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Dzingel's 2 Goals, Murdock's 36 Saves Leads Stars By Dan Fremuth Lincoln, NE "“ Ryan Dzingel scored two goals and the Lincoln Stars kept Omaha"™s power play off the board in skating past the Lancers 5-2 Friday evening at the Lincoln IceBox. Following the loss, the Lancers dropped to 16-9-4 on the year and are now winless in their last three games (0-2-1). Despite the setback, Omaha maintains sole possession of third place in the Western Conference with 36 standings points.
Neither side found the back of the net in the opening period of play despite a combined 22 shots on goal. Lincoln netminder Kevin Murdock turned aside all 13 Lancers shots he faced in period one while Omaha goaltender Todd Mathews answered all nine Stars shots he saw in the opening period.
Lincoln broke the scoreless deadlock just under four minutes into the second period when Matt Prapavessis found Ryan Dzingel alone atop the Omaha goal crease in redirecting home his team-leading 10th goal of the season. Brent Tate earned the secondary assist on the even strength marker scored 3:41 into the frame. The goal marked just the ninth time in 28 games this season the Stars have registered the game"™s first goal. Lincoln wasted little time doubling its lead as just 43 seconds later John McCarron found some open real estate on the left wing in blasting in his ninth goal of the season. Tate and Prapavessis assisted on the five-on-five marker netted 4:24 into the second period of play.
Omaha trimmed Lincoln"™s lead in half and made its first dent on the scoreboard just 2:35 into the third period when Ken Babinski won a goal mouth scramble in sending in his fifth goal of the season. The Stars bounced right back though and reestablished their two-goal lead just 31 seconds later when, from the right wing, Dzingel launched his second goal of the game and 11th of the year. Nick Cecere garnered the only assist on the five-on-five tally notched 3:01 into the final frame. Omaha was quick to respond though and cut the lead in half once just again just under two minutes later when Seth Ambroz found some open room on the left wing in driving home his team-leading 14th goal of the season. The unassisted even strength tally came 4:52 into the third period. The Stars put the game away though late in the third period when, after successfully killing a four-minute double minor roughing penalty to Garrett Peterson, it was Peterson who one-timed his 10th goal of the season. Andrew Schmit assisted on the insurance marker scored 14:50 into the period. Lincoln landed the final nail in the coffin with just 7 seconds left when, with Mathews back to the bench in favor of the extra attacker, Schmit landed his fifth goal of the season into the empty net sealing the 5-2 victory.
Murdock earned his third straight victory in goal, and his second straight win against the Lancers, with 36 saves on 38 Omaha shots. Meanwhile, Mathews suffered the loss after 27 saves on 31 shots.
The Lancers are back in action Sunday afternoon when they return home to the Omaha Civic Auditorium to battle the Indiana Ice. Puck drops 5:05 PM.
Scoring Summary
Period 1 No Scoring
Period 2 Lincoln "“ Ryan Dzingel (Matt Prapavessis, Brent Tate) 3:41 Lincoln "“ John McCarron (Brent Tate, Matt Prapavessis) 4:24
Period 3 Omaha "“ Ken Babinski (unassisted) 2:35 Lincoln "“ Ryan Dzingel (Nick Cecere) 3:06 Omaha "“ Seth Ambroz (unassisted) 4:52 Lincoln "“ Garrett Peterson (Andrew Schmit) 14:50 Lincoln "“ Andrew Schmit (empty net) (Frank Misuraca) 19:53
Shots Omaha "“ 13, 12, 13 "“ Total 38 Lincoln "“ 9, 11, 12 "“ Total 32
Saves Omaha "“ Todd Mathews 27 (31 shots) Lincoln "“ Kevin Murdock 36 (38 shots)
Power Play Omaha 0/6 Lincoln 0/1
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