Men's Ice Hockey 9/28/2024 10:08:00 PM Joel Norman

MONTGOMERY OT GOAL SECURES FOUR-POINT WEEKEND

STARS SWEEP GAMBLERS AT HOME

Blake Montgomery scored twice, including in overtime, to give the Lincoln Stars a 5-4 win over the Green Bay Gamblers on Saturday night at the Ice Box.

Lincoln (3-1-0-0) overcame surrendering a three-goal lead when Montgomery dashed in alone on a breakaway and scored 2:24 into overtime.

Daniel Shlaine scored and added two assists to give him six points over the weekend (4+2). He leads the USHL in goals (5) and points (7) through the first four games of the season.

The Stars took a 4-1 lead after a one-timer from Etienne Lessard from the right dot on a five-on-three power play at the 4:48 mark of the third. That goal marked the fourth consecutive by Lincoln but Green Bay (1-3-0-0) broke it up with a second-period tally before striking twice in the third to tie it up. Aidan Park's power-play goal 7:41 into the third forced overtime.

The Gamblers scored first on a Lincoln defensive zone turnover but the Stars awoke with three goals before the buzzer sounded on the opening frame. Montgomery received a cross-ice pass from Jack Pechar in the neutral zone on the left-wing side and sped past the defense 8:57 into the game. Shlaine lobbed the puck from the far wall to Dashel Oliver in front of the net for a redirection at 11:28 of the first and then fired home what seemed to be a harmless shot from just inside the blue line at the 17:47 mark.

Through 13 periods of hockey the Stars have now scored at least three goals in a period three times. Lincoln leads the USHL with 20 goals, six more than the next-closest team (USA NTDP). Thirteen different Stars have already scored while 17 have at least one point.

Lincoln scored another power-play goal Saturday night on Lessard's second-period rocket. The Stars have scored on the man advantage in each of the last three games and have five power-play goals in that span. Lincoln's 35.7 power-play percentage (5-for-14) leads the USHL.

Lessard's goal was his first USHL tally. Seven different Stars have already lit the lamp for their first USHL goal. William Prowse earned his first USHL win in his first start by stopping 21 shots.

Print Friendly Version