Barnhill's Big Night Leads to Win
December 15, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
WEST DES MOINES, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (18-8-0-0, 36 pts) bounced back for a 7-2 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers (11-13-1-0, 23 pts) on Saturday night.
Sean Barnhill's hat trick and four-point night secured the victory for the Saints on Saturday to send the Saints into the USHL holiday break with a victory. He scored his first-career USHL goal in the second period on Saturday to give the Fighting Saints a 3-1 lead. Then, he added two more in the third, including a power-play tally on a redirection from the high slot.
Barnhill had played in 25 USHL games entering Saturday's contest and had two assists in those 25 games before a four-point game on Saturday.
Dubuque allowed a short-handed goal early in the first period, but bounced back with a power-play goal by Gavin Cornforth by the end of the same power-play chance. Cornforth added his second goal of the first period with 1:07 left in the frame to score his 10th goal of the season. Both Cornforth goals were assisted by Charlie Arend and Michael Barron.
After Barnhill's first goal, the Saints lead never fell below two the rest of the game. Jonathan Morello scored his first goal since Sept. 27 with a move to the net and a backhand shot in the second period to put Dubuque up 4-1. Nick Desiderio and Xavier Lieb recorded their first USHL points with assists on the goal.
Nick Desiderio logged two assists in his fourth USHL game, while Lieb and Bexultan Makysh also logged assists on Saturday as affiliate call-ups.
Jan Špunar stopped 18 of 20 shots for his 11th victory of the season, wrapping up a weekend in which he made 48 of 52 saves.
Dubuque enters the USHL holiday break one point behind Muskegon for first place in the Eastern Conference and will return to the ice on Dec. 27 at home against Cedar Rapids.
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United States Hockey League Stories from December 15, 2024
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- Barnhill's Big Night Leads to Win - Dubuque Fighting Saints
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