KEARNEY, Neb. –  The Omaha Lancers broke a 1-1 tie with third period goals from Ryan Aaronson and Yegor Kim respectively to defeat the Tri-City Storm 3-1 on Friday night at Viaero Center. 

Omaha (13-36-4, 30 pts) has won two of its past three games. Tri-City (25-24-5, 55 pts) has lost five straight contests. 

Just prior to the halfway mark of the third, as Omaha possessed in its offensive zone, Tommy Spencer fed Aaronson in the left circle from the left half wall. Aaronson rapidly ripped a snapshot past the glove side of Storm goaltender Owen Nelson for his 10th goal of the season. 

Down 2-1 inside the final five minutes of regulation, the Storm were presented with two separate power plays, but could not cash in. Kim picked up a boarding minor at the 15:32 mark of the third and Ryder Reynolds was assessed a holding minor 17:27 into the period. 

Despite Tri-City pulling Nelson for some of Reynolds's penalty and a 6-on-4 advantage, Omaha found the vacant cage on a Kim shot from the left half wall of the Storm zone, making it 3-1. The empty net tally came at the 18:43 mark of the third. 

After a scoreless opening period, the game's first goal was tabulated by Omaha at the 1:20 mark of the second. Off an Adam Israilov cross-ice feed from the right wing, Blake Sinclair slapped a one-timer on the back door past Nelson for his first career USHL goal. 

Tri-City answered on the power play with under 30 seconds left in the second. As the Storm possessed in their offensive zone, Maxwell Dessner set up Noah LaPointe with a one-time shot at the top of the right circle. The Arizona State commit blasted the puck through traffic and beyond Omaha netminder Nils Maurins for his first marker since February 20. 

Maurins grabbed his fifth win of the season, stopping 18 of 19 shots on the night. Nelson suffered the loss, halting 29 of 31 Omaha attempts. 

The Lancer's Kim (1-1-2) was the only player to finish with multiple points. 

Up next: Tri-City ends its two-game set with Omaha on Saturday at Viaero Center. Puckdrop is scheduled for 6:05 pm CT. 

Fans will have an opportunity to skate with the Storm after tomorrow's game on the Viaero Center ice for just $5. Register, pay, and sign a waiver at the purple tent before the skate. 

The Storm are additionally offering Nebraska Lottery Family Packs for tomorrow's game. Get four tickets, four hot dogs and four cans of soda for $44. Each pack also includes ten Nebraska Lottery scratch-off tickets. Limited quantities are available.