Dubuque Erupts with Trio of Third Period Goals, Fighting Saints Knock off Storm, 4-2, on Saturday Night
USHL Tri-City Storm

Dubuque Erupts with Trio of Third Period Goals, Fighting Saints Knock off Storm, 4-2, on Saturday Night

Published on November 15, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


DUBUQUE, Iowa - Down 2-1 entering the final frame, the Dubuque Fighting Saints rattled off a key trio of third period goals to defeat the Tri-City Storm 4-2 on Saturday night at ImOn Arena.

Dubuque (14-4-0, 28 pts) stays undefeated at home (7-0-0) and against Western Conference teams (9-0-0). Tri-City's (7-10-3, 17 pts) winless streak is now six games, the team's longest since April of 2021.

Down a goal early in the middle stages of the third, Dubuque evened the contest 7:05 into the frame on a Colin Frank one-timer from the left circle past Storm netminder Owen Nelson. As Dubuque rushed into the Tri-City zone, Ludvig Lafton fed to the high slot and Michael Barron, who shipped a feed to Frank for the rocket shot.

The Fighting Saints produced the eventual game winner with just under six minutes left in regulation. After a Masun Fleece pass, Gavin Lock sent a shot toward Nelson from the near faceoff circle. Nelson initially made a five-hole save, but the puck squeaked between his legs and over the goal line to put Dubuque ahead.

Tri-City pulled Nelson in the final minute of regulation for an extra attacker. Dubuque found the vacant cage with around 14 seconds left. A Teddy Merrill pass from deep in the Saints' zone hit Fleece at the Storm blue line. Fleece walked toward the empty cage and finished the play for his team-leading 14th tally of the year.

The third period was an outlier, as Tri-City handled Dubuque well through the first 40 minutes of regulation.

The Storm registered the contest's first goal just 1:17 into the game. Off a Brecken Smith feed, Cam Springer fired a shot from the rim of the left circle that danced past the glove side of Dubuque netminder Vojtech Hambalek. It was the Bowling Green commit's third tally of the campaign.

The Fighting Saints tied it up about halfway through the opening frame. Merrill walked the puck to the left circle, then slipped a shot past the outstretched left pad of Nelson for his tenth marker of the season.

Cade Kozak put the Storm back on top at the 7:19 mark of the second. After initially bobbling the puck at the center point, Kozak retrieved a second time, then fired a shot toward Hambalek. The puck redirected through traffic and went top shelf into the Saints' cage for Kozak's first goal since November 2.

Hambalek halted 28 of 30 Tri-City attempts in what became his ninth victory of the season. Nelson stopped 16 of 19 shots in his sixth appearance of the year.

Fleece (1-1-2) and Merrill (1-1-2) were the game's only players to finish with multiple points.

Up next: Tri-City returns to Viaero Center for a pair of matchups next weekend. The Storm host Sioux City on Friday (7:05 pm puckdrop) and Lincoln on Saturday (6:05 pm puckdrop). To purchase tickets, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person. Each game will also be broadcast on FloHockey and Storm Radio.

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from November 15, 2025


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