Fighting Saints Edge Cedar Rapids 3-2 in Shootout
Published on December 2, 2011 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Heading into Friday's game against Cedar Rapids, five of the eight meetings between the the Fighting Saints and RoughRiders over the past two seasons had been decided in overtime. Friday's game would be no exception, as the Saints went all the way to a shootout to secure the win over Cedar Rapids.
After Kevin Morris freed the puck on the forecheck, Eliot Grauer fed Eric Freschi from behind the net to give the Fighting Saints a 1-0 lead early on in the first period. The Fighting Saints' dominance in the offensive zone continued as the period wore on, and they were rewarded as Max Gardiner pinballed a puck off of a Cedar Rapids defenseman and into the back of the net. Gerard Hanson was credited with the assist on Gardiner's goal. Cedar Rapids would not be held off the scoreboard, however. Despite being outshot 16-3 in the first period, the RoughRiders trailed only 2-1 at the first intermission thanks to a Tanner Pond goal that was scored in transition midway through the frame.
Neither team scored in the second period, despite 5-on-3 powerplay opportunities for both sides. Gabe Antoni made a fantastic save midway through the period, moving to his right and reaching to his left to make a glove save and preserve the 2-1 lead for Dubuque. After the second period, shots on goal favored the Fighting Saints 25-14. Dubuque was 0-for-4 on the powerplay, and Cedar Rapids was 0-for-2.
The RoughRiders tied the game 7:45 into the third period. After a sustained attack in the offensive zone, Greg Amlong wristed a shot in from the blue line to knot the game at two. Neither team scored throughout the remainder of the third period, and the game headed to overtime. Despite a powerplay opportunity for Cedar Rapids, and solid scoring chances for both teams, neither squad was able to push the puck across the goal line, and the game went to a shootout.
Only one player was able to score in the shootout. Shane Sooth made his signature shootout move, driving wide to the right circle and snapping a shot over the goaltender's right shoulder to give the Fighting Saints two points in the Eastern Conference standings.
The same two teams will meet tomorrow night in Dubuque at 7:05, bringing the Fighting Saints and RoughRiders together for the third time in just eleven days. After the weekend series with Cedar Rapids, the Fighting Saints will travel to Indiana for two games next weekend, before returning home for a pair of games the week before the holiday break.
United States Hockey League Stories from December 2, 2011
- Hawks Fan Wins Cash Prize - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Gozzo Nets Four Goals as Lancers Drop Stars 7-2 - Omaha Lancers
- USA Slinks Away with Win - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Fighting Saints Edge Cedar Rapids 3-2 in Shootout - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Stampede Fall in Indiana - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Padulo, Keeney Lead Jacks' Breakout - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Finley Becomes 14th Former Stampede Player to Skate in NHL - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Phantoms Can't Solve Keeney, Fall 5-0 to 'Jacks - Youngstown Phantoms
- Fighting Saints Travel to Cedar Rapids Tonight - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Former Stampede Forward Prough Named ECHL Player of the Month - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Fighting Saints to Go "Old School" Tomorrow Night - Dubuque Fighting Saints
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