Stampede Stumble In Omaha

RALSTON, NE -- The Sioux Falls Stampede were hoping for another third period rally, but came up short Sunday night, falling 5-1 to the Omaha Lancers at Ralston Arena. C.J. Franklin scored the lone goal for the Stampede while Charlie Lindgren started the game and stopped 5 of 8 shots before Jan Obernesser came in relief and stopped 19 of 21.

The loss dropped the Stampede’s record to 16-8-1, but they remained in first place in the Western Conference while the Lancers (15-12-0) moved into fifth place and pulled within in three points of the Herd.

Omaha opened the scoring 8:47 into the period when newly acquired forward Robbie Baillargeon scored. Baillargeon took a pass inside the right circle and slapped a shot past Lindgren into the upper left hand corner of the net to make it a 1-0 game. Moments later the Lancers would score again, this time on the power play, when Connor Chatham scored right off a face-off to give the Lancers a 2-0 lead. The Herd trailed despite outshooting the Lancers 7-6.

In the third, Omaha got a little luck when Alex Rauter’s centering attempt from the right circle deflected off a Stampede skate and past Lindgren to make it a 3-0 game just 4:16 in. That would end Lindgren’s night as he was replaced by Jan Obernesser.

Sioux Falls would respond with the change, scoring just a minute later when Franklin tallied his ninth goal of the season. Dennis Kravchenko knocked down a pass in the slot and backhanded a shot that was stopped by Lyon, but the rebound bounced to Franklin who wristed a shot into the back of the net to cut the deficit to two goals at 3-1.

Omaha would regain their three goal lead however, scoring at 11:40 when Frank Schumacher picked up a rebound in front of the net and slipped it under the pads of Obernesser to give the Lancers a 4-1 edge. The Lancers would take that advantage into the locker room, despite being outshot 14-11 in the period.

The Stampede had a couple of power play opportunities in the first ten minutes of the third period, but couldn’t convert and the Lancers put the game away for good at 13:38 when Kyle Osterberg scored on the power play. Frank Schumacher’s shot from the slot was stopped by Obernesser, but the rebound bounced right onto the tape of Osterberg who knocked it in to make it a 5-1 game.

Omaha outshot the Stampede 12-7 in the third and 29-28 in the game while going 2-for-6 on the power play. The Stampede were 0-for-6 with the man advantage.

Sioux Falls returns to action on Friday when they host the Tri-City Storm at the Sioux Falls Arena at 7:05 PM. The Herd will then host Cedar Rapids on Saturday before a few days off for the holidays.

Courtesy:  Jim Olander/Sioux Falls Stampede