The Sioux Falls Stampede opened the 2016-2017 USHL season with a dramatic shootout victory over the Tri-City Storm. A crowd of 9,014 at the PREMIER Center celebrated the victory, giving the team their second straight season opening victory. Eric MacAdams led the way for the Stampede, scoring a goal and gathering an assist in regulation and then scoring in the shootout victory to give Sioux Falls the opening night 3-2 win.

The Stampede jumped out in front just 7:46 into the contest. Austin Albrecht gained control of the puck behind the Tri-City net. He then made a perfect pass from behind the net to MacAdams who buried it in the net for the 1-0 lead.

It would remain that way through the next 11-minutes of the period. That included the Stampede killing off a 5-3 power-play with a little under four minutes left in the period. At 17:04 of the second period Alex Limoges was penalized for cross-checking, putting the Stampede on the power-play. With the man-advantage winding down, Tri-City got control of the puck. Bryan Yoon made a pass to Montgomery Graham who carried the puck into the Sioux Falls end. He then made a perfect pass to Wyllum Deveaus, who one-timed it into the net for the short-handed goal that tied the score.

The score was tied, and that was thanks in large part to Sioux Falls goalie Jeremy Swayman, who saved 17 of the 18 shots against him.

In the second period the Stampede would get back in the lead. Just 2:20 into the period, MacAdams passed to Albrecht whose shot was saved by Dayton Rasmussen. However, Jason O’Neill was Johnny on the spot, putting the rebound in to make it 2-1. That gave Albrecht his second assist of the game.

A little less than nine minutes later the Storm would tie the score again. Paul Washe’s unassisted goal tied the score at two.

Once again, the second period would be a showcase for Swayman. The Stampede were outshot 13-4, but Tri-City could muster just one goal. That gave Swayman 29 saves through the first two periods.

The third period would see the Storm continually pepper the Stampede goalie, but Swayman stood strong, saving all 12-shots against him. Rasmussen did not get the same kind of work, but he was just as effective, saving 20 of the 22-shots he faced through regulation.

In overtime each team had a shot to close this contest out. The Storm took seven shots to the Stampede’s five, but neither team could get one into the net. That sent the game into a shootout.

In the first round of the shootout, Swayman made a nice save on Deveaux. Matthew Quercia then went top shelf to give Sioux Falls the 1-0 lead. Swayman then made another save, this time on Linus Weissbach, meaning the Stampede just needed one more goal to clinch the victory. MacAdams left no doubt, faking like he was going to go to his backhand, then moving the puck to his forehand before putting the puck under the pads of Rasmussen for the score. That gave the Sioux Falls Stampede the 3-2 shootout victory.

Jeremy Swayman was named the No. 1 star of the game, saving 48 of 50 shots on him. MacAdams earned the second star with a goal and an assist and Matthew Quercia was given the third star.

The Sioux Falls Stampede will travel to Cedar Rapids next Friday night to take on the RoughRiders. Opening face-off is 7:05.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier