Men's Ice Hockey 11/15/2024 11:39:00 PM Joel Norman

KOHANSKI SCORES TWICE, STARS EARN COMMANDING WIN VS. STEEL

FOURTH TIME SCORING FIVE-OR-MORE GOALS THIS SEASON

The Lincoln Stars scored three times in two periods to earn their third shutout of the season with a 7-0 win over the Chicago Steel on Friday night at the Fox Valley Ice Arena.

Kade Kohanski scored twice and Lincoln (12-5-0-0) lit the lamp three times on the power play to score five-or-more goals in a game for the first time since doing so in three of the first four games of the season.

Layne Loomer led all Stars with four points (1+3) while Kohanski, Jack Pechar (0+3), Etienne Lessard (0+2) and Matt Maltais (1+1) also recorded multi-point nights. Yan Shostak stopped all 23 shots to earn his third shutout of the season.

"That was probably the hardest that we played all year long," head coach Rocky Russo said. "The power play was buzzing tonight but the message in the locker room at the end of the second was that nothing was accomplished and we were here to play 60 (minutes) and we're going to play this game the right way. We're going to focus on our process and not the results. The guys really bought in to that and they competed hard. When you do that it's a lot of fun because you get the results that you're looking for."

The Stars recorded a season-high 50 shots on goal, their most in a game since firing 51 on net against Waterloo Mar. 31, 2023. Friday's effort blew past the Stars previous single-game high this season of 39 at Omaha Nov. 2. Lincoln led 4-0 after two periods but recorded its highest volume of shots in the third by outshooting Chicago (6-10-2-0) 24-5 in the third period.

Kohanski put Lincoln on the board first with his first goal of the night 10 seconds after the expiration of his own penalty. Kohanski glided in on the left wing and slipped the puck through goaltender Louka Cloutier to mark the ninth time that the Stars have scored first this season.

"Came out of the penalty box and got a nice stretch pass from Pechar," Kohanski said. "Drove it wide and got a lucky bounce through his arm."

Lincoln entered the second period on a carryover power play and only needed 34 seconds to double up its lead as Layne Loomer redirected a one-timer from Etienne Lessard at the point. Loomer's fifth goal was also his third power-play goal, moving him into a tie with Caeden Herrington for the team lead.

Loomer picked up an assist not long after when he cut to the net from the right wing on a mini breakaway and tried to switch from the backhand to forehand but had his stick lifted on a back check. Daniel Shlaine found the loose puck near side and backhanded it into the net to make it 3-0 less than two-and-a-half minutes into the second stanza.

Thirteen minutes later another backhander put the Stars up 4-0 when Alex Pelletier netted his sixth goal of the campaign. Dashel Oliver's initially shot was stopped but Pelletier cleaned it up with a backhander five-hole at the 15:23 mark.

Lincoln earned a five-minute power-play a minute into the third period on a spearing penalty. Matt Maltais whacked home a rebound far-post on a chaotic net-front scramble 44 seconds into the power play. Gio DiGiulian sniped a shot top-right corner

Loomer whacked home rebound off a shot from Etienne Lessard at the 6:19 mark of the third for the Stars' seventh and final goal of the night.

The Stars conclude the trip to Geneva Saturday night at 7:05. Lincoln's next home game is Nov. 27 when it faces the Tri-City Storm at the Ice Box the night before Thanksgiving. Purchase a Blackout Wednesday package to get four tickets and two drink vouchers for $75 plus tax.

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