Friday night, the Sioux Falls Stampede travelled to Sioux City, Iowa to take on the Musketeers looking to get out of last place in the Western Conference, but two third period goals by Sioux City, including the second goal of the season by Aapeli Rasanen with just 2:24 left in the game, gave the Musketeers the 5-4 win. That moved the Stampede to 4-7-0-1, keeping them two-points behind the Lincoln Stars.

The Sioux Falls Stampede would come out fired up and it delivered dividends when they took the lead 7:55 into the game. Josh Passolt had control of the puck behind the net and attempted the wrap around goal, but Matiss Kivlenieks made a nice save. However, the puck bounced out in front and Jack Doremus knocked it home for his fourth goal of the season.

The Musketeers would respond almost exactly three minutes later. Rasanen made a pass to Eeli Tolvanen, who wristed a shot by Stampede goalie Mikhail Berdin for his eighth goal of the season. That tied the score at one.

At the 13:23, mark Sioux City would take their first lead of the game. Connor Ford took control of the puck and made a nice wrist shot that Berdin simply could not handle. That was Ford’s first goal of the season and made the score 2-1.

With 90-seconds left in the period, the Sioux Falls Stampede would tie the score. Eric MacAdams took the puck down the left wing boards and then made a nice pass to Jason O’Neill who was in the slot. He continued toward the net before firing a wrist shot that Kivlenieks could not handle for his seventh goal of the season.

It was tied at two heading into the second period, as the Sioux City Musketeers had outshot Sioux Falls 12-10 in the first. In the second period the Musketeers would absolutely dominate, outshooting the Stampede 21-4, but both teams would head to the locker room with the score still tied.

Sioux City took the lead when Tolvanen netted his second goal of the game and ninth of the season at the one minute mark. While on the power-play, Tolvanen fired a shot from the left face-off circle that beat Berdin to make it 3-2.

At the 8:31 mark the Stampede would tie the score. Doremus took a pass in the slot area and moved the puck to his backhand. He then lifted a shot just over the stick of the Sioux City goalie to tie the score at three.

From there, Berdin was the story in the period. He made what seemed like save after save as the Musketeers absolutely dominated the frame. However, Berdin remained solid, keeping it tied heading into the break.

In the third, the Stampede would retake the lead. Doremus fired a wrist shot that looked like it would find the back of the net, but Kivlenieks got just enough of a piece of it to slow it down. However, Matthew Quercia knocked it across the line to give Sioux Falls back the lead, 4-3.

At the 12:12 mark, just 85-seconds after Sioux Falls had taken the lead, Sioux City would tie the score again. JC McLean would put in his first goal of the season when his shot beat Berdin to tie the score at four.

The game had the feel like it may go to overtime, but those hopes were dashed for the Stampede when Rasanen scored with 2:24 left in the game. The Musketeers got a great hustle play when they beat the Stampede defender to avert an icing call. They kept the puck in the Sioux Falls end where Tolvanen fired a long slap shot that hit off the mask of Berdin and bounced right to Rasanen. The Sioux City forward tucked the puck under the pads of the Stampede goalie and into the net to make it 5-4 and that is how the game would end.

Despite giving up five goals, Berdin made 41-saves, many of which came in that tough second period. Doremus had 2-goals and an assist and Quercia added a goal and an assist for the Stampede. Tolvanen had 2-goals and an assist for the Sioux City Musketeers. Rasanen added a goal and an assist.

The Sioux Falls Stampede will get a chance to make up some ground Saturday night when they take on the Lincoln Stars. Game time is 7:05.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier