SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Sioux Falls Stampede took a two-goal lead in the second period but allowed the Sioux City Musketeers to score three unanswered goals to take a 3-2 victory in overtime Saturday night at Fleet Farm Arena. Jared Westcott and Raimonds Vitolins both scored power-play goals for the Herd, while Jaxson Stauber made the start in net.The first goal of the game from Stampede leading scorer Jared Westcott on the power play at the 9:53 mark of the second period. Westcott was able to tuck a loose puck out to the glove side of Sioux City goaltender Ethan Haider for the 1-0 lead. Raimonds Vitolins and Ryan Sullivan assisted on the play.Six minutes later Sioux City forward Gabe Blanchard took a five-minute major kneeing penalty on Brenden Olson to give the Herd their second power play opportunity of the game. Four minutes into the man-advantage Sullivan redirected a rebounded puck to Vitolins in the slot for the one-timer. The Herd ended the second period with the two-goal advantage.Sioux City forward Ian Malcolmson gave the home crowd some life with his second goal of the weekend on goaltender Jaxson Stauber with 13:19 left in regulation. The two-goal lead evaporated as Ben Doran scored with 2:34 left in the third period, sending the game to overtime.The Herd looked out of sorts for the entirety of the extra session with Stauber making save after save in an attempt to earn two points on the weekend. However, Musketeer forward A.J. Hodges was able to end the evening with a goal for the 3-2 overtime victory.
Sioux Falls was outshot 31-18 in the game with 18 coming in the final two periods from Sioux City. The Stampede drop to 18-17-4 on the season and one point back of sixth place in the Western Conference standings.The Sioux Falls Fighting Wiener Dogs return to the ice this Saturday for the 13th Annual Wiener Dog Races. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible as seats in the lower bowl are becoming increasingly limited. Puck drop is 7:05 p.m. The Herd will follow up the biggest game of the year with a 5:05 p.m. game with the Omaha Lancers on Sunday, Feb. 16. Fans can catch the game streaming live at HockeyTV.com or listen live on KELO Radio 107.9 FM, 1320 AM or Kelo.com.
(Jasen Robbennolt contributed to this report)
