Men's Ice Hockey 12/15/2023 11:14:00 PM Joel Norman

STARS TAKE TEDDY BEAR TOSS MATCHUP WITH STORM

PECHAR SCORES TEDDY BEAR TOSS GOAL

The Lincoln Stars scored three times in a 2:56 span early in the second period to defeat the Tri-City Storm, 4-2, on Friday night at the Ice Box.

Lincoln (8-15-0-2) earned its first win when trailing after the first period thanks in part to 35 saves from Yan Shostak. He stopped 16-of-17 shots in the second period and did not allow anything in the third while protecting a one-goal lead. Shostak has allowed three goals or less in 11-of-15 games that he has been between the pipes.

"We talked about his ability to stay consistent," head coach Rocky Russo said. "His ability to give us an opportunity to win every night. I thought he responded really well to that and he's gotten comfortable."

Jack Pechar moved into the team lead for goals scored with his 10th of the season at the 2:40 mark of the second. He glided in from the right point and wired a shot past Ivan Zhigalov to tie the game and send the teddy bears to the ice on Teddy Bear Toss Night. Pechar has now scored back-to-back goals at home after his previous seven had all come away from the Ice Box.

Griffin Brown's wrist shot at the 4:13 mark of the second hit off an opposing stick to redirect through the five hole of Zhigalov. Brown's first USHL goal came in his fourth game with the Stars after debuting for the team a week ago.

"I was in shock, really," Brown said. "I thought it went off Mangs and then he said no so I got really excited in that moment."

His tally gave the Stars the lead for good and then Justin Mexico cashed in on the breakaway at the 5:36 mark to cap the frantic stretch for his second goal of the season and first at home.

Tri-City (12-9-1-1) opened the scoring on Ryan Smith's 10th goal of the season at the 5:31 mark of the first but wouldn't cash in again until after the Stars' onslaught in the opening five-and-a-half minutes of the second period. Dallas Vieau delivered a power-play goal at the 7:57 mark to bring the Storm within one, but it was the closest that they would get.

Keaton Peters added an empty-net goal with 16.6 seconds to go to give him nine goals in his last nine games and to restore a two-goal lead for Lincoln.

The Stars take on the Storm again tomorrow night, this time at the Viareo Center to wrap up the weekend home-and-home set. The final game before the holiday break begins at 6:05 p.m. with pregame coverage on Mixlr and FloHockey beginning at 5:40.

"We've just got to work on our offense," Mexico said. "Get more pucks to the net and get bodies to the net. Overall I think we will have no problem doing that tomorrow."

Print Friendly Version