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USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Trio of Firsts Lift Fighting Saints to Sweep

October 22, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Consider Saturday, October 22 the second time in a row that the Dubuque Fighting Saints defeated the Youngstown Phantoms at the Covelli Centre. Jaxon Castor made 22 saves, and three Fighting Saints players notched first career goals, as the Saints took the game 4-1. Dubuque is now one game over the .500 mark, with wins in three of the last four games.

Cole Guttman did not miss a beat after being inserted into the lineup on Friday for his first game, and he kept his dominant play going. He got the Saints started early in the first period on the power play, depositing a cross-crease dish from Regen Cavanagh to start the scoring just five minutes in. It was Guttman's first USHL goal.

The firsts continued in the second period, as Veli-Matti Tiuraniemi extended Dubuque's lead to two with a shot from the left wing boards. Guttman had a helping hand on the play, marking his third point of the weekend.

After scoring his first USHL goal on Friday, Austin Rueschhoff followed that performance up with another goal, his second of the season, following a carom from a Casey Staum point shot. Phantoms netminder Ivan Kulbakov found himself late to the far post when Rueschhoff collected the bounce and deposited the puck on the backhand to extend the Fighting Saints lead to 3-1.

To top it off, Jacob Hamacher deposited a puck into the empty net to seal the game up. That also was a first career USHL goal.

Curtis Hall was the only Youngstown player to dent Castor's strong weekend. In total, he stopped 40 of 41 shots on goal (0.50 GAA, .975 sv%) starting with the shutout on Friday night, and a brick-wall, follow-up performance on Saturday. He started his night early with a denial on the league's leading goal scorer, Alex Esposito, and continually kept the Phantoms off the board.

The power play goal-scoring streak continued for the Saints, who have notched a goal on the man advantage in four consecutive games, dating back to last Friday's victory over the Sioux Falls Stampede. In total, Dubuque went 3-for-12 on the weekend (25.0%).

As was the case on Friday night, the Saints' defense shut Youngstown down in the second period. The Phantoms could only muster four shots on goal in the middle frame- two better than the night prior.

The first of a back-to-back series with the Dupaco Cowbell Cup rival Waterloo Black Hawks begins on Friday, October 28 at Young Arena at 7:05 p.m. The action shifts to Our House on Saturday, October 29 at 7:05 p.m. for the Pet Supply Drive, sponsored by That's My Dog! Donate pet supplies and other practical cleaning supplies to the door to benefit the Dubuque and Jackson County Humane Societies. For tickets, call the box office at 563.583.6880, or go to DubuqueFightingSaints.com today.

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About the Dubuque Fighting Saints

The Fighting Saints returned to USHL play in the brand new Mystique Community Ice Center during the 2010-11 season, winning the Clark Cup in their first year back in the USHL. The Fighting Saints continued their success with a historic season in 2012 - 13, finishing with a franchise best 45 - 11â=80=908 record. The team claimed the Anderson Cup as the USHL's regular season champions for the first time in 30 years, and also earned the Clark Cup for second time in three seasons. In August 2013, the team took the Bronze Medal while representing the United States at the Junior Club World Cup in Omsk, Russia. The Fighting Saints have reached the Clark Cup Final three times in the past six seasons. The club has produced a number of players that moved on to NCAA Division I hockey and have been drafted by NHL teams, including Zemgus Girgensons, Johnny Gaudreau and Mike Matheson. The original Fighting Saints competed in the USHL for 21 seasons (1980-2001). The club won the Clark Cup as playoff champions on three occasions (1981, 1983, 1985) under head coach Jack Barzee. One of the most well-known alumni of the original Fighting Saints was Gary Suter, a 17â=80=90year NHL veteran, two-time Olympian, Stanley Cup champion, and member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

About Northern Lights Hockey, LLC

Northern Lights Hockey, LLC is the company that owns and operates the USHL franchise in Dubuque, Iowa. The owners of Northern Lights Hockey, LLC collectively provide an extensive background in both business and hockey, and represent interests on a national and local level. Philip Falcone, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of HC2 Holdings, Inc. and former part owner of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, is the company's principal owner. The ownership group also includes Peter Chiarelli, Edmonton Oilers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, Mark Falcone, and Brad Kwong, Managing Partner of Northern Lights Hockey, LLC. Philip Falcone, Chiarelli and Kwong all played hockey together at Harvard University in the mid-1980s. The group also includes local Iowan partners Mark Falb and David S. Field, M.D. Falb currently serves as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Westmark Enterprises, Inc. and Kendall / Hunt Publishing Company. Dr. Field has practiced orthopedic surgery for 30 years and has been the driving force behind hockey in Dubuque. Dr. Field also owned the Dubuque Thunderbirds, the USA Hockey Tier III team that competed in the Central States Hockey League through the 2009-10 Season.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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