The Sioux Falls Stampede are pushing toward a Clark Cup Playoff berth, and they crept closer to that objective with a 4-2 home win over the Des Moines Buccaneers Wednesday night.
Des Moines is also vying for a spot in the post-season, but came into the game with a five-game losing streak. Stampede forward JJ Monteiro made sure that got stretched to six with his first career USHL hat trick.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Hudson, Mass. Native got his team on the board first just as penalties from each side expired.
Monteiro took a pass from defenseman Alex Rybakov, skated in all by himself and slipped a shot into the net for a 1-0 lead.
With a 2-1 Sioux Falls advantage in the third period, the left-shooting center scored his next two goals just over a minute apart. The Providence College commit’s second tally of the night came on a power-play, as he deflected a Joe McGraw shot into the net for a 3-1 Herd lead. Logan Renkowski picked up an assist as well.
Monteiro sent the hats flying on another power-play goal, firing in a shot from the right point to give Sioux Falls a 4-1 lead. Javon Moore and Sam Spehar each picked up helpers.
Des Moines scored late, but Stampede goaltender Waylon Esche stood strong, saving 23 shots to earn his fourth win of the season. The Herd outshot Des Moines 40-25.
With his hat trick, Monteiro now has 24 points (8-16-24) through 47 games split between Sioux Falls and Waterloo.
The two teams will square off again Friday night, this time in Des Moines at the Mid-American Energy Company RecPlex.
