads in two-of-the-three games and have limited the Stars to no more than two power plays per game and only one goal on the man advantage. Jan Korec has been in between the pipes for two-of-three games against the Stars and has a 3.05 goals-against average with an .896 save percentage vs. Lincoln.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Point Streaks: Stars forwards Tanner Ludtke and Mason Marcellus have picked up at least one point in all eight games since returning from the holiday break. Their respective point streaks are tied for the longest in the USHL. Marcellus is one point off matching his longest point streak, a nine-game stretch from Sep. 22-Oct. 29. Ludtke's current streak is his longest of the season, surpassing his seven-game stretch from Sep. 22-Oct. 22. Marcellus has scored three goals and added nine assists since Dec. 30 while Ludtke has six goals and six assists in the last eight games.
Road Swing: This weekend mark the Stars' second and third consecutive road games. Lincoln is 9-8 away from the Ice Box and will play eight of its next 13 games away from the Capital City. A key for the Stars has been getting out to early leads and hanging onto them. Lincoln is 9-0 when leading after one period, 7-0 when leading after two periods and is 7-3 when scoring first away from the Ice Box.
Bouncing Back: The Stars are 7-4 after losses in the 2022-23 season. They have not lost more than two consecutive games this year. In the Stars' three previous games following back-to-back losses they shut out Omaha, 1-0, on Nov. 4, beat Tri-City, 5-3, on Nov. 23 and defeated Fargo, 2-1, on Dec. 3.
NEXT HOME GAMES
Feb. 3 vs. Sioux Falls, 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 4 vs. Sioux City, 6:05 p.m.
A busy three-game weekend for the Stars opens up with the air of home games against two teams who have previously only played a combined two games at the Ice Box this season. Purchase tickets for both games and you'll receive a half-price value of $16 here.
United States Hockey League Stories from January 26, 2023
- Oliver Moberg Announces Commitment to Clarkson University - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Lumberjacks Been Struggling a Bit on the Ice, But Not at the Gate, with Big Crowds Pouring in for Home Games - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Weekend Preview: Home and Home with Green Bay Kicks off Friday - Madison Capitols
- MacDonald Traded to San Jose - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Gamblers Weekend Preview - Green Bay Gamblers
- Weekend Preview: January 26-27, 2023 - Lincoln Stars
- The Forecast: Storm Set to Battle Force in Frosty Cup - Tri-City Storm
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