Men's Ice Hockey 3/13/2026 9:41:00 PM Joel Norman

LANCERS TAKE DOWN STORM FRIDAY NIGHT

The Omaha Lancers earned their second win in the last three games with a 3-1 win over the Tri-City Storm on Friday night at the Viaero Center.

Ryan Aaronson netted the game-winning goal at the 9:38 mark of the third to break a 1-1 tie. Blake Sinclair scored his first USHL goal and Yegor Kim added an empty-netter as Omaha (13-36-2-2) handed Tri-City (25-24-3-2) its fifth straight loss.

Neither team lit the lamp in the first period of a matchup between the two teams with the lowest goals-for-per-game averages in the USHL. Omaha fired the first seven shots of the game in the opening 6:13 before Tri-City's first shot, but the Storm collected nine of the final 10 shots in the opening 20 minutes.

The Storm again started the second period slowly. They did not register their first shot until there was 5:50 left in the frame and the Lancers dominated possession early, leading to Sinclair striking 1:20 in. After just missing the far post on a wrist shot from the near circle eight seconds prior, Sinclair got a second opportunity atop the crease. He wouldn't miss this time, redirecting Adam Israilov's pass to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead.

Despite being outshot, 12-5, in the second period, Tri-City got a golden opportunity to tie the game up late in the frame and cashed in. Drake Gram went to the penalty box for holding at the 17:46 mark and Noah LaPointe scored his fourth goal of the season on a one-timer from the right point with 23 seconds left in the period.

Omaha took the lead again for good on a terrific play by Tommy Spencer. After his first pass toward the front of the net was blocked, he recovered and carried the puck over to the far wall. With two defenders in front of him, Spencer threaded the puck through the legs of LaPointe and found Aaronson at the edge of the far circle. He one-timed it past Owen Nelson before the Storm netminder could react for his 10th goal of the season.

Kim committed a penalty at the 15:32 mark of the third to put Tri-City on the power play but atoned for it shortly after. The Lancers committed another penalty with six seconds left on Kim's minor but he scored an empty-net goal from behind his own blue line on the far boards not long after jumping back on the ice. Kim's 10th goal of the season also marked the Lancers' second shorthanded goal in the last three days.

Omaha outshot Tri-City, 32-19, marking its third time outshooting an opponent on the road this season and the first time since Nov. 8. Nils Maurins made 18 saves to earn his fifth win.

The Lancers are at the Tri-City Storm next Friday and Saturday to continue this four-game road swing. Omaha's next home game is Mar. 15 vs. Lincoln for Mental Health Awareness Night. Tickets are available at bit.ly/LancersHKY

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