By Dale Miller
dale.miller@theindependent.com

The winner earned a prize package that included a vacation to Denver, a $50 gas card and Storm season tickets for 2008-09.

It did not, however, include a Tri-City victory.

Lincoln standout goaltender David Reekie held the Storm scoreless for the final 50 minute, 55 seconds of the game to lead the Stars to a 4-2 victory.

Reekie finished with 25 saves and improved his record to 22-10-4.

"He's the best goalie in the league for a reason," Storm coach Bliss Littler said.

Tri-City (24-33-2) exited the first period tied at 2 with Lincoln but saw the Stars (30-22-7) score once each in the second and third periods.

"For what we have, we played hard," Littler said. "We just didn't make them work hard for their goals."

Tri-City once again playing with nine forwards due to injuries got off to an encouraging start. Mike Cichy scored twice in the first 9:05 of the game, including on a rebound of a Daniel Heath shot 52 seconds in the game.

But Danny Baco and Jake Newton answered Cichy's tallies and Eric Meland scored the game-winner on a wrister from the left circle at 6:01 of the second period.

While the game wasn't as chippy as some in the past of the rivalry, a pair of fights did break out. Tri-City's Pierre Paul Lamoureux dropped the gloves with Mike Dalhuisen as the second period started, and Alex Hudson got into a rare fight against Jimmy Hayes in the third.

"The two fights I think were from kids who wanted to stand up for themselves," Littler said.

Tri-City concludes its disappointing season today at home against Sioux Falls. The team will take the same approach it has since its postseason hopes faded, Littler said.

"It'll be the same as it's been the last 20 games - try to give ourselves a chance to win a hockey game," he said. "I thought we did that tonight."

Storm Watch

Cichy's goals gave him a team-leading 45 points entering the finale. Hudson is one back of him. Forwards Mario Lamoureux and Troy Mattila are the only players with a chance to play in every Storm game this season.

Lincoln 2 1 1 4

Tri-City 2 0 0 2

First period-1, Tri-City, Cichy 15 (Heath, Hudson), 0:52; 2, Lincoln, Baco 4 (Dalhuisen, Bollig), 6:01; 3, Tri-City, Cichy 16, 9:05; 4, Lincoln, Newton 11 (Kretzer, Gregoire), 13:09. Penalties-Follmer, Lincoln (high sticking), 10:02; Follmer, Lincoln (slashing), 14:45; Sdao, Lincoln (tripping), 17:00.

Second period-5, Lincoln, Meland 1 (Follmer, Crew), 6:01. Penalties-P. Lamoureux, Tri-City, major (fighting), 0:00; Dalhuisen, Lincoln, major (fighting), 0:00; Franks, Tri-City (holding), 2:59; Power, Tri-City (tripping), 11:42; bench, Tri-City (too many men), 13:49.

Third period-6, Lincoln, Crew 6 (Festler), 6:01. Penalties-Hayes, Lincoln, major (fighting), 5:44; Hudson, Tri-City, major (fighting), 5:44; P. Lamoureux, Tri-City (interference), 7:43; Messier, Lincoln (tripping), 8:42; Dalhuisen, Lincoln (high sticking), 9:51; Dalhuisen, Lincoln (roughing), 13:19; M. Lamoureux, Tri-City (roughing), 13:19; Cichy, Tri-City (tripping), 14:16; Bartkowski, Lincoln (interference), 14:30; Sdao, Lincoln (roughing), 16:18; Hudson, Tri-City (cross checking), 16:18; Carden, Lincoln (roughing), 17:13; Cooper, Tri-City (holding), 18:27.

Shots-on-goal-Lincoln 7-14-8--29, Tri-City 9-7-11--27.

Power-play opportunities-Lincoln 0 for 6, Tri-City 0 for 7.

Goaltenders-Lincoln, Reekie 22-10-4 (27 shots-25 saves). Tri-City, Hopper 9-11-0 (29-25).

Attendance-3,491.

Referee-Curtis Marouelli. Linesmen-John Grandt, Josh Montgomery.