Saints Win Fifth-Straight with Win over RoughRiders
January 5, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (23-9-0-0, 46 pts) won their fifth-straight game with a 3-2 win over the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (13-15-1-1, 28 pts) on Sunday evening.
In a 2-2 game with under four minutes left, the Saints rushed up ice with Melvin Ekman and Torkel Jennersjö. Ekman flipped a puck to Jennersjö in the slot and he ripped in his ninth of the season to give Dubuque the lead.
Despite falling behind in the first period for the second-straight game, the Saints fought back for a comeback-win. The RoughRiders scored on both power-play chances in the game, opening the scoring with six minutes left in the first.
With 1:45 left, Cole Spicer forced a turnover and fed Teddy Merrill in front of the net for his fourth of the season to tie the game at one. The game remained tied at one through the second period despite a pair of Saints power plays.
In the third period, the Saints' third power-play began with 8:39 to play. In just 22 seconds, Spicer and Lucas Van Vliet set up Gavin Cornforth for his 12th goal of the season to put the Saints ahead 2-1. Just a few minutes later, Daniel Astapovich scored his second power-play goal of the game to tie the contest at two.
The Saints set Jennersjö up with 3:22 left to bury his fourth game-winner of the season. Jan Špunar made 24 of 26 stops in his 14th win of the season to tie for the league-lead.
Dubuque finished a stretch of six games in 10 days with five victories and swept the three-game weekend against Youngstown and Cedar Rapids.
The Saints return to play on Saturday at home against the Sioux City Musketeers.
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