Sunday's box score
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Brecken Smith's pair of third period goals and Owen Nelson's spectacular performance in net powered the Tri-City Storm to a 3-1 victory over the Sioux Falls Stampede on Sunday afternoon at Denny Sanford Premier Center.
Tri-City (6-6-1, 13 pts) has won back-to-back games for the second time this season. Sioux Falls (8-2-1, 19 pts) snapped a five-game losing streak, which tied for longest active among all USHL teams.
The Storm led 1-0 at the beginning of the third, doubling their lead just 11 seconds into the final frame. After the center ice faceoff to begin the period, Luca Jarvis followed a loose puck to the right corner of the Sioux Falls zone. The Minnesota commit set up Smith with an open feed at the bottom of the right circle. Smith then motored the puck past Sioux Falls netminder Linards Feldbergs to put Tri-City up 2-0.
Sioux Falls cut the lead halfway through the period. Joseph McGraw tipped a J.J. Monteiro shot from the left wing boards past Nelson to get the Stampede on the board. It was McGraw's second marker of the year.
The Stampede pulled Feldbergs with just under three minutes left in regulation. Despite several good looks, Sioux Falls could not capitalize.
Tri-City found the vacant cage with just over 30 seconds left. Carson Pilgrim cleared the puck from the Storm zone to the Stampede end wall. Smith flew down ice to retrieve the loose puck and finish into the empty net for his first multi-goal game with the Storm.
Nelson was spectacular in net for Tri-City, stopping 39 of 40 Sioux Falls shots in what was his third appearance of the season. The Hudson, Wisconsin native made several key saves on tough shots through traffic and on rushes throughout the majority of regulation.
Tri-City struck first 4:01 into the first. Brecken Smith set up Carson Pilgrim with a beautiful backdoor feed at the bottom of the right circle in the Sioux Falls zone. Pilgrim gathered the puck and ripped it past Sioux Falls netminder Linards Feldbergs for his team-leading fourth goal of the season. The tally was also Pilgrim's third goal in as many games.
Smith finished with a career-high three points. Pilgrim has produced three consecutive multi-point games and eight points over his last five appearances.
Up next: Tri-City again plays three games in three days next weekend. The Storm host Omaha on Friday, October 31 (7:05 pm puckdrop) before hitting the road to visit Des Moines on Saturday, November 1 (6:05 pm puckdrop) and Omaha on Sunday, November 2 (5:05 pm puckdrop).
To purchase tickets for the October 31 home game, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person.
Each game will be broadcast on FloHockey and Storm Radio.
