SPECIAL TEAMS PROPEL MUSKETEERS TO HOME OPENER WIN
Sioux City, IA – The Sioux City Musketeers scored three power play goals and a short handed goal in a 6-3 victory over the Sioux Falls Stampede Saturday night.
The Musketeers rattled off five unanswered goals after the Stampede broke through on the scoreboard first six minutes into the contest.
Gavin Garry (1) opened the scoring with his first of two goals on the night, slapping home a saucer pass from Landen Gunderson on the power play at the 12:15 mark of the first.
The following power play in the opening period, Nikita Klepov (2) blasted home his second goal of the campaign and handed the Musketeers a 2-1 lead after the first twenty minutes.
The middle frame saw only one goal scored, but it came off a Musketeers stick short handed. Trey Jefferis (1) found some open space on the right side of the ice and flicked the puck through to hand the Musketeers a 3-1 lead after two periods.
Despite being out shot 35-18 in the game, the Musketeers used quality of shot over quantity. Aiding in that shot difference however was Sioux City's third year goaltender, Samuel Urban. The Slovakian native remains with en unblemished 3-0-0 record and recorded 32 saves on 35 shots.
Only 1:49 into the third period another Sioux City youngster, Olivers Murnieks (1) scored his first USHL goal. And at 4:07 Garry (2) collected his second lamp lighter of the evening, again on the power play.
Sioux City scored three times on five power play chances while Sioux Falls was shut out in four attempts.
A pair of Stampede goals within a minute of each other cut the Musketeer lead to 5-3 but a Tate Pritchard (3) empty netter sealed the victory for Sioux City.
The Musketeers are the only unbeaten team in the USHL through three games of the infant season. And will test that record when they go to Fargo, North Dakota next week for a Western Conference Finals rematch with the Fargo Face on Saturday, at 6:05 pm.
