STORM EXPLODE FOR SIX GOALS, BEAT CEDAR RAPIDS 6-4
Tri-City improved their home record to 9-3-4 this season after offensive surge
Friday, January 14, 2011
- Game Summary
KEARNEY, Neb. – If there is one thing the Tri-City Storm know how to do well, it is winning games when leading after the first or second period, as the Storm beat the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders 6-4 on Friday night. The Storm scored a season-high six goals on RoughRiders goalie Brady Hjelle, who entered the night as the second best goaltender in the league in goals-against average and save percentage.
 |
| Storm defenseman Rick Pinkston, who had a career-high three assists in Friday night's game, is now fifth in the USHL among defensive scoring leaders with 17 points (4 goals, 13 assists) this season |
Cedar Rapids (19-5-4, 42 pts) would get the first goal of the game from Michael Parks at the 8:37 mark into the first period from Nolan Zajac and Jayson Megna.
Tri-City (13-9-6, 32 pts) tied the game less than four-minutes later, as former-RoughRider Nick Lappin scored his second goal of the season from Rick Pinkston and Cody Murphy. The Storm added another goal late in the first period with 10-seconds left on Brad Schierhorn’s eighth goal of the season from Soren Jonzzon.
The RoughRiders scored 1:49 into the second period on Peter Maric’s third goal of the season from Nick Saracino and Cason Hohmann, which tied the game for a second time.
However, Jonzzon and Brian Ward would score for the Storm less than a minute-16-seconds apart, which started with Jonzzon’s ninth goal of the season at the 8:30 mark in the second period. Ward scored his third goal of the season from Michael Montrose and Luke Sandler to push the Storm lead 4-2 in the second period.
In the third period, Tri-City’s Daniil Zharkov scored his first of two goals at the 4:31 mark from Dan Kolomatis and Pinkston. It was Zharkov’s first-career USHL goal in his sixth game this season with the Storm and the goal became the game-winner.
Pinkston ended the night with three assists and a plus-2 rating. The Storm defenseman has scored nine points (3 goals, 6 assists) and been a plus-6 over the last eight games.
Cedar Rapids would score less than two-minutes after the Storm got a 5-2 lead with a power-play goal from Andy Simpson. It would be the only goal scored on the power play out of the 10 goals combined between the two teams.
At the 13:13 mark in the third period, Zharkov forced a RoughRider turnover and passed the puck to Matt Johnson, who sent it right back to Zharkov in the bottom right-circle for his second goal of the night.
Saracino scored for the RoughRiders shortly after the sixth goal from the Storm for the final goal of the game. It was the most goals combined between the Storm and an opponent this season at the Viaero Event Center.
Goalie Christopher Holden earned the win for the Storm making 31 saves on 35 shots, as Hjelle pick up the loss after making 25 saves on 31 shots.
Tri-City will play Saturday night against the Indiana Ice before heading back on the road for four-straight games starting in Sioux Falls on Wednesday night.
Notes: The Storm are 7-2-0 against the Eastern Conference this season… Tri-City is now 9-1-2 when scoring three or more goals in game this season… The Storm also improved their record to 5-0-0 when leading after one period and 11-0-0 when leading after two periods
SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Cedar Rapids - Michael Parks (Nolan Zajac, Jayson Megna) 8:37
Tri-City - Nick Lappin (Rick Pinkston, Cody Murphy) 11:53
Tri-City - Brad Schierhorn (Soren Jonzzon) 19:50
Period 2
Cedar Rapids - Peter Maric (Nick Saracino, Cason Hohmann) 1:49
Tri-City - Soren Jonzzon (Brad Schierhorn, Rick Pinkston) 8:30
Tri-City - Brian Ward (Michael Montrose, Luke Sandler) 9:46
Period 3
Tri-City - Daniil Zharkov (Dan Kolomatis, Rick Pinkston) 4:31
Cedar Rapids - Andy Simpson (powerplay) (Michael Parks, Jayson Megna) 6:24
Tri-City - Daniil Zharkov (Matt Johnson) 13:13
Cedar Rapids - Nick Saracino (Cason Hohmann, Josiah Didier) 14:54
Shots
Cedar Rapids – 10, 12, 13 – Total 35
Tri-City – 14, 8, 9 – Total 31
Saves
Cedar Rapids – Brady Hjelle (Loss) 25 (31 shots)
Tri-City – Christopher Holden (Win) 31 (35 shots)
Power Play
Cedar Rapids – 1/4
Tri-City – 0/1