KEARNEY, NE (KELO.com) — Dan Russell’s goal with just over six minutes remaining in regulation proved to be the game winner as the Stampede got back in the win column with a huge 3-2 road victory over Tri-City Saturday night. Ray Fust and Max Rud also tallied goals for the Herd while Garrett Pinoniemi tallied two assists and Isak Posch turned aside 20 of 22 shots to earn the victory in goal. The win improved the Herd’s record to 2-5-0 while Tri-City falls to 5-2-0.
For just the second time this season, the Herd would grab the first goal of the game when Max Rud tallied his first career USHL goal at 5:16. Garrett Pinoniemi who took the puck behind the Storm net before skating into the slot and sending a pass to the right circle for Rud who quickly wristed the puck past the stick of Tri-City goaltender Arsenni Sergeev for the 1-0 lead. The celebration would be short-lived however, Tri-City responded less than two minutes later when Parker Lindauer crashed the net and picked up a loose puck an fired it past Isak Posch to make it a 1-1 game. It remained that way until 15:54 when Pinoniemi made it happen again. Pinoniemi took a pass in the right circle, spun and then sent a pass to the front of the net for Ray Fust who tapped it home for a 2-1 lead. Sioux Falls would take that lead into the locker room, outshooting the Storm 9-8 in the period.
Teams exchanged power play chances in the second but the game remained 2-1 until the final five minutes of the period. Just as the Herd were killing off a penalty, Jeremy Wilmer tipped a shot in front of the net past Posch to tie the game at 14:28. Both teams tallied 11 shots in the period.
Things remained tight throughout the third period, but the game remained tied until 13:35 when the Stampede would take the lead for good. Jack Silich brought the puck over the Storm line and sent a pass to Gustavs Ozolins who quickly sent the puck through the slot to a streaking Dan Russell who knocked it home it home for his first of the season and a 3-2 lead. Tri-City would make a push late with their goaltender pulled, but the Herd would hold them off to secure a 3-2 victory.
Sioux Falls outshot the Storm 5-4 in the final period and 24-22 on the night. The Herd went 0-for-5 on the power play, but were 4-for-4 on the penalty kill against the league’s second-best power play unit.
The Stampede return to action next Friday and Saturday when they travel to Des Moines for a weekend series against the Bucs. Puck drop is 7:05 PM on Friday 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.
