SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — Sioux Falls Stampede defenseman Brent Johnson scored twice in the 5-1 win over the Waterloo Black Hawks at the PREMIER Center Friday night. Alternate captain Will Dineen added a pair to give the Herd the advantage. Goaltender Noah Grannan made the start in net and earned the victory to end a two-game losing streak.
After scoring a goal last weekend against the Fargo Force, United States Hockey League defenseman of the week Brent Johnson began the night with his fourth goal of the season at the 4:40 mark of the first period. Defenseman Dante Fantauzzi and point-leader Garrett Pinoniemi provided the assist on the shot from the blue line. The Herd held the 1-0 lead through the remaining sixteen minutes of the period.
The Black Hawks were able to tie the game on a Stampede power play six minutes into the second period. Forward Max Sasson collected the puck and put it past goaltender Noah Grannan for the short-handed tally. Sioux Falls was able to regain the lead off another Johnson shot at the top of the point that deflected off a Waterloo skate and past goaltender Charlie Glockner. Will Dineen added another for the Stampede on a deflection in front of the net from Pinoniemi at 18:58 of the period on the power play.
Dineen and forward JP Turner tallied goals in the third period to seal the 5-1 victory, despite being outshot 36-27 in the contest. Grannan stopped 35 of 36 shots on net and is now 5-5-1 on the season.
The Herd moves to 7-8-1 on the season and returns to the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center for a rematch with the Waterloo Black Hawks tomorrow night for the fourth annual Hockey Day in South Dakota presented by Culver’s. Puck drop scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Tickets available at any Ticketmaster outlet or the KELOLAND Box Office. Fans can also catch the game streaming live at HockeyTV.com or listen live on KELO Radio 107.9 FM, 1320 AM or Kelo.com.
(Jasen Robbennolt contributed to this report)
