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USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Kuhlman & Boje Strike, Saints End Regular Season with 7-3 Win

April 13, 2013 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


URBANDALE, Iowa-The Dubuque Fighting Saints closed out the a historic 2012-13 regular season with more of the same Saturday night in Des Moines, earning a 7-3 victory over the Buccaneers to finish the regular season with a 45-11-8 record. The Fighting Saints franchise best season has seen them capture the Anderson Cup as the league's best team, and thanks to a pair of goals for Frankie DiChiara and Dylan Gambrell, and a pair of firsts for Phil Boje, the Fighting Saints made sure to go into the 2013 Clark Cup Playoffs on a winning note.

Boje came into Saturday's game as the only member of the team who started the year with the Fighting Saints that had yet to register a goal. The blueliner saved his best game for the last of the season, lighting the lamp for his first USHL tally only 1:14 into the game. Evan Janssen worked the puck to right point where Jeff Taylor fired a cross-ice pass to Boje at the left point. Boje blasted a slap shot that found its way through traffic and to the back of the net to make it 1-0 Dubuque. Boje would also notch his first scrap later in the game, battling with Des Moines' Ryan Galt.

Only 28 seconds later, Dubuque struck again. DiChiara scored his 29th goal of the season on a mistake by Des Moines goalie Billy Christopoulos. The netminder tried to poke a loose puck in the slot but whiffed, leaving the puck for DiChaira to flip into the right side of the net at 1:32 to make it 2-0. Karson Kuhlman added the lone assist as Dubuque quieted the large crowd in Des Moines.

The Buccaneers would add a pair of goals from Seth Adams and Michael Marnell in the first period, but sandwiched between the Des Moines tallies was a second strike for the Saints' DiChiara. After Adams made the game 2-1 Dubuque at 10:31, DiChiara responded with his 30th goal of the season at 11:46. Kuhlman and John Stevens assisted on the strike that saw DiChiara collect a rebound on the left wing and fire the puck from an odd angle past a fallen Christopoulos.

The second period belonged to Dubuque's Dylan Gambrell. The forward notched back-to-back goals at 4:18 and 10:24. Gambrell's first goal came via a wraparound that he tucked in on Christopoulos' blocker side to make the game 4-2. Des Moines made a goaltending change after the tally, but not even Nick Ellis was a match for Gambrell. The forward earned his second goal of the game and 9th tally of the year on a breakaway to make it 5-2. Gambrell shot the puck off Ellis' left arm and the puck trickled into the back of the net to extend the Fighting Saints lead.

The two teams traded goals in the third. Dubuque's A.J Fossen struck for his third goal against the Buccaneers in Des Moines this season at 11:50 on a rebound off a good passing play. Des Moines added one last strike for the fans off the stick of Luke Shiplo at 19:05 to make it 6-3.

With Boje's goal, Karson Kuhlman was the lone non-affiliate list player on Dubuque's roster to score a goal this season. That all changed with just under seven seconds to play. Kuhlman got the puck in the slot and his pass was rejected, but popped right back to him. The netminder Ellis fell over, and Kuhlman struck for his first goal of the season at 19:53. Kuhlman finished with a goal and two assists on the night. Stevens also tallied three assists for Dubuque as five players had multipoint nights.

Frey earned the victory in goal for the Fighting Saints, stopping 26 shots. Since being released by Tri-City and added by the Saints, Frey has posted a 7-2-2 record. Dubuque outshot Des Moines 30-29 and was 0-for-3 on the man-advantage. Des Moines went 1-for-3 on the powerplay and finished the regular season with a 25-35-5 record and out of the playoff picture.

Dubuque blueliner Keegan Ford returned to the lineup Saturday night after missing the previous 15 games. Ford sustained a broken leg during a fight March 1 versus Cedar Rapids. With Ford returning the lineup, Brandon Carlson skated at forward for Dubuque in the win over the Buccaneers. Dubuque rested forwards Mike Szmatula and Peter Quenneville for Saturday's game, as well as Niklas Nevalainen.

The 2013 Clark Cup Playoffs begin next Wednesday, April 17. The Fighting Saints will play the fourth-seeded Muskegon Lumberjacks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in a best-of-five series. Game 1 is Wednesday at the Mystique Community Ice Center at 7:05 p.m. and the first 1,500 fans receive Rally Towels Courtesy of the Riverview Center. Game 2 is Friday in Dubuque at 7:35 p.m. and the first 1,000 fans get a Playoff T-Shirt courtesy of Dubuque Fire Equipment. Tickets are on sale now for all home playoff games at DubuqueFightingSaints.com.

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