Men's Ice Hockey 4/28/2023 11:12:00 PM

STARS TAKE GAME 1 AT WATERLOO

POSTGAME ARTICLE PRESENTED BY GREAT CLIPS

Brennan Ali and Klavs Veinbergs both scored twice as the Lincoln Stars defeated the Waterloo Black Hawks, 7-2, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Friday night at Young Arena.

The Stars never trailed and scored three times in the second and third periods to take a 1-0 lead in the series. They can advance to the Western Conference Finals with a win on Saturday night.

"This group believes in each other," head coach Rocky Russo said. "They believe in our identity. They believe in our culture and they fight for it. We knew this would be a tough weekend and nothing is accomplished yet."

The turning point in the game came early in the second period. Sam Rinzel scored a power-play goal on a one-timer to tie the game up, 1-1, 2:20 into the frame. The Stars answered 28 seconds later when Patrick Raftery scooped up a loose puck and scored amidst a collision between Keaton Peters and Black Hawks goaltender Emmett Croteau. Lincoln scored five consecutive goals after Rinzel evened the game up.

Ali scored the overtime winner to clinch a first round series victory on Tuesday and he opened up the second round with a goal. Jimmy Jurcev's wrist shot from the far circle hit the near post and then perfectly ricocheted off the skates of Croteau to Ali back door for an easy tap in. He scored his second of the game on a two-on-one rush the other way in the third period during a four-on-four sequence at the 4:46 mark to make it 5-1, Stars.

Veinbergs gave the Stars insurance with both of his goals. He redirected a shot from Boston Buckberger at the 10:36 mark of the second and then one-timed a feed from Jared Mangan on the power play at the 8:32 mark of the second.

Tanner Ludtke scored for a third straight game with a power-play goal from inside the far circle at the 12:12 mark of the second. He and Ali are tied for the team lead with three goals this postseason.

Cameron Whitehead stopped a season-high 44 shots to improve to a perfect 3-0 this postseason.

Tyler Dunbar added an empty-net goal in the third period for his third goal in the last four games going back to the end of the regular season.

The Stars face the Black Hawks at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday in Game 2. If Lincoln wins, then it advanced to face the winner of the Tri-City vs. Fargo series. If Waterloo wins, then the Stars and the Black Hawks will play again at 3:05 p.m on Sunday.

"We've just got to be ready," Veinbergs said. "We've got to keep our head down from the start."

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