Whitehead’s Shutout Buoys Stars to Win
September 23, 2022 – United States Hockey League (USHL) – Lincoln Stars News Release
Cameron Whitehead turned aside all 30 shots that he faced and the Lincoln Stars picked up a 6-0 win over the Green Bay Gamblers on Friday afternoon in the Dick’s Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic at the Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa.
The Stars scored three times in the second period and three times on the power play to cap the weekend with a pair of wins. Whitehead matched his shutout total from a season ago in the second game of his second year with the Stars.
Lincoln scored first and never trailed for the second straight day and Whitehead stood tall in his second straight start in net. He stopped aside all 30 shots that he faced, including 16 in the third period.
“Shutouts are a team effort,” Whitehead said. “It’s obviously a bit easier when the boys score six goals but it meant a lot seeing them still block shots in the third period.”
The turning point in the game earlier on when a check on Patrick Raftery into the boards by the Green Bay bench eventually led to a three-minute power play. Klavs Veinbergs played give-and-go with Boston Buckberger and one-timed a puck home to give the Stars the lead at 6:14 of the first.
Daniel Sambuco scored his first of the season and the Stars’ second of the game at 11:41 of the mark of the first. Sambuco fed Michael Mesic in front of the net and when Mesic’s shot trickled to the side of the net on his right side, it was Sambuco traveling from the far post, where he set Mesic up, to the near post, where he stuffed in the rebound.
Hagen Moe made it 3-0, Lincoln, when he entered the attacking zone on a three-on-one and whizzed a wrister to the top right corner at 4:10 of the second for his first USHL goal. Mason Marcellus scored his second power-play goal in as many days with a slick wrist shot from the left-wing side at 9:12 of the second and Raftery added the final power-play tally of the day by potting home a rebound off another Mesic shot at 16:10 of the second.
Buckberger capped the scoring with the lone goal of the third period. Veinbergs set him up at the top of the right wing faceoff circle and his backhander through the traffic found the back of the net.
The Stars open the season 2-0 and look to stay undefeated as they open up their home schedule on Friday against the Sioux Falls Stampede at 7:05 p.m. The home opener is a BOGO ticket offer and fans can purchase tickets now at lincolnstars.com.
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