LINCOLN, Neb. — The Lincoln Stars earned a 3-0 shutout victory over the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Friday night at the Ice Box, backed by a perfect 22-save performance from goaltender William Prowse (Boston University) and a pair of power-play goals.
Lincoln struck first late in the opening period when Jordan Johnson scored his first goal of the season at 14:45, converting on the power play off assists from Jackson Rudh (St. Cloud State) and Evan Malkhassian (Harvard).
The Stars doubled their lead at 18:31 as Casey Vandertop (St. Thomas) found the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season. Thomas Noll III and Griffin Sturm picked up the assists, giving Lincoln a 2-0 advantage heading into the first intermission. Both first-period goals came on the man advantage.
After a scoreless start to the second period, Lincoln added an insurance goal with just 11 seconds remaining. Sam Kline scored his first goal of the season at 19:49, with Noll III and Brady Sloper earning assists to extend the Stars' lead to 3-0.
Prowse and the Lincoln defense took care of the rest, shutting down Muskegon's offense throughout the third period to preserve the shutout. The Stars held a 26-22 advantage in shots on goal, while Prowse stopped all 22 shots he faced.
Lincoln finished 2-for-2 on the power play, while the Lumberjacks went 0-for-2. Noll III recorded two assists, while Rudh, Malkhassian, Sturm and Sloper each added an assist in the victory.
Prowse earned first-star honors with his shutout performance, followed by Kline and Johnson, who each scored a goal.
The Stars return to action on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. looking to build on Friday's shutout victory. Tickets are availabe at lincolnstars.com
About the Stars: The Lincoln Stars are a Tier I junior ice hockey team competing in the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League. Established in 1996, the Stars play their home games at the Ice Box in Lincoln, Nebraska, and have won four Anderson Cups and two Clark Cups in franchise history. The USHL is the top junior hockey league in the United States and a leading development path to NCAA Division I hockey and the NHL.
