Sioux Falls, S.D. – The Sioux Falls Stampede will host the Youngstown Phantoms for Hockey Talks Night, presented by Fight Like A Ninja and Two Men and A Truck, and Stomp's Birthday Bash, presented by Dental Solutions.
The Stampede enter this weekend after completing their ninth weekend sweep of the season. On Saturday night, the Herd defeated the Musketeers in a close 2-1 battle. The Musketeers scored the first goal of the night after
Joe McGraw was called for hooking on a breakaway, awarding Sioux City a penalty shot with four minutes remaining in the first period. The Stampede came out strong in the second and netted two goals from the same spot.
Filip Nordberg scored the first goal on a one-timer off a
JJ Monteiro backhanded pass. With 16 seconds remaining,
Gennadi Chaly secured the eventual game-winner with a similar shot. The final frame was marked by penalties, but neither team capitalized, and the Stampede took two points with them.
On Sunday afternoon, the Stampede faced the Omaha Lancers, who had recently broken their 31-game losing streak with a win over the Tri-City Storm on Saturday night. The Herd came off the bus strong with a three-goal first period. Joseph McGraw,
Bryce Ingles, and
Noah Urness each netted goals before the Lancers got one past goaltender
Waylon Esche at 13:57 of the first period.
Filip Nordberg added another goal in the second period, his second of the weekend. The Lancers kept the game interesting with a goal just 1:39 into the third period. After struggling on the power play all game, the Stampede finally broke through at 7:26 when
Austin Baker tipped in a
Gennadi Chaly shot. Omaha added another goal, but an empty-netter from
Javon Moore sealed the Stampede's 6-3 win.
The Youngstown Phantoms travel to Sioux Falls after hosting the Madison Capitols for a three-game series last week. On Wednesday night, the Phantoms secured a 5-2 win with a dominant three-goal third period after outshooting the Capitols 39-13. They followed it up with a 4-1 victory on Thursday, where Ryan Rucinski netted two goals. The series concluded on Friday night, when the Phantoms were shut out by former Stampede goaltender
Caleb Heil. Madison scored the only goal of the game on a power play at 3:51 of the third period. Tensions ran high in the final game of the series, with 44 penalty minutes handed out, including seven roughing penalties. By comparison, only 20 minutes in penalties were given in the first two games combined. The two wins pushed the Phantoms' magic number to three to clinch their Clark Cup Playoff spot. They currently sit second in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Dubuque Fighting Saints by six points and leading the Madison Capitols and Muskegon Lumberjacks by just one point. Youngstown will look to maintain their position in the standings with two wins over the Herd this weekend.
Sioux Falls and Youngstown have yet to face off this season. The two teams last met in late October 2023, when the Stampede traveled to the Covelli Centre. The Phantoms swept that series with a 4-3 win on Friday, October 27, followed by a 6-3 victory on Saturday.
The puck will drop at 7:05 p.m. on Friday night for the series opener. Thanks to Fight Like A Ninja and Two Men and A Truck, the Stampede aim to start a conversation about mental health. The Herd will wear special warm-up jerseys to benefit Fight Like A Ninja. The jerseys can be bid on
here. The organization is also hosting a Crazy Sock Toss to support local mental health organizations. Fans who bring fun socks can throw them onto the ice after the Stampede score their first goal. The Groove Drumline is back and will perform during the first intermission, followed by Chuck-A-Puck in the second.
The two-game series will conclude on Saturday night with Stomp's Birthday Bash, presented by Dental Solutions. The 6:05 p.m. game promises fun for the whole family. Mr. Twister will be in attendance, and fans can participate in a special scavenger hunt throughout the concourse. Thanks to Midwestern Mechanical, the first 500 fans will receive the next set of Stampede trading cards. Stomp will have plenty of mascot friends joining the celebration, and they will be available for meet-and-greets in the concourse before the game. The iconic Cake Smash will return during the first intermission, while Mascot Musical Chairs will take center stage during the second intermission. Chuck-A-Pucks will be available for purchase both nights.
Tickets for both games can be purchased
here.
