Mason Marcellus redirected a shot from Tyler Dunbar at the 14:40 mark of the third period to break a tie and give the Lincoln Stars a 6-4 win over the Omaha Lancers on Friday night at the Liberty First Credit Union Arena.
 

Marcellus scored for a fourth consecutive game as Lincoln (34-19-3-1) reclaimed its first lead since a nearly 13-minute stretch in the early stages of the first period. This four-game goal-scoring streak is the longest of Marcellus's USHL career. His game-winner at the 14:40 mark of the third marked his sixth of the season as the Stars improved to 8-1 against Omaha (16-31-5-4).
 

"I like where our mentality is," head coach Rocky Russo said. "There was no stress on the bench. You could see a little frustration because we were working. We had the puck for most of the first period but didn't have a whole lot to show for it. Our bench mentality stayed positive. Guys were talking about working and doing their jobs and ultimately you get rewarded when you stay the course."
 

Lincoln trailed three different times but rallied to tie the game each time. The Stars and the Lancers were knotted up after each of the first two periods but Lincoln scored twice in each period to earn the road win. Klavs Veinbergs (1+1) and Henry Nelson (0+2) both recorded multi-point nights in the Stars' seventh consecutive win over the Lancers.
 

Tanner Ludtke scored for the third time in the last two games and for the 31st time this season just 2:06 into the game when he cashed in on a wrist shot from atop the left circle. Ludtke is now tied with Jake Richard of Tri-City for the second-most goals in the Western Conference and the sixth-most in the USHL.
 

That 1-0 lead held until there was 5:06 to go in the first when Omaha scored twice in 2:37. The second goal was the first-of-two power-play goals surrounded by the Stars, marking the first time that Lincoln allowed multiple goals while on the penalty kill since Feb. 19. Omaha's first lead of the game lasted 19 seconds as German Yavash scored his fourth goal in a Stars sweater and ninth of the season to send the teams to the locker room tied, 2-2.
 

Matthew Romer scored Omaha's second power play goal of the game at the 5:21 mark of the second on a nice cross-ice feed from Nick Pierre to find Romer backdoor but the Stars again responded. Nelson carried the puck to the net himself and, though he was denied, the Stars would even the game up at 11:11 mark when Brennan Ali followed up his own shot by banking the puck off the chest of goaltender Kevin Pasche from behind the net.
 

The Stars had a quick answer when Yavash scored late in the first and the Lancers outdid their rivals later. Drew Montgomery scored 15 seconds after Ali evened the game up and gave Omaha its final lead of the game. Veinbergs scored his 12th goal of the season and seventh against Omaha at the 17:00 mark to send the teams to the locker room tied up again.
 

Marcellus gave the Stars the lead on a deflection with 5:20 to go and then Doug Grimes scored his 20th of the season on a heave from deep in the Stars end all the way into the empty Omaha net with 16 seconds left in the game.
 

The Stars face the Lancers for a final time in 2022-23 on Saturday night as they host them for a 6:05 p.m. game at the Ice Box. It's Hockey Fights Cancer Night at the Ice Box and the Stars are wearing specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. Tickets can be purchased  here .
 

Save time, every time when you use Online Check-in for a great haircut at Great Clips – proud partner of the Lincoln Stars.

Download their app or check-in online at greatclips.com. Great Clips. It's gonna be great.