SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — The Stampede gave up a power play goal with just over six minutes left in regulation and came up just short, falling 3-2 to the Sioux City Musketeers before 6,419 at the PREMIER Center Friday night. Ryan Gordon and Nick Ring tallied goals for the Herd while Xavier Medina stopped 28 of 30 shots in goal for the Herd who fell to 5-7-1 on the season and 1-3-0 this season against Sioux City.
After a bit of a slow start, the Herd were able to draw a penalty and get the power play unit onto the ice. After two close chances that just scooted wide of the net, the Stampede would connect at 5:42 when Maddox Fleming connected with Ryan Gordon at the bottom of the left circle and Gordon drove to the net on the backhand and tucked the puck in under the crossbar for a 1-0 lead on his fifth of the season. The celebration wouldn’t last long though as the Musketeers responded at 7:25 when Ty Hanson wristed a shot through the five-hole of Xavier Medina to tie the game at one. The Stamped edged the Musketeers in shots in the period at 12-11.
Sioux City would take their first lead of the night just 4:08 into the period when Ben Poitras took a pass off the right-wing wall and sent a pass into the slot for Sam Deckchut who wristed a shot right under the crossbar and into the net for a 2-1 advantage. The Herd would get a power play later in the period, but were unable to muster much and didn’t have much push in the period overall, being outshot 16-10 in the period.
Trailing by just a goal, the Herd tied the game at 8:09 of the third when Nick Ring took a pass in the left circle and cut into the slot where he managed to wrist a shot while falling down. The puck traveled through the pads of the Sioux City goaltender and into the net to bring the PREMIER Center fans to their feet in celebration.
It would remain that way until late in the game when the Stampede’s Noah Anderson would commit a penalty that put the Musketeers on their first advantage of the night. They wouldn’t take much time as Dylan Godbout blasted a shot from the left circle and into the net to give Sioux City the lead back at 3-2 with just over six minutes remaining in regulation.
The Herd tried to put a rally together, but the Musketeers defense didn’t budge and didn’t allow much from the Stampede, shutting them down and holding on to their lead to pick up the win.
Sioux City outshot the Stampede 12-8 and 39-30 on the night. The Herd finished 1-for-3 while the Musketeers went 1-for-1.
The Stampede will get another shot against the Musketeers as they travel to Sioux City to face the Muskies at the Tyson Events Center. Puck drop is set for 6:05 PM and fans can tune into pre-game coverage starting at 5:40 PM on KELO News Talk 1320-AM, 105.1-FM, 107.9-FM and KELO.com. The game is also available on FloHockey.
