Sports stats



USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Fighting Saints Hold On, Top Team USA U18s

December 18, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


PLYMOUTH, Mich. - A two-goal night from Nathan Sucese paved the way for the Dubuque Fighting Saints, who picked up their fifth victory in a row, topping the Team USA NTDP U18s 4-3 on Friday night at the USA Hockey Arena.

Sucese's shorthanded goal 15 minutes into the final frame was the game winner, and his second of two tallies on the night. A pass towards Kheegan Howdeshell was knocked away, springing the Penn State commit on a breakaway. He backhanded a shot through the five hole of Jake Oettinger, and got the game-winning goal in the process.

USA would cut the lead to one moments after that on the same power play. Ryan Lindgren scored his second of two goals on the night with an outstanding coast-to-coast effort, powering a shot through the defense and Hunter Miska. The lead was one.

But Miska stood tall. A centering pass along the goal line found Zach Walker, alone, uncontested. Miska slid across and flashed the leather to take away Walker's chance of tying the game, and sealing the victory. A late chance in the final minute in which USA believed to have tied the game was washed out immediately.

Dubuque only trailed once in this game on an early goal by Lindgren on a point shot through traffic. Sucese got it back later in the period with a shorthanded breakaway goal, set up primarily by Baron Thompson.

Mitchell Smith started the second period off right, just 21 seconds into the frame, netting a goal. A shot from an impossible angle somehow eluded the glove hand of Oettinger, putting the Saints up 2-1. It was Smith's eighth goal of the season, and it extended his twin brother Evan's point streak to four games.

Carson Vance also got in on the scoring party, his second goal in as many games. Both of them, power play goals. This one put Dubuque up top 3-1 at the time, and it came with just 21 seconds remaining on the second period clock.

Nick Pastujov ended a goal drought of his own, cutting the Saints' lead to one with a goal off of a centering pass by Keenan Suthers.

Miska made 32 saves on the night, backstopping his team to five wins in a row, all with him in goal. Dubuque had outshot USA throughout the entire night until the U18s put 21 shots on goal in the final 20 minutes of action.

The Fighting Saints and the U18s will face off again at the USA Hockey Arena on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. CST. Catch all of the action on Dubuque's Super Hits 106.1 FM, or on the USHL's streaming video provider, FASTHockey.

Check out the Dubuque Fighting Saints Statistics



United States Hockey League Stories from December 18, 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