Men's Ice Hockey 1/24/2025 9:24:00 PM Joel Norman

STARS EXTEND WINNING STREAK TO FIVE GAMES

MOVE BACK INTO SOLE POSSESSION OF FIRST PLACE

The Lincoln Stars extended their winning streak to five games with a 5-2 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers on Friday night at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex.

Dashel Oliver and Bruno Idzan both scored and added an assist apiece. Five different Stars lit the lamp and they have now scored 37 goals over their last five games while leading the USHL with 150 goals.

Lincoln (24-11-1-0) moved back into first place in the Western Conference for the first time since early December with the combination of its win and Sioux Falls' 3-2 loss at Dubuque.

Gio DiGiulian needed less than a minute to score his 13th goal of the season. He one-touched Idzan's pass from the left-wing circle glove-side to put Lincoln up 1-0 54 seconds in. DiGiulian has recorded 9 points (3+6) in his last eight games and Idzan picked up a point for the seventh time in his first 10 games of the season.

The Buccaneers threatened all period in the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Stars, 17-6. Brittan Alstead tied the game up from in front of the net at the 16:06 mark.

The Stars retook the lead in the second with a pair of goals. Daniel Shlaine matched his jersey number with his 13th goal of the season 1:15 into the second to put the Stars back in the lead. Lincoln again scored a quick goal to open a period when Shlaine one-timed a pass from Hunter Anderson at the goal line in the near corner. Shlaine picked up a point for a fifth straight game and now has 9 points (2+7) in that time.

Lincoln's top line added an insurance goal on a full effort from the full line. On a footrace to the puck at the Des Moines blue line Matt Maltais went toward the defender back first to stave him off and play the puck across his body to Layne Loomer, who set up Jack Pechar for a one-time blast top shelf to five Lincoln a 3-1 lead at the 13:02 mark of the second. The trio entered the evening averaging a team-best 2.06 expected goals for per game and broke through for Pechar's team-leading 16th goal. He is three away from matching his single-season high set last season.

Des Moines cut the deficit back to one on a broken play as Yaroslav Bryzgalov cashed in late in the second at the 16:53 mark for their final tally of the evening.

Dashel Oliver picked up his 15th goal and fifth power-play goal on the Stars' first opportunity on the man advantage at the 7:11 mark of the third. He redirected Tanner Henricks' shot from just inside the blue line between the two circles to put the Stars up 4-2. Oliver has 11 points (6+5) over the last five games and has goals in four of them. Lincoln has scored six times on the power play over its last 11 games and has scored on the mad advantage in three straight games.

Idzan capped a two-point night with an empty-net goal at the 18:43 mark of the third for his third goal in the last three games and fifth of the season.

Lincoln concludes the weekend Saturday night at home against the Omaha Lancers at 6:05 p.m. at the Ice Box. Stars players will sign autographs and skate with fans after the game. Skating admission is $5 and can be done at the skate window by the main entrance at the conclusion of the game. Waivers can be filled out at any point in the evening once doors open. A limited number of skates will be available for a $5 rental. Fans unable to attend may also skate with select Stars players at the Railyard Rink from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tickets for Saturday's nights' game are available at lincolnstars.com

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