Story by Tri-City Communications
KEARNEY, NE. – The Tri-City Storm is set for this weekend’s home series at the Viaero Center against the Muskegon Lumberjacks following last weekend’s two-game sweep over the Waterloo Black Hawks. Tonight’s game will be the first meeting between the Storm and the Lumberjacks in Kearney in 1,350 days. Ticket specials for tonight’s contest include a $5 Kids Friday presented by Big Apple Fun Center. Puck drop for the battle is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.
Tri-City (9-6-1-0) returns to action tonight on a three-game point streak following a 4-3 victory at the Viaero Center against the Waterloo Black Hawks in the organization’s annual Military Appreciation Night Game on Saturday, November 11th. Ryan Smith scored twice during the matchup, including the game-winning goal with less than five minutes to play. Smith also netted the opening goal of the contest during the 1st period. A.J. Lacroix and Jake Rozzi also scored goals for Tri-City in the victory. Goaltender Ivan Zhigalov recorded the first win of his USHL career in net for the Storm by turning away 30 of 33 shots faced during the battle. The Storm posted a 6-4 win over the Lumberjacks on September 23rd, 2022, in the team’s second game at the 2022 DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic. Tri-City defeated Muskegon by a final score of 4-3 at the Viaero Center on March 7th, 2020. It was the Storm’s final game of the pandemic-shortened 2019-2020 season. Scoring leaders for Tri-City entering this weekend’s home series against Muskegon include August Falloon (9), Nolan Roed (6), Ryan Smith (6), Trevor Connelly (4), Owen Beckner (4), Artemi Nizameyev (4), and Cam Briere (4).
Muskegon (8-6-1-1) has posted a 4-4-1-1 record over the last ten games entering this weekend’s road series against Tri-City at the Viaero Center. The Lumberjacks will seek to snap a three-game winless skid in tonight’s game. Muskegon dropped back-to-back home games last weekend at Trinity Health Arena to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. David Klee, Joe Connor, and Xavier Veilleux each netted a goal for the Lumberjacks in the team’s 4-3 home loss to Cedar Rapids on Saturday, November 11th. Muskegon enters tonight’s game in sixth place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference standings. The Lumberjacks have posted a 2-1-0-0 record against Western Conference competition to this point in the 2023-2024 regular season. Scoring leaders for Muskegon entering tonight’s road game against Tri-City include Matvei Gridin (11), Sacha Boisvert (11), Hunter Anderson (8), Justin Solovey (6), and Cody Croal (5). The Lumberjacks will return home to host the Madison Capitols in back-to-back games at Trinity Health Arena next weekend following this weekend’s road series against the Storm at the Viaero Center.
Tonight’s game is set to begin at 7:05pm 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.