KEARNEY, Neb. – Carmelo Crandell's game-tying goal and Attila Lippai's eventual game-winning tally in the final minutes of regulation lifted the Tri-City Storm to an exhilarating 4-3 win over the Omaha Lancers on Friday night at Viaero Center. 

The Storm faced a 3-2 deficit with under four minutes remaining in the third. 

Tri-City (20-21-3, 43 pts) has won consecutive matchups for the first time since January 17 and 18, when the Storm swept a two-game series at home with Des Moines. Omaha (6-33-6, 18 pts) is winless in 27 straight. 

The Storm were first to score and did so at the 6:47 mark of the opening frame. Cam Springer, who was positioned at the bottom of the left wing circle in the Omaha zone, swiftly tucked a shot past Lancers netminder Aiden McKenna after receiving a rink-wide feed from Rylan Bonkowski. It was the Bowling Green commit's eighth of the season and third goal in his past two games. 

Omaha answered with less than three minutes remaining in the first. After the Lancers won a board battle near the right wing corner of their offensive zone, Omaha's Dakotah Bailey fed an open Sam Scheetz in the left wing circle. Scheetz ripped a snapshot past Tri-City goaltender Michal Pradel's glove side for his ninth tally of the season. The Victoria, Minnesota native has scored in four straight road games. 

Tri-City jumped back ahead 4:28 into the middle period. Immediately after the expiration of a Storm power play, Nolan Roed collected his 21st goal of the season after firing a rapid snapshot from the right wing circle of Omaha's zone. The St. Cloud State commit shot the puck after receiving a pass from Carson Pilgrim at the blue line. 

Omaha produced the next pair of tallies and took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. 

Caden Lee scored his fourth of the year at the 7:22 mark of the middle period after redirecting a Davis Borozinskis shot from the center point of the Lancer's offensive zone. Lee was screening Pradel in front of the cage and caught Borozinskis's shot with the shaft of his stick. 

The Lancers took their first lead of the night a little less than seven minutes later. A loose puck dribbled to neutral ice immediately after a Storm offensive zone possession. Ben Osiashvili quickly raced to grab it for a breakaway. As he approached Tri-City's net, the Colorado College commit popped a shot around the glove side of Pradel for his first goal since October 18 at Dubuque. 

Each team had several opportunities to score throughout much of the third, but Omaha stayed ahead until less than four minutes remained. 

Tri-City produced the tying goal with just over 3:30 left in regulation. Roed gathered the puck at neutral ice after an Omaha turnover and quickly moved into the Lancer's zone. The White Bear Lake, Minnesota native fed an open Carmelo Crandell in the right wing circle, who ripped a snapshot past McKenna's blocker side to make it 3-3. 

A little over two minutes later, on a faceoff following an Omaha timeout, Roed won the puck backward to Bonkowski who was positioned at the right point of the Lancer's zone.  Bonkowski immediately sent a shot in McKenna's direction. The puck was redirected in front by Attila Lippai and dribbled past McKenna for the eventual game-winning tally. Thirty-eight seconds remained.

Omaha pulled McKenna in the final 15 seconds, but could not find a late equalizer. 

Roed led Tri-City's offense with three points (1-2-3) on the night. The forward has put up five points over his last two contests. Bonkowski, who registered two points on Friday (0-2-2), has produced four points in his previous two games. 

Up next: Tri-City hits the road for contests on Saturday at Sioux Falls (6:05 pm CT) and Sunday at Sioux City (3:05 pm CT), continuing their third of five "three-in-threes" during 2024-2025. Both games will be broadcast on FloHockey and Storm Radio.