KEARNEY, Neb. – Ethan Wyttenbach, Gennadi Chaly, and Sam Spehar each tallied critical third period goals, leading the Sioux Falls Stampede to a 5-2 victory over the Tri-City Storm on Saturday night at Viaero Center. 

Sioux Falls (15-5-2, 32 pts) has won a USHL-best five straight games. Tri-City (12-10-3, 27 pts) snapped its season-long three game winning streak. 

Each team found the scoreboard early in the contest. Sioux Falls took a 1-0 lead 2:48 into the first on Javon Moore's fourth goal of the season. The Ottawa Senators draft pick cleaned a rebound off the left pad of Storm goaltender Erick Roest following a Wyttenbach shot from the left wing circle in the Tri-City zone.

The Storm answered 26 seconds later. Artemi Nizameyev extended his goal streak to four consecutive games after firing a snapshot past the outstretched right pad of Sioux Falls goaltender Ryan Manzella. Nizameyev's shot originated between the faceoff circles in the Stampede zone. The Miami commit received a nifty Nolan Roed feed from the left wing. 

While shorthanded, Tri-City grabbed its only lead of the night near the halfway mark of regulation. Ashton Dahms retrieved a loose puck on the left wing of the Storm zone, then raced down the ice for a breakaway to the Sioux Falls net. Dahms made a forehand-backhand deek on Manzella to bury the puck top shelf for his fourth tally of the season. It was also Tri-City's fourth shorthanded goal of the year.

Sioux Falls found the equalizer a little less than three minutes later. Spehar aggressively skated the puck down the left wing of the Tri-City zone, then made a crafty move around Storm defender Cole Ward. With an open lane to the net, Spehar roofed a shot over the left shoulder of Roest for his seventh of the year. 

After an extended altercation in front of the Storm net involving Tri-City's Shaun McEwen and Sioux Falls' Ben Wilmott late in the second period, McEwen was assessed two separate minor penalties, one for roughing and another for head contact. The Stampede earned a four minute power play during the closing moments of the second and start of the third period. 

Sioux Falls took advantage just over a minute into the third, when Wyttenbach one-timed a cross-ice pass in the left wing circle of the Storm zone from Wilmott to put the Stampede on top. Wyttenbach's eighth goal of the season turned out to be Saturday's game winner. 

Sioux Falls grew its lead later in the period when Chaly produced his third goal of the season. Wyttenbach slid a pass to Chaly on left side of the ice, where the Russia native slapped a quick one-timer past Roest. 

Tri-City pulled Roest with just under three minutes left in regulation after Sioux Falls' Matthew Grimes picked up a minor penalty for roughing. During the 6-on-4 advantage, Spehar collected a loose puck at the Storm blue line and marched it down the ice for an empty net goal with 1:30 to go. 

The Storm went 0-for-7 on the power play during the game. 

Roest halted 18 of 22 shots in the Tri-City net. Manzella collected his sixth win in nine appearances this season after stopping 13 of 15 Storm shot attempts. 

Up next: Tri-City takes on Lincoln in a home-and-home series next weekend. The Storm visit the Stars on Friday. Puckdrop is slated for 7:05 pm CT at the Ice Box. 

The teams then square off at Viaero Center next Saturday. Puckdrop is scheduled for 6:05 pm CT. The Storm will host their annual Teddy Bear Toss 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 on Saturday. Stop by to say hi, take pictures, and let him know what you want for Christmas. 

Fans can also take advantage of the Nebraska Lottery Rivalry Pack during Saturday's contest. Get four tickets, four hot dogs, four cans of soda, and ten Nebraska Lottery Scratch off tickets for only $44. Availability is limited. 

To purchase tickets or the Nebraska Lottery Rivalry Pack for Saturday's game, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person.