after 15 games into the 2013–14 season, hauge was fired and replaced by jim hulton. the team missed the playoffs for the second straight season. the following season, and first full season under hulton, would lead the storm to a second place finish within their conference. tri-city's chris wilkie scored 35 goals, tying rastislav spirko (2003–04) for the storm's single-season record. the storm swept the omaha lancers, 3-games-to-0, in the first round. the team then faced sioux falls in the conference finals. led by ushl rookie of the year kieffer bellows, the stampede beat the storm, 3-games-to-1. the storm won the first game, but before game two, an ice maintenance worker accidentally drilled a hole in a pipe causing water to burst onto the ice. game two was postponed from saturday, april 25 to wednesday, april 29. after the five-day break, sioux falls won three straight games.