Story by Tri-City Storm Communications
KEARNEY, NE. – The Tri-City Storm is set for tonight’s midweek rivalry matchup at the Viaero Center against the Lincoln Stars following a historic 10-9 victory over the Under 17’s from the United States National Team Development Program on Saturday in Kearney. Tickets for tonight’s rivalry game may be purchased online at www.StormHockey.com, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office Hours at 308-338-8144. Puck drop is set for 7:05pm CT.
Ticket specials for tonight’s home game include a Nebraska Lottery Rivalry Pack. The rivalry pack ticket package includes four tickets to the game, four hot dogs, four sodas, and ten Nebraska Lottery Scratch-Off Tickets for $44. The ticket pack is available in limited quantities, for more information on tonight’s ticket deals, call 308-338-8144.
Tri-City (15-11-1-2) completed its first two-game sweep over Team USA since the 2014-2015 season in last Saturday’s history 10-9 victory at the Viaero Center. The matchup featured the highest scoring game in the USHL’s Tier I history (2003-Present). It was the highest scoring game in Tri-City’s twenty four year history and featured the most combined goals scored during a USHL game played at the Viaero Center. Tri-City’s ten goals scored during the battle tied the team’s highest total for offensive production in a single game under Head Coach Anthony Noreen (2017-Present), and it fell one goal short of tying the organization’s all-time record for most goals in a single game. The Storm previously won a 10-2 decision over the Des Moines Buccaneers on November 19th, 2021, and Tri-City won an 11-0 decision over the Rochester Mustangs (defunct) on January 27th, 2001, at the Viaero Center. The previous record for the organization’s highest scoring game came in a 12-4 loss on the road against the Sioux City Musketeers on January 16th, 2009. The previous record for the USHL’s highest scoring game of its Tier I era came on November 14th, 2020, in the Muskegon Lumberjacks’ 10-8 road victory over the Chicago Steel. Zach Bade (2), Jake Rozzi, Seth Constance, Alexander Bales, Trevor Connelly, Cam Briere, Owen Beckner, Ryan Smith, and Carmelo Crandell all netted goals for the Storm in the team’s historic victory. Goaltender Cameron Korpi backstopped the team to victory in net. Connelly was named the USHL’s Forward of the Week on Monday for his efforts in the team’s back-to-back wins over Team USA last weekend at the Viaero Center. Tri-City currently holds a 2-1-0-1 record in head-to-head games played against Lincoln this season. The Storm is 15-3-0-1 in battles played against the Stars at the Viaero Center over the past five seasons. In Saturday’s 10-9 win over Team USA, Tri-City improved to 12-3-0-2 when leading after the 1st period and 12-0-1-0 when leading after the 2nd period this season. Scoring leaders for the Storm entering tonight’s 30th game of the 2023-2024 regular season include Ryan Smith (13), Trevor Connelly (11), August Falloon (11), Cam Briere (10), Artemi Nizameyev (8), and Owen Beckner (8). The Storm will return to action on Saturday night in a road game against the Stars following tonight’s showdown on home ice in Kearney. Tri-City will not play tomorrow night, as the team’s originally scheduled road game against Sioux Falls was rescheduled and played on Sunday, October 8th, 2023.
Lincoln (12-17-0-2) travels to Kearney tonight to face the Storm as the 6th place team in the USHL’s Western Conference standings. The Stars have posted an overall record of 16-22-4-0 in the last five seasons in head-to-head matchups against the Storm. Lincoln is 6-4-0-0 in the last ten games entering tonight’s rivalry battle at the Viaero Center. The Stars split home games against the Waterloo Black Hawks last weekend at the Ice Box. Lincoln dropped a 4-3 decision on Friday night, but bounced back to defeat Waterloo by a final score of 5-3 Saturday night. Justin Mexico (2), Dashel Oliver, Blake Montgomery, and Max Ferkodic scored goals for the Stars in the win. Scoring leaders for the Stars entering tonight’s road game against the Storm at the Viaero Center include Blake Montgomery (12), Keaton Peters (11), Jack Pechar (11), Jared Mangan (9), Dashel Oliver (6), and German Yavash (5). Lincoln will return to action tomorrow night in a road game against the Omaha Lancers before hosting the Storm for the team’s final game of the week on Saturday night at the Ice Box. Puck drop for Saturday’s game at the Ice Box between the Storm and the Stars is set for 6:05pm CT.
Tonight’s game is set to begin at 7:05pm CT and will be streamed on FloHockey and Storm Radio. Tickets to home games at the Viaero Center may be purchased online by skating to www.StormHockey.com, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office hours at 308-338-8144. The Tri-City Storm is presented by Viaero Wireless.