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USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Fighting Saints Beat Ice 4-2 to Inch Closer to Anderson Cup

March 30, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


DUBUQUE, Iowa-The Indiana Ice made things interesting late, but John Steven's goal with 1:57 was the dagger as the Dubuque Fighting Saints earned a 4-2 win over the Indiana Ice in front of 2,710 at the Mystique Community Ice Center Saturday night. Dubuque's victory and Sioux Falls loss to Lincoln gives the Fighting Saints a chance to clinch the Anderson Cup next Friday night in the regular season home finale at the Mystique Community Ice Center against the Waterloo Black Hawks.

After scoring two goals Friday night, Eric Freschi opened the scoring for the Fighting Saints with a powerplay goal 9:32 into the game's opening frame. John Stevens and DiChaira assisted on the tally as Freschi snapped his 16th goal of the season past Ice goalie Anderson Snair's blocker to make it 1-0.

The game would remain a stalemate until late in period two when DiChiara notched his fourth goal of the weekend and 28th goal of the season. DiChaira accepted a beautiful up-ice pass from Shane Sooth and broke in alone on Snair. DiChaira calmed the bouncing puck and beat Snair with a forehand, backhand, move around the left pad at 18:25 of the second period to make it 2-0 Dubuque.

Dubuque appeared to be in cruise control in the third period after A.J. Fossen scored to make it 3-0 Fighting Saints at 4:29 from Mike Szmatula and Freschi. Fossen jammed the net and smacked in his second shot through Snair's fivehole on the rebound. However, the Ice turned the tide with two quick goals late in the frame to cut Dubuque's lead back to one.

Matt Roy scored his first USHL goal on the powerplay at 14:10 to make it 3-1. The blueliner left a wrist shot go from the left point that eluded Dubuque's Christian Frey and broke the netminder's shutout bid. Only three minutes later the Ice added another goal from the blueline off the stick of Joshua Jacobs to make it 3-2. Alex Talcott fed the puck to the blueline and Jacobs let a wrister go from the right point that sailed over Frey and under the crossbar to make it 3-2.

However Stevens made sure that was as close as the Ice would get. The Dubuque forward tallied his 12th goal of the season less than a minute after the Ice made it 3-2 to add key insurance. Stevens collected the puck on a give-and-go with Peter Quenneville down the left wing boards and shoveled the puck low past Snair to make it 4-2.

Dubuque would hold on despite the Ice pulling Snair for an extra attacker to earn the win and sweep the season series with Ice, going 4-0-0 against Indiana. Frey got the win in goal stopping 16 shots. Dubuque and Indiana both were 1-for-4 on the powerplay.

With Dubuque's win and Sioux Fall's 4-1 loss versus Lincoln, the Fighting Saints magic number to win the Anderson Cup is just two points. If the Fighting Saints beat Waterloo at home next Friday, they will be Anderson Cup Champions for the first time since 1982-83. Even with a loss to Waterloo, the Fighting Saints could still clinch the Anderson Cup if Sioux Falls loses in regulation to in its game next Friday at Fargo.

Friday's game versus Waterloo is Dubuque's last regular season home game of the 2012-13 season. The evening is Fan Appreciation Night presented by American Trust and will be televised live on KCRG 9.2. The Fighting Saints can also clinch the Prairie Farms Cowbell Cup with a win over the Black Hawks as well. Tickets are available to this marquee matchup by calling 563.583.6880, or online at DubuqueFightingSaints.com.

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United States Hockey League Stories from March 30, 2013


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