Story by Tri-City Communications
The Tri-City Storm is set to open the 2023-2024 Regular Season tonight at the DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic. The Storm will battle the defending Clark Cup Champion Youngstown Phantoms on FedEx Rink #1 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. The Storm will also play Western Conference foe Sioux Falls Stampede tomorrow night at 7:30pm CT in the team’s second, and final, game of the event. Puck drop for tonight’s battle between the Storm and the Phantoms is scheduled for 6:30pm CT.
Tri-City (0-0-0-0) travels to Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania for tonight’s opening game of the season following a 3-2-0-0 record during the five-game exhibition schedule. Scoring leaders for Tri-City during the preseason included Cameron Briere (3), Nick Peluso (2), Carmelo Crandell (2), Nolan Roed (2), and Dallas Vieau (2). The Storm’s 2022-2023 season ended following a conference semifinal exit in the 2023 Clark Cup Playoffs. The Storm secured the 4th seed in the Western Conference side of the postseason bracket after compiling a regular season record of 34-20-4-4. Tri-City’s powerplay ranked 8th in the league last season with a conversion rate of 20.9%. The Storm’s penalty kill finished the regular season 9th in the USHL with a success rate of 78.4%.
Youngstown (0-0-0-0) opens the regular season tonight after posting a 1-2-0-1 in four games played during the preseason. Goal scorers for the Phantoms during the exhibition schedule were Andrew Strathmann (2), Finn McLaughlin (2), Adam Pietila, Ryan Botterill, Ryan Shaw, Artyom Shchipanov, Michael Burchill, Charlie Lieberman, Luke Osburn, and Brandon Svoboda. The Phantoms’ 2022-2023 season ended with a Clark Cup Championship in a playoff series victory over the Anderson Cup Champion Fargo Force. The Phantoms posted a 38-19-4-1 record during the 2022-2023 regular season, the second-best record of any Eastern Conference team. Youngstown’s powerplay ranked 10th in the league last year with a conversion rate of 19.9%. The Phantom’s penalty kill completed the regular season 5th in the USHL with a success rate of 80.8%. Youngstown will conclude play at the 2023 USHL Fall Classic tomorrow evening in a 4:30pm CT showdown against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.
The Storm will return home to the Viaero Center on Friday, September 29th following the official beginning of the sixty-two games regular season at the Fall Classic. Tri-City will host the Sioux City Musketeers for the organization’s Home Opener. Puck drop for the matchup is scheduled for 7:05pm CT. The battle will feature a rematch of the Tri-City’s opening-round playoff series against Sioux City in the 2023 Clark Cup Playoffs. The Storm will again play host to the Musketeers at 6:05pm CT the following evening on Saturday, September 30th.
Season Tickets, and Single-Game Tickets are on sale now for the 24th season in Tri-City Storm history. The organization will play thirty home games at the Viaero Center throughout the 2023-2024 USHL regular season. Following opening weekend, promotional dates will include Military Appreciation Night, Teddy Bear Toss Night, Concrete Cares Night, a New Year’s Eve Game, Scouting with the Storm, Kool Aid Night, Puck’s N’ Paw’s Night, Youth Hockey Night, and Fan Appreciation Night. The complete promotional schedule for the 2023-2024 regular season can be found online at www.StormHockey.com.
Tonight’s game is set to begin at 6:30pm 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.