Fighting Five: Saints Finish Road Weekend against Muskegon
November 30, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
MUSKEGON, MI - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (15-6-0-0, 30 pts) visit the Muskegon Lumberjacks (12-5-2-1, 27 pts) to complete a weekend-set on Saturday night.
Here are five things to know ahead of the matchup:
1. Defensive Duel
In Friday's meeting between the Fighting Saints and Lumberjacks, the teams skated to a scoreless first 40 minutes. Despite 41 total shots through two periods, no shots beat either goaltender and the teams began the third in a scoreless stalemate.
The Fighting Saints, who averaged 3.7 goals per game entering the weekend, mustered just three on Friday. That was enough for their 15th win of the season to take back sole-possession of first place in the Eastern Conference.
2. Immediate Impact
After missing four games with an injury, forward Heikki Ruohonen returned to the lineup on Friday and made a crucial contribution.
With just under two minutes left in a 1-1 game, Ruohonen pounced on a loose puck and his quick shot put the Saints ahead late. It was his fifth goal of the season and it ended up counting for the game-winner.
3. Saints Saves
Jan Špunar catapulted his league-leading save percentage to .927 with 29 saves on 30 shots on Friday night. The win was Špunar's ninth victory of the year in his 13th appearance.
Špunar's stellar night was his 10th-straight game allowing three goals-or-less. Overall, Špunar has allowed two or fewer goals in eight of his 13 games.
4. Desiderio Dazzles
Dubuque's top-offensive defenseman Matthew Desiderio scored his sixth goal of the season on Friday night and added a plus-two rating on top. Desiderio has six goals and 15 points this season to lead all Saints blue-liners.
At plus-17, Desiderio has the second-best rating in the entire USHL. The second-year Saint scored his second even-strength goal of the season with a third-period snipe to open the scoring in Friday's game.
5. Log Limbo
The Lumberjacks entered the weekend as the stingiest defense in the league, but also as a middle-of-the-pack offense. The Jacks launched 29 shots on Špunar in Friday's game, but could only muster a power-play goal in the third period.
Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev stopped 29 of 31 shots in a strong performance on Friday for the Jacks, but Muskegon's offense only contributed the one goal by Vaclav Nestrasil. Gadzhiev improved his save percentage to .922 in the loss, just behind teammate Stephen Peck's .923 and Špunar's .927.
Saturday's game begins at 5:10 CST at Trinity Health Arena and can be found on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey.
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