
Fighting Saints Fall to Team USA in a Shootout, 2-1
November 1, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
ANN ARBOR, Michigan -The Dubuque Fighting Saints winning streak came to an end at nine games on Thursday evening as the Fighting Saints fell in a shootout to the U.S. National Under-18 team, 2-1. Dubuque was outshot for the first time in a game this season and was unable to capitalize on the powerplay, going 0-for-6 in the loss.
Connor Girard got the start in goal for the Fighting Saints and would prove to be Dubuque's top player, kicking aside 30 shots from Team USA in the game. Girard stopped six shots in the first period as both teams traded chances in a scoreless frame.
The scoring started midway through the second period. In a homecoming of sorts, Fighting Saints forward Mike Szmatula struck in his return to Michigan. Szmatula hails from Commerce Township, Michigan, located around 40 miles from Ann Arbor and his parents were in attendance at Thursday's game. The assistant captain picked up his team leading sixth goal of the season at 8:08 of the second period. Szmatula collected the puck in the high slot near the left side of the ice. Szmatula carried the puck all the way to the right, got Team USA goalie Thatcher Demko to drop to the ice, and roofed a backhander up off the crossbar and in for the goal. The tally was unassisted.
The Fighting Saints lead did not last for long as Blake Christensen scored for Team USA as Girard was screened on a rising wrist shot. Christensen collected the puck along the right side and fired a blistering shot that went up and over Girard's glove as his vision was blocked by his own teammate. It was Christensen's first goal of the year and tied the game at one at 13:03 of the second.
The two teams engaged in a stalemate in the third period with both Demko and Girard keeping the game tied. Dubuque bluneliner Niklas Nevalainen drew a minor penalty to give the Fighting Saints a powerplay with under a minute to play, but they could not convert in regulation or the 1:23 of man-advantage time that carried over into overtime. Neither team scored in overtime, sending the game to a shootout.
Szmatula shot first for Dubuque and did a spin-a-rama move that nearly worked. Szmautla had room to slide the puck in under Demko who stretched out on the ice, but the puck hit Demko's pad and rolled wide. Team USA responded with a goal from Kevin LaBanc who deked around Girard easily and scored a beautiful goal to put Team USA up 1-0. Frankie DiChiara was stopped on a deke attempt in round two, and Girard made the save on Even Allen to keep the game alive. Captain Shane Sooth had a chance to extend the shootout with his patented move that he has had success with his entire USHL career, but Demko made a stick save to give Team USA the win.
Dubuque moved to 9-0-1 on the season and picked up a point in the standings in the shootout loss. The Fighting Saints travel tonight to Muskegon and start a two-game series with the Lumberjacks tomorrow at 6:15 p.m. Central Time. The Lumberjacks are second in the Eastern Conference, behind the Fighting Saints by just two points at 8-1-1. The game can be heard on Dubuque's Super Hits 106.1 FM.
United States Hockey League Stories from November 1, 2012
- Fighting Saints Fall to Team USA in a Shootout, 2-1 - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Phantoms Acquire Forward Josh Nenadal from Waterloo - Youngstown Phantoms
- Omaha Lancers News & Notes - Week Six - Omaha Lancers
- Dachshunds Take the Ice - Waterloo Black Hawks
- U.S. Teams to Compete During International Break - U.S. National Team
- Phantoms Snap Skid with 3-Goal 3rd - Youngstown Phantoms
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