KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm host the Waterloo Black Hawks on Friday night at Viaero Center. Puckdrop is set for 7:05 pm. 

To purchase tickets, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person.

Fans can watch the contest on FloHockey and listen on Storm Radio. 

Tri-City (7-7-2, 16 pts, 4th place Western Conf.) 

Previously:

• Coming off second consecutive three-in-three weekend: beat Omaha at home Friday 4-1, fell at Des Moines Saturday in shootout 3-2, dropped 3-1 game Sunday at Omaha

• Sunday: Cade Kozak tallied lone Storm goal, his first career USHL marker

• Sunday: Owen Nelson compiled another quality start in net, stopping 22 of 23 Lancer shots

• Sunday: Carson Pilgrim's career-long point streak ended at seven games, was second-longest active among USHL players

Team Notes:

• Have dropped back-to-back games for first time since October 11-12

• Played 16 games this season, second-most among all USHL teams; Omaha (17 games) is only team to have played more

• Averaging 8.75 penalty minutes per game, least among all USHL teams

• Four of next six games will take place at home

• 16th game in string of 17 in-a-row against Western Conference opponents, the longest such stretch of the year

Player Notes: 

• Michal Pradel: was named USHL Goaltender of the Week Monday for games played between October 27-November 2; halted combined 57 of 60 shots between starts Friday vs. Omaha and Saturday at Des Moines; leads all USHL goaltenders in minutes (725) and saves (322), ranks fifth in save percentage (.915), goals against average (2.48) places eighth in the league

• Carson Pilgrim: has produced 11 points across previous eight games; limited to zero points Sunday at Omaha for first time since October 12 vs. Des Moines

• Bode Laylin: has scored three goals (all on power play) in past five games; ten points and three goals this season both tie for second among USHL defenseman; three power play goals tie for league-lead among defenseman; has registered 32 shots this year, third-most among defenseman

• Luca Jarvis: has amassed five points over his past six games; six assists tie for third-most among USHL rookies, seven points this season tie for sixth-most among rookies

• Cooper Ernewein: has scored three goals on ten shots this season; 30% shooting percentage leads all USHL rookies

• Maddox Malmquist: tops USHL rookies in game-winning goals (2)

• Pilgrim (5-8-13) leads team in scoring followed by Laylin (3-7-10)

Waterloo (3-8-1, 7 pts, 8th place Western Conf.) 

• Has dropped six of past seven contests

• Coming off 6-3 loss Saturday versus Sioux City, 4-3 win Friday at Green Bay

• Has played 12 games this season, least among all USHL teams

• Begin stretch of three consecutive road games tonight (four-game homestand follows)

• Adyn Merrick (5-6-11) leads team in scoring followed by Ty Mason (8-2-10)

Season series: Friday is the first of four regular season meetings between the Storm and Black Hawks. The teams will compete twice at Viaero Center and twice at Young Arena during 2025-2026. Tri-City is set to visit Waterloo for matchups on January 23 and 24. 

Tonight, the teams meet for the first time since last year's USHL Western Conference First Round Playoff series. Waterloo defeated Tri-City 2-0 on home ice in the best-of-three set.