Men's Ice Hockey 4/25/2023 1:41:00 AM

STARS TAKE GAME 1 VS. DES MOINES

POSTGAME ARTICLE PRESENTED BY GREAT CLIPS

Doug Grimes scored a goal and added two assists as the Lincoln Stars defeated the Des Moines Buccaneers, 5-2, in Game 1 of the First Round of the 2023 Clark Cup Playoffs on Monday night at the Ice Box.

Lincoln took a 1-0 lead in the series and can clinch a spot in the second round with a win on Tuesday night when it faces Des Moines again at 7:05.

"I thought we played really well in the first period," head coach Rocky Russo said. "We got them on their heels and were feeling good heading into the first intermission. I thought we played just okay in the second and quite frankly the rest of the game I didn't think we were great. We told them specifically that (Des Moines) would have a huge push in the first five minutes of the second period and I think they had five shots and we weren't ready. The good part was we were able to get ourselves back again."

The Stars jumped on the Buccaneers early by outshooting them, 41-17, including 19-2 in the first period. Lincoln scored twice in each of the first two periods before Des Moines tallied two goals in the opening 4:10 mark of the third. Grimes netted the dagger at the 12:24 mark of the third to give the Stars a three-goal lead again.

"It was huge to start hot," Grimes said. "We always preach on that before the game from the start of the season to now. It's one of our characteristics, is getting out hot. We feel like when we come out hot and set the tone early we can feed off that the rest of the game, keep it going and build on it."

Jack Larrigan opened the scoring at the 2:42 mark of the first when Mason Marcellus fed him from behind the net to get Lincoln on the board first. Cole Crusberg-Roseen doubled up the lead heading into the locker room by one-timing a feed from Tyler Dunbar at the 15:50 mark.

Tanner Ludtke scored the game-winning goal at the 5:28 mark of the third to make it 3-0, Stars, at the time on a breakaway set up by Grimes. Patrick Raftery struck late in the frame on a three-on-one moments after a Stars' penalty expired as Marcellus recorded his second assist of the night.

"Mason made a great pass to me," Raftery said. "I had a lot of space so I took the space to my advantage and just let it go low far-side. We've got to be ready for their start (tomorrow) because they're going to come out like their lives are on the line. We've got to be able to weather the storm to start, play our game and be good."

Lincoln never trailed on Monday and can close out the series on Tuesday. All mezzanine seats are on sale for $10 and can be purchased at lincolnstars.com. The winner of this series moves on to face the Waterloo Black Hawks this weekend on the road.

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