Story by Tri-City Communications
URBANDALE, IA. – The Tri-City Storm is set for this weekend’s three-game road trip across Iowa beginning with tonight’s game against the Des Moines Buccaneers at Buccaneer Arena. Tri-City will battle the Waterloo Black Hawks in back-to-back games at Young Arena following tonight’s contest. This weekend’s games will be the last games played outside of Nebraska for Tri-City, as the team enters the final nine games of the regular season. Puck drop is set for 7:00pm CT.
Tri-City (26-18-4-5) enters this weekend’s road series against the Des Moines Buccaneers and Waterloo Black Hawks as the 4th place team in the USHL’s Western Conference standings. The Storm’s “magic number” to clinch a spot in the 2024 Clark Cup Playoffs is currently at six points entering this weekend’s slate of games. Tri-City has posted a 1-1-1-0 record in head-to-head matchups against Des Moines this season. The Storm finished the 2022-2023 regular season 3-2-1-1 in games played against the Buccaneers. Tri-City has won seven of its last eleven games played at Buccaneer Arena. The Storm notched five of a possible six points in the Western Conference standings in last weekend’s performance at the Viaero Center against the league-leading Fargo Force. Tri-City won a 6-2 decision over Fargo Sunday evening to earn a split in the six-game series. A.J. Lacroix, Trevor Connelly, Seth Constance, August Falloon, Cam Briere, and Cooper Simpson each netted a goal for the Storm in the victory. Tri-City improved to 19-4-0-3 when leading after the 1st period, and 20-0-2-0 when leading after the 2nd period this season in the win. The Storm outshot the Force by a final margin of 28-26, and improved to 17-12-1-13 when outshooting its opponents this season. Scoring leaders for Tri-City entering tonight’s road game against Des Moines include Trevor Connelly (26), Ryan Smith (21), Cam Briere (20), Artemi Nizameyev (15), August Falloon (15), A.J. Lacroix (13), and Owen Beckner (12). Tonight’s battle is the first game of the Storm’s current five-game road trip. Tri-City will return home to the Viaero Center to host the Sioux Falls Stampede in back-to-back games on Friday, April 5th, and Saturday, April 6th.
Des Moines (21-26-3-2) currently trails the Lincoln Stars by one point for the final playoff spot in the USHL’s Western Conference standings entering tonight’s matchup against Tri-City at Buccaneer Arena. The Buccaneers have posted a 6-2-1-1 record over the past ten games, and have won two of three games played against the Storm this season. Des Moines dropped back-to-back road games against the Green Bay Gamblers and Madison Capitols last weekend. The Buccaneers have played five of the last six games on the road, but will return to action tomorrow with another home game at Buccaneer Arena against the Omaha Lancers. Scoring leaders for Des Moines entering tonight’s battle against Tri-City include Ben Kevan (19), Liam Watkins (18), Jack Kernan (15), Ashton Dahms (13), and Ilya Protas (12).
Tonight’s game is set to begin at 7:00pm CT and will be streamed on FloHockey and Storm Radio. Tickets to home games at the Viaero Center may be purchased online by skating to www.StormHockey.com, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office hours at 308-338-8144. The Tri-City Storm is presented by Viaero Wireless.