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October 22, 2022 – United States Hockey League (USHL) – Lincoln Stars News Release

STARS vs. LANCERS

When: Saturday, Oct. 22 at 6:05 p.m.

Where: The Ice Box

Watch: Flo Hockey (flohockey.tv/live/45755)

Mixlr (mixlr.com/lincoln-stars)

LINCOLN (5-1)

The Stars enter tonight on a three-game win streak and have won two-of-their-first-three games at the Ice Box. Lincoln swept a home-and-home series against the Tri-City Storm last weekend with a pair of 6-3 victories. The Stars entered the weekend with the best record in the USHL but are now tied for the third-most points in the USHL and sit one point back with Fargo for a tie of first in the Western Conference.

Lincoln’s penalty kill is a big reason for their success so far. The Stars have only allowed three power-play goals through their first six games, which is the second-fewest in the USHL. Lincoln’s 87-percent penalty kill percentage is the third-best in the league.

DES MOINES (3-2-1)

The Buccaneers are in fourth place in the Western Conference but can move a point behind the Stars with a regulation victory tonight. They only played once last weekend, falling 2-0 to Dubuque, but bounced back with a 4-1 win over Omaha last night. The Buccaneers took a 3-0 lead into the third period and Jan Korec stood tall between the pipes with 28 saves.

Lubomir Kupco did not played in last night’s game but lead’s the Buccaneers with four goals and is tied for the team lead with five points. He has scored in three-of-five games played in, including a two goal performance against Dubuque on Sep. 24 in the season opener.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Six-Or-More Goals: The Stars have scored six goals in each of their last three games for the fourth time in franchise history since the USHL became a Tier-I league in 2022. This is the first time that the Stars have scored six-or-more goals in three consecutive games since Oct. 5, 11 and 12, 2019 (6-4 win @ Sioux Falls, 7-4 win vs. Sioux Falls, 6-1 win @ Omaha). Prior to 2019 it had not happened since Oct. 6, 7 and 13, 2006. The last time that the Stars scored at least six goals in four-or-more consecutive games was also in that 2006-07 season. They scored six-or-more goals in seven consecutive games Feb. 17-March 10 when they found the back of the net 47 times in seven consecutive wins. Lincoln has already lit the lamp at least six times in four games this season after doing so nine times all of last season.

Close Games: Five of the first six games that Des Moines played were decided by two goals or less. Four of their first five games have been decided by one goal and the Buccaneers are 2-1-1 in one-goal games. The Stars’ only loss was a one-goal game, a 3-2 loss to Sioux Falls on Sep. 30. Lincoln’s goal differential through six games is +19 and the Stars have only trailed for 55:42 of 360 minutes played.

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