Stampede drop home opener to Stars 3-2
Sioux Falls, S.D. (Stampede) — The Sioux Falls Stampede fell to the Lincoln Stars 3-2 in their 2024 Home Opener. Goals from Bryce Ingles and Ethan Wyttenbach kept the Herd in the game while goaltender Carl Axelsson earned his second start of the season and made 31 saves.
The Home Opener looked to be off to a rough start for the Herd when Lincoln scored their first goal only 28 seconds into the game. Dashel Oliver tallied the goal with assistance from Daniel Shlaine and Kade Kohanski. After a quiet seven minutes at the PREMIER Center, the place erupted as the Stampede scored their first home goal of the season. Defenseman Bryce Ingles scored the goal after a failed attempt by forward Miroslav Satan bounced off the boards behind the net. Satan was credited with the assist. The Herd took the lead a few minutes later when Ethan Wyttenbach earned his first goal of the season. The forward snuck one on the right side of Stars' goaltender Yan Shostak off a pass from linemate John McNelis . The Stampede led the Stars in shots-on-goal, in the first, 12 to 6.
The Stampede started the second period on the penalty kill after defenseman Alex Rybakov was called for holding. Lincoln took advantage 36 seconds into the period with their second goal of the night. Nearly two minutes later, Lincoln took back the lead thanks to a shot from forward John Hirschfeld. After giving up a power play goal, the Stampede would go on to kill their next two penalties. With less than two minutes remaining, the Herd headed to their first power play of the period and only the second of the night. The Stampede were out shot in the second period 22-5.
The Herd started the final frame of the night with 44 seconds remaining on the power play. Unfortunately, the group was unable to take advantage and the remainder of the third period saw little action with no goals and no penalties. Sioux Falls out shot Lincoln 10-6 in the third period. Shot-on-goal for the night were 27 Sioux Falls and 34 Lincoln.
Goaltender Carl Axelsson made 31 saves and earned a .909 save percentage. Axelsson now holds a .910 save percentage on the season.
The Stampede return to the PREMIER Center next weekend for games on Friday and Saturday to face off against two Eastern Conference teams. On Friday the team will take on the Dubuque Fighting Saints for Great Plains Zoo Night and on Saturday, they will play the Cedar Rapids Roughriders for Sioux Falls Humane Society Night.
