USHL Sioux Falls Stampede

Stampede Can't Stop Buccaneers in Des Moines

January 9, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release


Urbandale, IA - The Sioux Falls Stampede ran into a red hot Des Moines Buccaneers offense Saturday night and had trouble controlling them at Buccaneer Arena. The Bucs (15-14-2) outshot the Herd 59-31 and powered past the Stampede 6-2 for their fourth straight victory. The loss was the fifth straight for the Herd (0-4-1) who fell to 16-14-2 on the season and into a tie for third place in the Western Conference. Colin Peters and Jack Suter scored for the Herd while Stefanos Lekkas kept the Stampede in the game throughout the night with 53 saves.

The Buccaneers came out flying against the Herd, registering 23 shots in the first period, but the Herd continued to get great goaltender from Stefanos Lekkas who made several huge saves to hold off the Bucs and keep the game scoreless. The Bucs would break through on their second power play of the game when David Keefer found the back of the net off a slap shot from the left circle to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead. Despite 23 shots on goal, that would be the only goal the Bucs would get on Lekkas as they took their 1-0 lead into the locker room, outshooting the Herd 23-8.

The Herd killed off the rest of a penalty to start the second, but moments later the Bucs would convert to take a 2-0 lead when Joey Kubachka took a pass from Will Harrison and beat Lekkas just 1:29 into the period. Sioux Falls would go on a 5-on-3 later in the period and took advantage when Garrett Cecere sent a pass to the top of the left circle for Collin Peters who one-timed the puck into the upper left hand corner of the net to cut the Bucs lead to 2-1. Four minutes it was the Herd who found themselves down a man, but it wouldn't matter as Jack Suter intercepted a pass at center ice and broke in on a breakaway where he lifted the puck past Buccaneers goaltender Jan Ruzicka to tie the game 2-2.

The game would not remained tied for long as the Bucs came back in full force, scoring at 14:52 when Ty Pelton-Byce sent a pass across the crease to Zach Jordan who one-timed the puck past Lekkas to make it a 3-2. Seconds later they added to their lead when Will Harrison broke in down the right wing boards and sent a pass into the slot for Joey Kubachka who tallied his second of the night to make it a 4-2 game. Just over two minutes later the Bucs extended their lead to three goals when Alec Rauhauser brought the puck over the Stampede line and wristed a shot into the upper left hand corner of the net to give Des Moines a 5-2 edge at the end of two periods. The Bucs outshot the Herd 20-11 in the period.

The Stampede were hoping to muster up some sort of comeback in the third, but it wasn't to be as the Bucs continued to throw up shots, outshooting the Herd 16-12. The Bucs added one more for good measure in the period and skated past the Herd for a 6-2 victory. Des Moines outshot the Herd 16-12 in the period and finished the night 1-for-8 on the power play while the Stampede were 1-for-4.

The Herd will look to get back on track on Friday when they return home to face the Fargo Force at 7:05 PM. It is also ComfyCozy's for Chemo night where the Stampede will be wearing specially designed tie-dye jerseys. The jerseys will be available through a silent auction with proceeds benefiting ComfyCozy's. Tickets are available through the KELOLAND Box Office or any Ticketmaster outlet.

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United States Hockey League Stories from January 9, 2016


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