Sports stats

USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Early Offensive Charge Tops Capitols

November 14, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


DUBUQUE, Iowa - A goal-filled first period that saw the Dubuque Fighting Saints score four times, combined with a Mitchell Smith hat trick, led the way in a 6-3 rout of the Madison Capitols on Saturday night at the Mystique Community Ice Center.

The Saints, who were celebrating Military Appreciation Night, sponsored by Kwik Stop/Dairy Queen/Fazoli's, scored early and often, chasing goaltender Garrett Metcalf from the goal within 15 minutes. Willie Knierim's goal, a rebound through Metcalf's pads at the side of the net, chased him in favor of Ryan Edquist.

Edquist was welcomed to the game three minutes later by defenseman Casey Johnson, who buried his second goal in as many games- both of them against Madison, the team that drafted him into the USHL, and both proved to be game-winning goals. Johnson's goal also snapped a power play drought.

Nathan Sucese and the elder Smith twin, Mitchell, tallied in the first period as well, scoring on four of 17 shots during that frame.

Smith completed the trick with two goals in the third period, which pulled the Fighting Saints away from the Capitols. The Caps responded with two goals of their own in the third period, building off of a Sam McCormick tally in the second period. Guillaume Leclerc buried his tenth point against the Fighting Saints in his career with a tap-in off of a feed from Haralds Egle.

Egle also got the primary assist on Eetu Selanne's second USHL goal to trim the Dubuque lead to 6-3. That is where the final score would stand, however.

Dubuque carried the pace of play throughout, peppering the Madison defense with 40 total shots on goal. While they did not score in the second period, they still generated 11 shots on goal in the frame. Edquist valiantly stopped 26 of 29 opportunities thrown his way in relief.

Hunter Miska continued his personal seven-game winning streak with a 21-save effort in his league-leading ninth victory of the season for the Fighting Saints.

Up next for the Dubuque Fighting Saints is a trip to Muskegon to take on the Lumberjacks in a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference Final. Catch all of the action on the home of the Fighting Saints, Dubuque's Super Hits 106.1 FM, or the USHL's streaming video provider, FASTHockey.

They will return home for the Celebration of No-Shave November on Saturday, November 28, sponsored by UnityPoint Health Finley Hospital at 6:05 p.m. Special jerseys will be auctioned off after the game to benefit the Finley Health Foundation and the Wendt Regional Cancer Center. Get your tickets by calling the box office at 563.583.6880, or by going online to DubuqueFightingSaints.com.

Check out the Dubuque Fighting Saints Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from November 14, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Dubuque Fighting Saints Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central