Cole Crusberg-Roseen netted a go-ahead power-play goal in the third period and the Lincoln Stars defeated the Sioux City Musketeers, 5-3, on Saturday night at the Tyson Events Center.

Lincoln (8-3) was outshot for the fourth consecutive game but Cameron Whitehead delivered again in net with a season-high 36 saves to pick up his sixth win of the season. The Stars netminder made 66 saves in a pair of wins this weekend and now leads the USHL in wins (six), is third in goals-against average (2.14) and is fourth in save percentage (.922).

"If he's not the goalie of the week in the league then I'm not sure who else deserves it," head coach Rocky Russo said. "Man, was he good in the tail end of the second period and all of the third and he's the reason why we got a big win tonight."

Lincoln's third power play opportunity proved to be the difference in the victory. Carson Budyens drew his third penalty of the game in his second game with the Stars after he was tripped at the 8:53 mark of the third. Crusberg-Roseen scored 18 seconds later on a wrist shot from just inside the blue line after a faceoff win for his first goal of the season.

"I've been shooting it a lot hoping to see one hit the back of the net," Crusberg-Roseen said. "(Klavs Veinbergs) won it back, (Jared Mangan) fed it over and I just saw some net so I shot it. Luckily it hit the back of the net. I had the thought of hitting Klavs on the one-timer but once I saw the net I knew I had to shoot it."

Mason Marcellus and Veinbergs both recorded multi-point games in the win as Marcellus scored and added an assist while Veinbergs picked up apples on two goals.

Marcellus helped set up the Stars' first goal of the game as he fed Doug Grimes on a two-on-one that Grimes fired top shelf in the right corner to put the Stars on the board first 1:51 into the game. That game-opening tally was Grimes' sixth goal of the season and third on the road. He is two goals and two assists from matching last season's high marks in both categories.

That lead didn't last long as Sioux City answered 41 seconds later to tie the game. Things got worse for the Stars as Grimes received a five minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding midway through the period. The Stars were able to kill off the length penalty but lost their team's second-leading goal scorer for the rest of the night.

Sioux City took the lead at the 1:40 mark of the second but the Stars answered just under seven minutes later when Marcellus netted his fourth of the season. Dashel Oliver hustled up ice on the forecheck and was able to feed Marcellus from beneath the goal line. Marcellus picked his spot in the top-left corner to recorded his fourth multi-point game of the season and even the game at 2-2.

Ben Poitras gave Sioux City its second lead of the game at 14:06 with a power-play goal on a wrist shot atop the right-wing faceoff circle, but it was the Musketeers' final goal of the night. Lincoln answered 2:19 later when Boston Buckberger's slapper from just inside the blue line struck Jack Larrigan and redirected into the back of the net. Crusberg-Roseen gave the the Stars the lead in the third before Daniel Sambuco scored on an empty net from behind the red line with just over two minutes remaining in regulation.

Whitehead made his finest stop of the weekend, and perhaps of the season, shortly after Crusberg-Roseen's go-ahead goal. A three-on-two rush by the Musketeers led to a one-timer opportunity near post side for Ryan Conmy but Whitehead extended his right leg to make a tremendous pad save.

Lincoln moved back into first place in the West with a pair of weekend wins and Fargo splitting two games against Tri-City. The Stars sit one point ahead of the Force and can add to their division lead next weekend as they travel to Omaha on Friday for a 7:05 p.m. game before hosting Des Moines on Saturday. The 6:05 p.m. meeting with the Buccaneers is Military Night at the Ice Box and a postgame jersey auction will follow. Tickets can be purchased now at lincolnstars.com.