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USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Saints Complete Comeback, Sweep Madison Captiols

February 27, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


FRIDAY

Dubuque, IA - After being swept in three games last week by teams all ahead of them in the standings, the Dubuque Fighting Saints needed a bounce back weekend to keep themselves afloat in the chase for home ice in the opening round of the Clark Cup playoffs. Heck, they needed a bounce back weekend to keep solid seperation between themselves and Muskegon, the last team out of the playoffs. If there were ever a time for a "get right" series, it was now and the Saints were matched up with the cellar dwellers of the USHL, the Madison Capitols.

Friday night's matchup was the first between the two teams since November 4th, the Saints home opener, when they tied a franchise record scoring 10 goals in a 10-2 stomping of the Capitols. Things got started on the right foot for Dubuque thanks to their captain, Riley Stuart. Stuart, who is closing in on the franchise record for games played, took a pass at center ice and lugged the puck into the offensive zone, pulling up at the top of the circle, and pumping a wrist shot past Rastislav Elias between the pipes for Madison.

Less than a minute later, Stuart's co-captain, Max Burkholder, added to the lead. Burkholder tapped in a loose puck in the crease to open up a 2-0 lead for Dubuque. The lead shrunk to 2-1 after Madison's Andrew Kuzma scored with just 31 seconds left in the period heading into the break.

Late period goals can be back breakers at times, but so can early period goals. The Saints took back the momentum just 32 seconds into the second period on Fisher Scott's first career USHL goal. Scott, who collected the puck in his skates before flicking a shot past Elias.

"My d-partner, Will Staring, won a battle in the defensive zone and made a nice pass to Noah Powell," said Scott. "I was just trying to join the play. Noah made a nice little drop, and I just tried to put it low for maybe a rebound or something, but it just went in."

Theo Wallberg then added to the Saints lead at 5:41 of the second period with his fourth of the year to make it 4-1. The fourth of the game for Dubuque sent Elias to the bench after allowing four goals on 15 shots. He was replaced by Mason Kucenski who finished with 16 saves on 17 shots.

Over the Saints short struggles the week prior, finding production from unlikely hero's was something that was clearly missing. Whether that be from their depth lines or defensemen, they just weren't getting it. On Friday night, they got three goals from defensemen and another from their fourth line.

Things nearly turned pear shaped in the second period after Wallberg's goal when Madison started generating consistent looks off the rush, but Marcus Brännman denied all 12 shots for the Caps in the second period and turned away 30 of 32 by the time the game was finished.

"Marcus played amazing," said Owen Michaels, who was back in the line-up for Dubuque after missing the previous 14 games. "Good performances from guys up front and on the back end. A couple of things we want to clean up for tomorrow, but anytime you can get two points in this league it's a good night."

Dubuque grabbed their 21st win of the season over the Capitols by a final of 5-2. Jay Reeder grabbed the Saints fifth goal late in the second period, while the Caps got their second from Matt McGroarty shorthanded in the third.

SATURDAY

Middleton, WI - With venues flipping, the Fighting Saints went to Middleton on Saturday night and grabbed their first sweep of a single opponent since early February in dramatic fashion.

The Saints grabbed the games first scoring chance on the first shift of the game with Max Montes springing in on a 2-on-1 with Nils Juntorp. Montes, who was in the midst of a career long nine game point drought, sent the shot wide. A short 45 seconds later Madison grabbed their fastest lead of the season. Landen Gunderson banged home a Trey Ausmus rebound to give the Capitols a 1-0 lead. Despite being outshot in the period 13-6, Madison maintained that lead through 20 minutes.

Things turned sour for the Saints early in the second period after a pair of turnovers led to goals for the Caps separated by just 2:32. Tyler Grahme scored on a breakaway after a Brayden Morrison pass attempt deflected off a skate and landed on Grahme's tape. Then, Michael Burchill turned a puck over at center ice eventually leading to Peter Cisar tapping in a back door feed to push the lead to 3-0.

Needing a spark, Dubuque got a power play with 1:45 left in the second period. The Saints power play hadn't scored in 30 straight attempts, dating back to February 2nd, and eight game stretch. Finally, for the Saints sake, they cashed in. Ryan St. Louis smacked a one-timer past Kucenski with just 22.2 seconds left in the period. After the goal, Kirk MacDonald looked up to the rafters and gestured with his hands as if he were saying "thank you".

The Fighting Saints took that momentum back to the locker room and came out a dominant team in the third period. Defensivley, the allowed just five shots on goal the rest of the game. Offensively, they came alive.

Max Burkholder scored for the second straight night on a turn around shot from in tight to cut the deficit to one. It was his 14th of the season which ties him for the most in the USHL with Cedar Rapids' Eric Pohlkamp. Max Montes followed up 55 seconds later with his 14th of the year as well. Montes got a pass from Theo Wallberg with the Saints on the power play, and let loose a hard wrist shot that beat Kucenski upstairs to tie the game and eventually force overtime.

In overtime, each team registered one shot on goal. The Saints shot, off the stick of Jake Sondreal, was the one that ended the game. Madison got caught with all three skaters along the boards trying to dig the puck free when it popped out to Sondreal for a partial breakaway. He slid the shot right between the legs of Kucenski for his 8th of the year and second overtime winner.

Brännman finished with 22 saves for Dubuque. Kucenski stopped the first 25 shots he saw, but then allowed four goals on the next 12 finishing the night 33 of 37.

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 27, 2023


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