Jimmy Jurcev's first USHL goal was the game-winner as the Stars stretch their winning streak to a season-best five games with a 5-4 win over the Sioux Falls Stampede on Saturday night at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.
Tanner Ludtke scored twice while Daniel Sambuco and Jared Mangan also tallied to give the Stars a comeback victory.
Ludtke opened the scoring with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle to put Lincoln up 1-0 shortly after a Stars' power-play had expired at the 5:20 mark of the first. That gave Ludtke his 20th goal of the season, making him the 10th player in the USHL to hit that mark.
The lead wouldn't last long though as the Stampede scored the equalizer 37 seconds later and cashed in two more times before the period ended.
"I thought we played really bad in the first period," head coach Rocky Russo said. "The mistakes we made were self-inflicted. We went into the locker room and we talked about our willingness to do things the right way and what time of team are we. We talked all week about how resilient we are and how we never give up and I said 'here's a perfect example. A perfect opportunity for you to prove that, to really buy in to what our identity is and to live it.'"
The Stars answered by scoring the game's next four goals, including the only two of the second period. Sambuco slid a puck past goaltender Xavier Medina for his seventh of the season and fifth away from the Ice Box at the 6:11 mark of the second. Mangan evened the game up at the 19:02 mark by one-touching a pass from the corner from Jack Larrigan through the five-hole of Medina.
Ludtke gave the Stars the lead on a one-timer in between the two circles off a pass from Brennan Ali along the far wall. That gave Ludtke his sixth multi-goal game of the season and the Stars their first lead of the night since his first goal of the game.
Jurcev took a pass from Marcellus, skated in from the blue line and lined up his shot perfectly for his first of the season to give the Stars a two-goal lead at 9:26 of the third.
"I honestly didn't know what to think at first, "Jurcev said. "It took me a minute to realize that it went in. I was just happy to give us a little cushion and eventually the win. Scoring goals is fun and especially in a big game like that where we are trying to get our first win of the year."
The Stampede scored a breakaway goal to cut the deficit to one but couldn't not even the game up in the final minutes with the net empty.
The Stars improved to 4-2 against the Stampede with two more games remaining in the season series Feb. 24-25. Lincoln has the next two days off before hosting the Des Moines Buccaneers on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. at the Ice Box. Purchase two tickets for a half-price value or you can purchase a Stars' Valentine's Day Package that includes two tickets, one bear and a $10 food and beverage coupon for $43. Purchase tickets for Valentine's Day here.
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