Friday's box score
LINCOLN, Neb. – Attila Lippai's first career USHL hat trick and Artemi Nizameyev's pair of goals propelled the Tri-City Storm to a 5-2 victory over the Lincoln Stars on Friday night inside the Ice Box.
Tri-City (13-11-3, 29 pts) has won four of its last five games. Lincoln's (16-10-0, 32 pts) losing streak grew to a season-high four contests.
Lippai recorded the second hat trick by a Storm player this season. Nolan Roed tallied three times in Tri-City's Friday, November 22nd win over Fargo.
Tri-City scored the game's first goal eight seconds in. The Storm were victorious in the center ice faceoff to begin the game. Shaun McEwen took the puck to the Lincoln zone on the left wing, then fed Roed in the middle of the ice. Roed sent a pass to Nizameyev, who was streaking down the right wing. The Miami commit beat Stars goaltender William Prowse with a quick snapshot. The tally extended Nizameyev's goal streak to five games, which currently sits as the longest active goal streak in the USHL.
Lincoln answered 8:03 into the opening period. During a Storm offensive zone possession, Matt Maltais grabbed a turned-over puck near the Stars blue line, skated it around Tri-City's defense, then down the left wing of the ice. As Maltais approached the Storm net, the Omaha commit made a quick fake on Tri-City goaltender Adam Dybal, then stuffed the puck through Dybal's five-hole for his eighth of the season.
About 90 seconds later, Tri-City took the lead on a power play goal. The Storm produced extended offensive zone time following a tripping minor by Lincoln's Aiden Janz. Roed, who took the puck down the left wing of the Lincoln zone, fired a shot off Prowse that generated a rebound in front of the Lincoln net. Nizameyev quickly skated toward the puck, then fired it past Prowse for his second of the night.
Tri-City struck again early in the second. Attila Lippai grabbed his third goal of the season after receiving a feed from Colton Whitfield on the right wing boards. From there, Lippai made several good moves around both a series of Lincoln defenders and Prowse as he walked toward the Stars net. The St. Thomas commit eventually roofed a shot up high in the Lincoln cage to grow the Tri-City advantage.
The Storm again struck 15:41 into the second. Immediately following a Lincoln offensive zone possession, Nizameyev snatched a loose puck near center ice and marched to the Stars net. After Nizameyev's shot attempt was shut down by Prowse, Lippai followed up, nudging a loose puck to the back of the cage, extending Tri-City's lead to three.
Lincoln added another about two minutes later. After a Stars shot from the blue line and pad save by Dybal, Layne Loomer found a vacant puck in front of the Tri-City net and slammed it home for his sixth of the season. Daniel Shlaine and Bruno Idzan were credited with assists.
Lippai scored the game's final goal 14:11 into the third, completing his hat trick. The St. Paul, Minnesota native cleaned a rebound after Prowse halted a Nizameyev shot from the right wing of the Lincoln zone during an extended Tri-City possession.
Dybal stopped 31 of 33 Lincoln shots on the night. The Storm have won six straight games started by the Czechia native.
Up next: Tri-City ends the home-and-home series with Lincoln tomorrow night at Viaero Center. Puckdrop is scheduled for 6:05 pm CT.
The Storm will host their annual Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday presented by Slumberland Furniture. Bring a new or slightly used teddy bear to throw on the ice after Tri-City's first goal. All bears will be donated to various charities in the Tri-City area.
Santa will also be at Viaero Center tomorrow. Stop by to say hi, take pictures, and let him know what you want for Christmas.
To purchase tickets for Saturday's game, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person.
