Buccaneers outlast Lancers 5-4
January 9, 2010 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
The Omaha Lancers went 3-for-5 on the power play Saturday night but it wasn't enough as the Des Moines Buccaneers outlasted the Lancers 5-4 at the Buccaneer Arena. With the loss, the Lancers fell to 24-7-1 on the year and now rest just four standings points up on 2nd place Fargo in the West Division. The loss also drew Omaha into a tie with the Green Bay Gamblers for the highest point total in the USHL.
Des Moines grabbed the game's opening marker when a perfectly executed 2-on-1 between T.J. Tynan and Ryan Walters resulted in Tynan's 11th goal of the season 8:30 into period one. Omaha bounced back late in the opening stanza when Ryan Daugherty deflected Danny Mattson's left point shot for the 14th goal of the season. Aaron Ave grabbed the secondary assist on the power play marker tallied 14:29 into the period. The Lancers then grabbed their first lead of the night with just two minutes left in the period when Daugherty tipped home his 2nd goal of the period off a goal line feed from Dakota Eveland. Mattson earned the second assist on Daugherty's 15th goal of the season and Omaha's 2nd man advantage tally in as many opportunities in the period.
The Buccaneers wasted little time getting the game even in the 2nd period as Chris Stafne won a goal line scramble in the opening minute in stashing home his 9th goal of the season. Connor Brickley grabbed the only assist on the 5-on-5 even strength goal tallied just 53 seconds into the frame. Omaha bounced right back though and regained the lead less than two minutes later when Nick Oddo jabbed a loose puck underneath the glove of Buccaneers' netminder Eric Mihalik and into the back of the cage just 1:41 later. The unassisted marker was the Omaha native's 9th goal of the season. Des Moines got the game even once again, however, as Jack Berger redirected Colten Saucerman's point shot of the power play with less than four minutes remaining in the period. Eric Knodel notched the other assist on Berger's 3rd goal of the year.
Des Moines then jumped out to a 4-3 advantage just 7 seconds into the final period when H.T. Lenz slashed down the slot in slipping home his 15th marker of the season. Brickley earned the only assist on the fastest goal surrendered at the start of a period this season for the Lancers. Omaha evened the game at four less than two minutes when tape-to-tape passing on the power play led to Danny Mattson's 6th tally of the year off a left wing one-timer. Eveland and Ave assisted on the equalizing marker scored 1:56 into the final frame. The Buccaneers would have the final say though as J.P. Burkemper was a goal crease battle in chipping home his 3rd goal of the year and what proved to be the eventual game-winner. Fink and Chris Stafne assisted on the man advantage marker put home 12:36 into the third.
Mihalik earned his 9th victory of the year in goal for Des Moines after 22 saves on 26 Omaha shots while Omaha's John Keeney suffered his career USHL loss after just 27 saves on 32 Buccaneer shots.
The Lancers are back in action tomorrow evening as their three-game weekend road trip concludes with a visit to Sioux Falls to take on the Stampede.
United States Hockey League Stories from January 9, 2010
- Eight For Effort - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Buccaneers outlast Lancers 5-4 - Omaha Lancers
- Bucs get big win - Des Moines Buccaneers
- U.S. Nat'l U18 Team Falls to U. of Wisconsin, 7-1 - U.S. National Team
- U.S. Nat'l U17 Team Drops 6-1 Decision to Green Bay - U.S. National Team
- Only Lamont solves Massa as Force stop Phantoms again - Youngstown Phantoms
- Two Hawks Picked As Stars - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Countdown To Puck Drop: Phantoms Vs. Fargo - Youngstown Phantoms
- USHL Names 2010 All-Star Rosters - Des Moines Buccaneers
- Five All-Stars For Indiana Ice - Indiana Ice
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