SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The Stampede scored three times in the second period only to watch Sioux City do the same in the third, including one with less than four minutes remaining, dropping another heartbreaker at the PREMIER Center, 4-3 on Friday night. Luke Kron, Ray Fust and Blake Humphrey all scored goals in the second period for the Herd who led 3-1 entering the third. Isak Posch turned aside 31 of 35 shots in goal for the Stampede who dropped to 1-5-0 on the season.
Penalties and unlucky bounces have hurt the Stampede early this season and that continued early in the first period on Friday. Sioux Falls got an early penalty and nearly killed it off, but with just over 20 seconds remaining a shot from Charlie Schoen hit a Stampede skate and into the right circle where Owen McLaughlin picked it up and quickly blasted it past Isak Posch and under the crossbar for a 1-0 lead. Sioux Falls would gain some momentum back and create several scoring chances, including two power play chances of their own, but came up with a goose egg on the board, trailing 1-0 after one despite outshooting the Musketeers 11-9.
Sioux Falls knew they needed to get something rolling in the second and they did just that. The Herd got on the board at 3:03 when Luke Kron jumped through traffic in the slot and deflected a shot from Clint Levens into the net to tie the game at one. Just over a minute later, the Stampede struck again, this time a beautiful play from Ean Somoza to Ray Fust. Somoza took the puck in the left circle and fed a perfect pass to Fust who one-timed the shot quickly into the net for the Stampede’s first lead of the night. Just over 40 seconds later the Herd doubled their lead when Blake Humphrey took the puck off the back wall and tucked it under the crossbar for a 3-1 advantage. Sioux Falls would hold that lead and take it into the third period, outshooting the Musketeers 15-12 in the period.
The Herd entered with much optimism in the third, but it would end like a Halloween nightmare. A fight between Clint Levens and Sioux City’s Sam Deckhut brought the Stampede faithful to their feet and ended with a two-minute power play for the Herd. Sioux Falls had a chance to put the game away on the advantage, but continued to struggle with the man advantage and it would cost them.
Just after the power play expired, Sioux City pulled within a goal with a goal from McLaughlin, his second of the night. The Musketeers would go on to tie the game off a face-off at 11:19 when Luke Antonacci wristed a shot that appeared to deflect off a stick and bounced over the head of Posch and into the net to make it 3-3.
For the second game in a row, the Herd would get to the final four minutes of the game tied, but would end the night with a regulation loss. Sioux City would regain the lead at 16:32 when Dylan James found Charlie Schoen open in the slot and Schoen skated right in, uncontested, and wristed a shot past Posch for the 4-3 advantage. Sioux Falls would get one more chance with just over a minute to go when they went on the power play and had 6-on-4 advantage, throwing everything they had at the net, but could not get the puck to cross the line.
Sioux Falls outshot the Musketeers 36-35 on the night, but went 0-for-7 on the power play while the Musketeers were 1-for-7.
The Stampede are now off until next Saturday, October 23rd when they travel to Kearney, NE to play the Tri-City Storm. Puck drop is slated for 7:05 PM and fans can catch the game live on KELO News Talk 1320-AM, 105.1-FM, 107.9-FM and KELO.com starting at 6:40 PM.
