KEARNEY, NE. — The Lincoln Stars (5-10-1-0) bounced back against the Tri-City Storm on Friday night, earning a 5-2 victory at Vee Arena behind a three-goal first period and a strong performance from goaltender Lukas Stuhrmann.
Lincoln wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Just 28 seconds into the opening period, Griffin Sturm gave the Stars a 1-0 lead with his second goal of the season, assisted by Hugo Cal.
The Stars doubled their advantage at 6:08 when defenseman Griffin Brown (Miami) found the back of the net for his first goal of the season. Cal picked up his second assist of the night, while Evan Malkhassian also earned a helper.
Tri-City responded at 7:47 with a goal from Samuel Courtemanche, cutting the Lincoln lead to 2-1. However, the Stars regained their two-goal cushion at 11:41. Jackson Rudh capitalized on the power play, finishing a feed from Malkhassian and Samuel Murin to make it 3-1.
The Storm pulled within one again at 8:41 of the second period when Tyler Russo scored his first goal of the season. Lincoln answered at 14:00 as Samuel Hybsky found the back of the net for his first USHL goal, extending the Stars' lead to 4-2. Murin recorded his second assist of the night on the play.
After a scoreless third period for much of the frame, Malkhassian sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 18:41, securing a 5-2 final for Lincoln.
Stuhrmann turned aside 29 of 31 shots faced in net for the Stars, helping Lincoln withstand a late Tri-City push. The Storm finished with a 31-22 advantage in shots on goal, including a 16-2 edge in the third period.
Lincoln finished 1-for-5 on the power play while holding Tri-City scoreless on three opportunities. Cal, Malkhassian and Murin each recorded two assists, while Sturm, Brown, Rudh and Hybsky each contributed a goal.
The victory marks a strong response for the Stars against a Tri-City team that defeated Lincoln 4-0 in their previous meeting on October 2.
Lincoln will look to carry the momentum into Saturday when they welcome in the Sioux Falls Stampede for "Hard hats and Hockey Night" presented by Hausmann construction. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. and puck drop is at 6:05. Tickets are available 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.
