Muskies win in OT, lead Tri-City 1-0 in USHL playoffs

Sioux City's Ashton Schultz scores the game-winner in overtime

Apr. 11, 2026 at 4:37pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the action of a hockey game, with the puck as the central focus surrounded by the overlapping geometric shapes of the ice, players' bodies, and hockey sticks.The opening game of the USHL playoff series between Sioux City and Tri-City was a tightly contested battle that required overtime to decide the winner.Sioux City Today

The Sioux City Musketeers defeated the Tri-City Storm 1-0 in overtime in the first round of the USHL Clark Cup Playoffs. Musketeers forward Ashton Schultz scored the game-winning goal in the extra period to give his team a 1-0 series lead.

Why it matters

The USHL is the top junior hockey league in the United States, and the Clark Cup Playoffs are the championship tournament. This opening game between Sioux City and Tri-City is an important early matchup in the quest for the league title.

The details

Schultz's game-winning goal came 5 minutes into the overtime period, capping off a tightly contested defensive battle between the two teams. The Musketeers outshot the Storm 32-28 over the course of the game.

  • The game was played on April 11, 2026.

The players

Ashton Schultz

A forward for the Sioux City Musketeers.

Sioux City Musketeers

A junior ice hockey team based in Sioux City, Iowa that competes in the United States Hockey League (USHL).

Tri-City Storm

A junior ice hockey team based in Kearney, Nebraska that competes in the USHL.

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What they’re saying

“Now the chess match is on. It's going to be a battle of wits and will from here on out.”

— Sioux City Head Coach

What’s next

Game 2 of the best-of-five series will be played in Tri-City on April 13, 2026.

The takeaway

This opening game between two of the USHL's top teams sets the stage for what should be a highly competitive and entertaining playoff series between Sioux City and Tri-City as they vie for a spot in the Clark Cup Finals.