The Lincoln Stars have punched their ticket to the Clark Cup Western Conference Finals with a 2-0 shutout of the Sioux City Musketeers Monday. Lincoln takes the best-of-five series 3-0.

It was sweet revenge for the Stars, who were swept by Sioux City in last year’s second round. Lincoln goalie Yan Shostak earned his fourth shutout of the season and second in post-season action during his career by stopping all 17 shots fired at him.

Matthew Maltais scored his first of the playoffs for a 1-0 Stars lead at the 18:50 mark of the opening frame. Maltais received a feed from Jack Pechar and fired in a one-timer from the right post.

It was a goalie clinic on both sides, with no further scoring until late in the third period. That came on an empty-netter with 25 seconds remaining in regulation from Layne Loomer.

While the Musketeers outshot Lincoln 9-5 in the first, the Stars responded with a 17-2 advantage in the second and 32-17 for the game.

The Stars advance to the conference finals for the second time in three seasons and await the winner of the Waterloo-Sioux Falls series.

Here’s a rundown of more playoff action from Monday.

Waterloo Takes Lead In Series

Speaking of the other Western Conference Semifinal series, the Waterloo Black Hawks took a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five with a 6-2 triumph over the Sioux Falls Stampede. Six different skaters scored for the Hawks, who scored three in the middle frame to get the job done.

Waterloo tallied the only goal of the first period on a power play at 16:50 on a rebound from Kaeden Hawkins in the left circle.

At 6:30 of the second, Brock Schultz scored on another power play after getting a loose puck to increase Waterloo’s lead to 2-0. They added two more for a 4-0 lead heading into the third.

Teddy Townsend made it 5-0 at the 58-second mark of the third period before Ethan Wyttenbach finally broke Carter Casey’s shutout bid. After Bradley Walker scored on a 6-on-4 shorthanded situation into an empty net, Ben Wilmott potted Sioux Falls’ final goal for the 6-2 final.

Through the Hawks’ five post-season contests, a dozen skaters have produced goals. They can advance with a win Tuesday night.

Saints Best Capitols

The Dubuque Fighting Saints took a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series with a 4-2 victory over the Madison Capitols. Dubuque erased two different one-goal deficits to put themselves one win away from advancing to the conference finals.

The Saints dominated the third period, outshooting the Caps 15-5. Cooper Dennis gave Dubuque its first lead 3-2 on a wrister just past the eight-minute mark.

Heikki Ruohonen put the game away with an empty-netter in the final minute. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Middleton.