SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – After a weekend sweep against the Green Bay Gamblers last weekend, the Sioux Falls Stampede now look to head down I-29 to take on the Sioux City Musketeers on Friday night for the third time this season.
With a 5-2 win in Sioux City on October 2, followed by a 5-3 loss in the Stampede home opener on October 3, the Herd are looking to prove that the loss to the Musketeers was a one-off occurrence this season. The Musketeers currently sport a 4-9-1-0 record and sit seventh in the USHL's Western Conference, while the Stampede are fourth in the West, with a 9-7-0-0 record.
The Sioux City power play has been a strong point for their team so far, with a 20.5% success rate, while for Sioux Falls, the power play has been struggling to find consistency all year. With a league-leading 83 opportunities on the power play, the Stampede have converted just 13 times, with a 15.7% success rate on the man advantage. On the other side of the special teams game, the Stampede sit fourth in the league on the penalty kill, with a success rate of 86.2%, having allowed eight goals while shorthanded. Sioux City's penalty kill trails by a decent margin, sitting in the middle of the pack, with a 79.2% success rate on the PK, but scoring three shorthanded goals along the way. The Stampede have picked up two goals while shorthanded this season.
Stampede Players To Watch
Forward
Max Davis went on a bit of a heater in his home state last weekend against Green Bay, but now the question is can he keep it going? He has eight points in his last six games, including five in the two games against the Gamblers.
Tender signing
Dylan Delgado (2028) appeared in his first two games back from injury in the games against Green Bay, and he will be one to watch as he settles into his game and the USHL.
On the blue line, defenseman
Markus Jakobsen has been a steady presence for the Stampede through 16 games, earning a spot on the top pair with
Wade Weil as
Anthony Bongo has been out. With four points so far this season, it could be a big weekend for Jakobsen, starting on Friday.
Musketeers Players To Watch
Daniil Butin leads all Musketeers in points and goals, with 15 points (8G, 7A) through 14 games this season.
After winning the Clark Cup with the Stampede last season,
Jake Merens is having a bit of a breakout year with Sioux City, accruing 11 points (6G, 5A) in 12 games to start the year.
Making plays from the back end, Mason Stenger has nine assists through 13 games played for the Musketeers this season, and the second-year defenseman is going to be a big part of giving his team a chance to win on Friday night.
About The Sioux Falls Stampede
Established in 1999, the Sioux Falls Stampede is a proud member of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league and leading producer of both NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The organization has set out to achieve excellence in on- and off-ice performance since its inception. The Sioux Falls Stampede plays home games out of the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, providing players with a taste of high-stakes, high-adrenaline hockey in front of sold-out crowds of over 11,000 fans.
