Men's Ice Hockey 3/23/2024 9:31:00 PM Joel Norman

STARS FALL TO STAMPEDE ON ROAD SATURDAY

PETERS, OLIVER SCORE FOR LINCOLN

Zach Nearing recorded a hat trick and the Sioux Falls Stampede defeated the Lincoln Stars, 7-2, on Saturday night at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

Lincoln (23-27-3-2) and Sioux Falls (26-24-5-1) combined for six goals in the second period but it was the Stampede who netted four of them. The Stars got goals from Dashel Oliver and Keaton Peters in the loss.

The two teams seemed poised to head into the locker room scoreless after the opening period if not for Nearing redirecting a cross-ice feed from Hunter Anderson at the edge of the crease far-post side with 13.9 seconds remaining.

After Sioux Falls struck two more times in the opening 3:09 of the second Oliver scored his 11th of the season and second in as many days. Peters stole the puck behind the net, wrapped it around near-side and fed Oliver all alone in front to put the Stars on the board 4:47 into the second.

Peters helped the Stars again cut the deficit to two after two more Stampede goals followed Oliver's. He whacked home a rebound on the man advantage for his team-leading 21st goal at the 17-minute mark of the second. Peter's moved into a tie for the team lead with his fifth power-play goal and also scored against Sioux Falls for the sixth time in five matchups. Adam Kleber picked up the secondary assist to earn his fourth assist in the last five games.

The Stampede struck seven seconds after the Peters goal and then twice in the third to cap the scoring.

With the loss combined with Des Moines' shootout loss to Omaha, the Stars and the Buccaneers are now tied for sixth place and the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Des Moines travels to Omaha on Sunday and can move into sole possession of sixth place with a point of any type.

Lincoln has seven games remaining in the season and returns home for its STEM game on Wednesday morning against the Lancers. The puck drops at 11 a.m. in the first of six consecutive home games. Tickets can be purchased at lincolnstars.com.

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