SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — Garrett Pinoniemi scored in round two of the shootout while Isak Posch stopped all three shooters and the Sioux Falls Stampede won their second straight game, downing the Lincoln Stars 3-2 in a shootout Friday night at the PREMIER Center. Blake Humphrey and Cal Thomas scored goals in regulation for the Herd while Posch earned his fifth win of the season with 23 saves. The win moved the Herd (6-10-0) into seventh place in the west and just three points back of sixth place Des Moines.
The Stampede were looking to build off their big win last Saturday and they brought that energy into the PREMIER Center for the first period on Friday night. The Herd grabbed the first goal of the game at 8:24 when Cole Miller sent a pass in the slot to Blake Humphrey who knocked down the pass and then quickly released a deadly wrister into the upper right-hand corner of the net for his fifth of the season to make it a 1-0 game. The Stampede controlled much of the play in the period, but a late penalty would give the Stars the man advantage and the Stars would make the Herd pay. Dalton Norris took a pass just outside the right circle and wristed it through traffic and through the legs of Stampede goaltender Isak Posch to make it a 1-1 game with just two minutes remaining in the period. Both teams finished the period with seven shots on goal.
The Stampede kept things going in the second period, regaining the lead at 5:16. Ryan Healey sent a pass into the high slot from Cal Thomas who wristed a shot through a flurry of traffic and into the back of the net for his second of the season and gave the Herd made it a 2-1 game. That goal would hold the entire period as the Herd outshot the Stars 5-4 in the period.
The Stampede held that lead until late in the period when the Stars would be awarded a power play and would once again convert. Luke Johnson took a pass in the right circle and fired a shot that found its way through the legs of Posch to tie the game at two at 14:49 that eventually forced overtime.
The extra session was full of excitement for the fans as the Stampede would be awarded a powerplay and did everything right, except score. The club fired off 9 shots and hit the goal post twice, but couldn’t the puck to go in as the game would eventually roll into a shootout for the second time this season and first time at the PREMIER Center.
In the shootout, Garrett Pinoniemi scored in round two while Isak Posch turned aside all three shooters to give the Stampede a 1-0 win in the shootout and 3-2 victory in the game.
The Stampede outshot the Stars 31-25. Lincoln finished the night 2-for-6 on the powerplay while the Herd went 0-for-6.
Sioux Falls closes out their five-game homestand Saturday night when they host Sioux City at 6:05 PM. It’s Toys for Tots night, presented by Fleet Farm. Fans are encouraged to bring a new unwrapped toy to the game and will receive a voucher good for 2 free tickets to a game in December (limit 6 free tickets per family). All toys collected will be brought next week to Fleet Farm as part of their annual Toys for Tots drive. Tickets are available through the KELOLAND Box Office and the Stampede office will be open 11-3 PM for your ticketing needs.
