OMAHA, NE - The Omaha Lancers concluded their two game home stand with the Sioux Falls Stampede Saturday night at Liberty First Credit Union Arena. The Lancers had come off a 3-1 victory last night to the very same Sioux Falls club. The Lancers have been dominant at home over the years head-to-head with Sioux Falls holding just over a 75 win percentage at Liberty First Credit Union Arena against the Stampede. Lancers have held an astounding regular season record of 22-3-2-2 all-time at Liberty First Credit Union Arena facing off with the Stampede since the dawn of the Arena's arrival in the fall of 2012 coming into tonight's contest.
The first period had a very sharp, and hungry Sioux Falls club, as they would outwork Omaha throughout.
The scoring would open with Sioux Falls forward Ryan Gordon who would jump in on a odd man rush opportunity, as Lancer netminder Kevin Pasche would have no chance, and it would be 1-0 Sioux Falls.
The Stampede were not done as forward Maddox Fleming would find himself all alone in front of the net after a Lancer turnover to stretch the Sioux Falls lead at 2-0.
The first period was also a physical bout, and emotions would eventually take over as Lancer forward Will Diamond would jump Stampede veteran forward Clint Levens who is no stranger to getting into scuffles himself, however Levens would refuse to fight back, and Diamond would be accessed a fighting major and a game misconduct. That would infuse a 5 minute powerplay to a very prolific Sioux Falls club going into the second frame.
The second period had back and forth play until, the Lancers would become riddled with penalties.
However, during the Will Diamond 5 minute penalty that had carried over from the first period, the Lancers would get on the board shorthanded, as it was forward Alex Bump who made a no look pass to forward Drew Montgomery before Montgomery would send it past Sioux Falls goaltender Xavier Medina to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.
Sioux Falls would answer on that same powerplay however, as forward Isaac Gordon would legally bat one out of mid-air on the rebound to give Sioux Falls the two point advantage 3-1 going into the third period.
The third period had many penalties, but they seemed to be called one-sided, and it was Omaha who got the short end of the stick. Nate Benoit, Alex Bump, Kevin Pasche, Mateo Picozzi, and Jamison Sluys would all be accessed penalties in the third, to just one penalty coming from Sioux Falls in what was just a matching minor.
The Lancers would hold their own in spite of being on the PK virtually the entire third period.
Eventually with an extra attacker, the Lancers would cash in, with forward Libor Nemec getting his second goal in as many nights, to make things interesting late in the third.
However, Sioux Falls would dash all hopes after the linesman taking an eternity to drop the puck, forward Drew Montgomery would be caught off guard on the timing of the puck being dropped, and Maxim Strbak would put away the empty netter off the draw to give Sioux Falls the 4-2 victory.
The Lancers are back in action Friday night at Liberty First Credit Union Arena against the Tri-City Storm. Puck drop is at 7:05 CST. You can catch the game on Mixlr or FloSports.
