Stars Triumph Over Lancers
BY MIKE PATTERSON
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Whatever momentum the Omaha Lancers gained from a six-goal victory Friday came to a grinding halt Saturday night against the Lincoln Stars.
The Stars scored once in the first period, twice in the second and once more in the third to post a decisive 4-0 victory. The win avenged a 6-5 overtime loss suffered against Omaha in the Stars' home opener Oct. 6.
"The guys remembered that loss pretty freshly," Lincoln Coach Steve Johnson said. "They beat us in our own rink so we felt we owed them a little something."
The Stars dominated most of the night, outhustling the Lancers to several loose pucks. Lincoln goalie Beau Fritz did the rest, steering aside 21 shots to notch his third shutout of the season - tying him for the league lead with Omaha's Ray Fraser.
"I noticed before the game that he had one more than me," Fritz said. "I had it in my mind to try for the shutout, and our defense really helped me get it."
The complexion of the game might have changed in the opening minute if it wasn't for that Stars' defense. A shot that appeared close to crossing the goal line was swatted out of the crease at the last second by Lincoln's John Snowden.
Omaha, a 7-1 winner Friday night against the visiting Green Bay Gamblers, fell behind 4:36 into Saturday's game when defenseman Nick Fuher scored against Fraser. Fuher's drive from the blue line caromed off the inside of the far post and into the net.
"That goal came shortly after we had a good chance to score on the power play," Omaha Coach Mike Hastings said.
Lincoln 1 2 1-4
Omaha 0 0 0-0
First period-Scoring: 1, Lincoln, Fuher (Watkins, Wavra), 4:36. Penalties: L, Schneider (roughing), :28. O, Dahl (elbowing), 6:43. O, Fleming (tripping), 10:43. L, Magnuson (tripping), 13:58. O, Ronkowski (slashing), 14:20. L, Fouts (high sticking), 14:20. O, Ballard (check from behind), 15:34. L, Peluso (high sticking), 18:33.
Second period-Scoring: 2, Lincoln, Hontvet (Fuher, Fouts), power play, 13:10. 3, Lincoln, Callander (Schneider, Chris Fournier), 19:53. Penalties: L, Trojovsky (tripping), 7:19. L, Wavra (5 fighting), 9:29. O, Ballard (2 instigation, 2 unsportsmanlike conduct, 5 fight, game ejection), 9:29.
Third period-Scoring: 4, Lincoln, Peluso (Bochenski, Snowden), 18:19. Penalties: O, bench (too many men), 4:34. L, Wavra (hooking), 9:23. L, Fouts (5 fighting), 12:05. O, Burns (5 fighting), 12:05. L, Snowden (5 fighting), 12:59. O, Ronkowski (5 fighting), 12:59.
Shots on goal:
Lincoln 8 12 10-30
Omaha 9 4 8-21
Goalies: Lincoln, Fritz (21 saves); Omaha, Fraser (26 saves).
Power-play conversions: Lincoln, 1-6; Omaha, 0-5.
A: 5,424 (5,794).
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