Story by Tri-City CommunicationsKEARNEY, NE.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Tri-City Storm is set to open play in the 2024 calendar year tonight with the first of two home games this weekend against the Under-17 team from the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP/Team USA). Tonight’s game will mark the first time the Storm has hosted Team USA at the Viaero Center since November 23rd, 2019. Tickets for tonight’s battle may be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office Hours at 308-338-8144. Puck drop for tonight’s matchup is set for 7:05pm CT. &nbsp;Tri-City (13-11-1-2) dropped a shootout decision to the Lincoln Stars last Sunday at the Viaero Center to fall to 3-5-0-2 in the team’s last ten games played. Ryan Smith netted the Storm’s lone goal of the matchup on the powerplay during Sunday’s opening period. The Storm enters this weekend’s set of home games against Team USA as the 5th&nbsp;place team in the USHL’s Western Conference standings. Tri-City is 10-6-0-2 when scoring the first goal of the game through the opening twenty-seven games of the season. The Storm seeks to defeat Team USA for the first time in 1,140 days in tonight’s showdown at the Viaero Center. Scoring leaders for Tri-City heading into the 2024 portion of the 2023-2024 regular season schedule include Ryan Smith (12), August Falloon (11), Trevor Connelly (9), Cam Briere (9), Artemi Nizameyev (8), and Owen Beckner (7). The Storm will also play host to the Lincoln Stars on Thursday, January 11th, 2024, following this weekend’s home series against Team USA at the Viaero Center. &nbsp;Team USA (11-13-1-1) enters tonight’s road game at the Viaero Center in 7th&nbsp;place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference standings. The Under-17s of the United States National Team Development Program have posted a 2-9-1-1 record in league play this season, while the Under-18 team has produced a record of 9-4-0-0 in USHL games this year. The Under-17 team, the Storm’s opponent for both games this weekend, is currently 13-10-3-2 overall on the 2023-2024 schedule. The overall team record for the Under-17’s includes games played against USHL, NAHL, and International competition. The Under-17 team is winless in four previous games against USHL Western Conference competition entering this weekend’s series (0-3-0-1). Scoring leaders for the Under-17’s team this season include Will Moore (14), LJ Mooney (12), Charlies Fondrk (10), Cole McKinney (10), Charlie Trethewey (9), and Jack Murtagh (9). The Under-17 team will return to action after this weekend’s road series against the Storm next weekend with back-to-back home games against the Dubuque Fighting Saints at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tonight’s game is set to begin at&nbsp;7:05pm&nbsp;CT and will be streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://flosports.link/3pkG3Ge" target="_blank">FloHockey</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://mixlr.com/tri-city-storm/" target="_blank">Storm Radio</a>. Tickets to home games at the Viaero Center may be purchased online by skating to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office hours at 308-338-8144.&nbsp;The Tri-City Storm is presented by Viaero Wireless.

Storm set to open 2024 with Home Series against Team USA