USHL Sioux Falls Stampede

Stampede Can'T Hold off Dubuque, Fall 5-3

Published on October 14, 2016 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release


Sioux Falls, SD-The Sioux Falls Stampede couldn't hold on to an early 2-0 first period lead and fell 5-3 to the Dubuque Fighting Saints Friday night before 4,841 at the PREMEIR Center. Jaxon Nelson, Jason O'Neil and Alex Stevens all scored in the game while Mikhail Berdin stopped 29 of 33 shots in his first career USHL start. The Stampede are now winless in their last four games (0-3-1) and are 2-3-1 on the season while the Fighting Saints improved to 3-3-0.

The Herd wasted little time using the home ice to their advantage, scoring just 4:40 into the hockey game on Jaxon Nelson for his second goal of the season. Austin Martinsen sent a pass down the left wing boards to Nelson who went around one defender and cut to the bottom of the left circle before backhanding a shot into the back of the net to make it a 1-0 game. Less than four minutes later the Herd were back at it again and this time it was Jason O'Neil who converted. Eric MacAdams made a nice move down the left wing wall and headed behind the net and sent a behind the back pass in front of the net for O'Neil who went it into the upper left hand corner of the net for a 2-0 lead for the Herd. The Saints would get on the board at 14:59 of the period when Colin Theisen wristed a shot from the right circle that beat Stampede goaltender Mikhali Berdin on the glove side, but the Stampede still led 2-1 at the end of the period. Sioux Falls outshot Dubuque 10-9.

The Saints would tie the game at 4:26 of the second when Berdin's pass attempt hit a Stampede defender and bounced to Dubuque's RJ Murphy who quickly wristed the puck into the back of the net. The Herd would respond however, scoring on the power play at 7:45 on Alex Stevens first of the season. Austin Albrecht clanked a shot off the crossbar, but the rebound bounced to Stevens who blasted a shot through traffic into the back of the net to regain the lead at 3-2. Sioux Falls would take that lead into the locker room.

Whatever was said in the Dubuque locker room after the second seemed to work as the Saints came out fired up and tied the game just 1:51 in when Zach Solow found the back of the net. Dubuque took their first lead of the night at 5:09 when Theisen tallied his second of the night on the power play. Veli-Matti Tiuraniemi blasted a shot from the right point that was deflected by Theisen into the back of the net to give Dubuque a 4-3 advantage. The Herd tried to rally late in the game and earned a penalty shot with just over two minutes remaining in regulation, but Matthew Quercia was unable to convert and the Fighting Saints held their lead. The Herd tried to rally in the finally seconds and Jack Becker nearly tied the game, but his shot was deflected and just missed the net and the Saints sealed the game with an empty net goal with just three seconds remaining.

Dubuque outshot the Herd 15-6 in the third and 34-22 on the night. The Fighting Saints went 1-for-7 on the power play while the Herd were 1-for-4.

The Stampede return to action Saturday when they host the Waterloo Black Hawks at 7:05 PM inside the PREMIER Center. Tickets are still available through the PREMIER Center or any Tickemtaster outlet. The Stampede office will be open from 12-4 PM for any ticketing needs as well.

Check out the Sioux Falls Stampede Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from October 14, 2016


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