Blake Montgomery’s teammate John Hirschfeld scored the game-winning goal to break a tie early in the second period as the Lincoln Stars defeated the Sioux Falls Stampede, 3 - 2, at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.
Hirschfeld poked home a loose puck at the top of the crease 2:15 into the third to break a 2 - 2 deadlock and give the Stars their third straight victory. Lincoln scored the game's first goal but entered the first intermission trailing 2 - 1 before a two-goal second period.
Hirschfeld netted his first USHL goal amidst a net-front scramble shortly after when the puck came loose atop the crease. Hirschfeld swooped in all alone, brought it from his backhand to his forehand near-post side and flicked it into a wide-open net. Darian Anderson put the initial shot on net, Matt Maltais's rebound attempt was denied, but Hirschfeld showcased his patience to put the Stars back in front.
Lincoln wasted no time opening the scoring as Dashel Oliver struck just 28 seconds in off a turnover forced by Daniel Shlaine on the near wall. Oliver one-timed Shlaine's feed to the high slot for his third goal of the season.
The Stars again lit the lamp quickly in the second with two tallies 2:15 into the frame. Jack Pechar scored from atop the right circle for his third goal of the season off a feed along the goal line from Montgomery to tie the game up on the power play.
Pechar's goal gave the Stars their sixth power-play goal of the campaign and Pechar his second on the man advantage. Lincoln has scored on the man advantage in each of the last four games and have scored six in that time. Pechar tied for the team lead with six power-play goals last season and is 1-of-10 USHL players with multiple power-play goals this season.
For the second time in the last three games the Stars recorded 20 shots in a period after firing 22 pucks on net in the second. Despite trailing 2-1 after 20 minutes and being outshot 12-6 in that span, the Stars bounced back with a two-goal second and a 22-5 advantage in shots in the game.
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