
Musketeers Fall 3-2
November 13, 2015 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux City Musketeers News Release
SIOUX CITY | Josh Wilkins became the first Sioux City Musketeer to score two power-play goals in a single game Friday night.
However, it wasn't good enough. Zach Jordan had a goal and an assist for the Des Moines Buccaneers, who rallied from a 2-0 first-period deficit to claim a 3-2 United States Hockey League victory at the Tyson Events Center.
"We shot ourselves in the foot, really," said Musketeers Coach Jay Varady, whose 7-8 team experienced a third consecutive loss for the second time this season. "We put a good first period in, but that's just 20 minutes. You need 60 to be successful. We didn't do that.
"We had lapses in our game. Consistency is the key to success and we're not doing that."
Jordan, a 6-3, 215-pound Michigan Tech recruit, extended his scoring streak to three games for Des Moines (6-8-1), which escaped the Western Conference cellar. A three-year USHL veteran from Collinsville, Ill., Jordan scored a shorthanded goal midway through the second period that trimmed the deficit by a goal, then assisted on Kenny Hausinger's game-winning power-play goal at the 2:16 mark of the third period.
Des Moines entered the Tyson having been outscored 15-3 in a three-game losing streak. Jordan scored two of those goals.
And, the scenario for the Buccaneers was the same as Oct. 23, facing a 2-0 first-period deficit in Sioux City. That night, the Musketeers were 4-1 winners.
"It was a little rough being down 2-0 in the first period," said Jordan, who has seven goals and two assists. "Tonight, we really rallied around each other. We came back out hard and made hard plays in the second and third periods. We made it a good game."
Winning goaltender Nick MacNab (1-4-1) stopped 15 straight shots after yielding Wilkins' second goal with 45 seconds remaining until the first intermission. Mitch Fossier and Jake Ryczek assisted on Wilkins' sixth goal of the season, half coming with a man advantage.
Fossier had a chance at giving Sioux City a three-goal advantage, but missed a penalty shot 5.5 minutes into the second period. The Musketeers had converted two of their first power-play opportunities, but on the fourth, a puck bounced off Eeli Tolvanen's foot that led to Jordan's shorthanded goal, the first red-lighter of that variety for Des Moines this season.
Later in the second period, Matt Steeves, Sioux City's leader with seven goals was whistled for a checking from behind penalty and a checking from behind misconduct penalty. It resulted in Patrick Grasso's game-tying goal and Hausinger's game-winner.
"We took a five-minute major at the end of the second period and they were able to score twice on it," said Varady. "We gave up a shorthanded goal. You can't do those things and win hockey games.
"It's a competitive league. It's a tight league. Every night, two-goal leads aren't safe leads. We had some opportunities to get that second goal and we didn't. Then, we started to falter. Penalty killing, we had chances to clear at 200 feet, but we didn't do it. It's a real fundamental in the game and if you don't do it right, it'll come back to bite you."
The Musketeers are idle until next Friday, when they will host Green Bay. The same two teams will then meet the following night.
United States Hockey League Stories from November 13, 2015
- Musketeers Fall 3-2 - Sioux City Musketeers
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- Lavigne Backstops Thunder to Shootout Win - Bloomington Thunder
- Buccaneers silence Musketeers - Des Moines Buccaneers
- Paulovic and Pitlick Propel Lumberjacks to Third Straight Win - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Smith's Hat Trick Provides Difference in Capitols' Loss - Madison Capitols
- Stampede Bounce Back with 4-2 Win over Lancers - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Phantoms Shut out by USA - Youngstown Phantoms
- Stars Cruise by Storm, 4-0 - Lincoln Stars
- Stars Shoot by Storm, 4-0 - Tri-City Storm
- Oldham Stops 37 in 4-2 Loss to Sioux Falls - Omaha Lancers
- Capitols Get Another Crack at Dubuque Tonight - Madison Capitols
- Storm Acquires G Rasmussen from Waterloo - Tri-City Storm
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