Hard-Working Sioux Falls Stops Bucs
Urbandale, IA (2.1.03): A hard-working Sioux Falls hockey team came into Metro Ice Sports Arena and out-worked the Bucs in every phase of the game, eaning them a 4-2 victory. The Buccaneers were unable to score on 8 powerplays while allowing the Stampede to score on 2 of 3 attempts, including a short-handed goal. The loss broke a 4 game Buccaneer winning streak.
First Period Dooms Bucs
Kearny, NE (2.8.03): Tri-City scored 4 first period goals - 3 on power-plays to put the Buccaneers away early. The Buccaneers tightened up their play in the second and third periods outshooting Tri-City 8-1, and 14-7, but it was too little too late as the Storm earned a 6-0 win.
Bucs Get Much Needed Road Win
Sioux Falls, SD (2.9.03): Period 1: A win tonight and we are tied for 8th place the the Steel and also 1-2 points closer to the Stampede. About 8 minutes into the match Evan Stoflet goes off for roughing and on the ensuing power play, the Stampede cash in ... the 3M line puts the Stampede on the board first: Morod Radmacher from Jacob Micflikier and Jason Moul. The Stampede are 10-1-0-2 at home when they score first this season. Both goalies face a lot of rubber in the period ... Briggs stops 12 shots, while Papcun stops 14 shots. The score is 1-0 after one period. (Side note: The Bucs are 0-4-1-1 for 2 points on the road when trailing after the first period.)
Period 2: Midway through the second the Bucs are able to cash in on a power play opportunity to knot the game up 1-1 with the goal from Mike Erickson and assist to Joe Campbell at 12:23. 34 seconds later, Marty Mjelleli gives the Bucs the 2-1 lead with a helper to Jon Rudnick at 12:57. The Bucs were not done scoring for the period, at 17:42 Erickson cashes in his second power play tally of the night, assist to Tomas Jasko. The period ends with the Bucs putting 18 shots on goals and 3 of them finding twine to give the Bucs a 3-1 lead heading into the locker room.
Period 3: The third period turned into a scoring-fest. The scoring started by the Stampede at the 7:18 mark, Derek Patrosso from Tom Kolar. The Bucs answer back less then a minute later, Jon Rudnick answers with helper to Matt Burto at 8:05. 35 seconds later, Patrosso cuts the Bucs lead to one, 4-3 with assists to Jim McKenzie and Kolar at 8:40. The Bucs wasted no time in responding, at 9:13 Jamie Hoffmann scores his 9th goal of the season with assist to Jasko to give the Bucs another 2-goal lead, 5-3. Four goals in a span of 1:55 by both teams! The Hoffmann goal was an important goal, because at the 14-minute mark, McKenzie came in all alone and made it a 5-4 game. The Bucs are able to withstand the late push by the Stampede to come away with the 5-4 victory. This was the Bucs first regulation win this season when trailing after the first period on the road. Written by Kevin Kasel.
Bucs Put The Hurt On in First Period
Urbandale, IA (2.14.03): The Bucs sent a message early that the special "pink and white jerseys with hearts" they were wearing were not for Sioux Falls as they put 26 shots on goal, and scored 3 goals in the first period. Sioux Falls managed only 3 shots the whole period. Bryce Anderson scored the first goal, while Tomas Jasko scored 2 of his 3 goals for the night. Tomas' second goal came with just 2 seconds remaining in the period on a powerplay.
Marty Mjelleli scored the Bucs fourth goal 3:52 into the second period, followed by a goal from Jon Rudnick and Tomas Jasko. Tomas third goal came on a powerplay midway through the period. Marty Mjelleli added another goal early in the third period to give the Bucs the 7-2 win. Written by Steve Bendy.
Three In A Row For The Bucs
Urbandale, IA (2.15.03): Tri-City came to town to play, and for the first part of the first period the Buccaneers were struggling to keep up with the pace set by the Storm. The hustle paid off as the Storm scored a short-handed goal to take a 1-0 first period lead. The Buccaneers fought back, scoring 2 second period goals by Marty Mjelleli and Mike Erickson. Former Buccaneer Ryan Dingle tied the game 13:24 in the third period, and the stage was set for a battle right to the end.
Both teams were pushing hard and with 2 minutes left in the game Jon Rudnick knocked the puck loose and quickly passed to Matt Burto who was wide open. Burto skated in on Eric Aarnio and beat him cleanly to give the Bucs a 3-2 win. A.J. Bucchino was in goal and faced 42 shots. Written by Steve Bendy.
Sioux City Ends Buc Winning Streak
Sioux City, IA (2.21.03): Period 1: Sioux City gets on the board first at the 6:08 mark of the 1st, with a goal from Mike Ramirez with assists to Nathan Schwartzbauer and Peter Cartwright. Less then two minutes later, the Muskies extent the lead to 2-0 with a goal from B.J. Greaves and assist to Gary Houseman. The Bucs are able to capitalize on their first power play opportunity, Mike Erickson from Tomas Jasko at the 8:45 point. The end periods Muskies 2, the Bucs 1.
Period 2: The Bucs have an early power play and from a face-off during the power play, Jamie Hoffmann wins the face-offs and feeds Tomas Jasko and ties the game 2-2. Things go down hill from there for the Bucs. The Muskies score the next four goals in the period, three of them in a span of 2:48. Nathan Schwartbauer from Matt Hartman (5:21), B.J. Greaves from Nathan Schwartbauer and Gary Houseman (7:07) [Brian Papcun out, A.J. Bucchino in], Mike Ramirez (8:09), and the final goal of the period for the Muskies, a short-handed tally, Grant Goeckner-Zoeller from Gary Houseman (19:09). The period ends Muskies 6, the Bucs 2.
Period 3: The Bucs throw everything they have on net during the third period, and get one past Jimmy Spratt; Jon Rudnick from Matt Burto and Marty Mjelleli at 14:30 point to make it 6-3. The game ends Muskies winning 6-3. Written by Kevin Kasel.
Waterloo Defeats Bucs 4-2
Waterloo, IA (2.22.03): Period 1: Waterloo scores early, 1:04 to be exact to take the early lead. Then the Black Hawks are able to capitalize on the first power play opportunity at 5:06, former Buccaneers Ross Carlson scores with assist to another former Buccaneer, Andy Nelson and Trevor Stewart. Bucs find them self trailing 0-2 at the end of the first.
Period 2: Mike Neilon gets the Bucs on the board at the 9:11 mark with assist to Kyle Bushee. Nine seconds later, Matt Burto goes off for high sticking and Nelson converts on the power play six seconds later to give the Black Hawks again the 2-goal lead, 3-1.
Period 3: Marty Guerin gets the Bucs within one with a power play goal at 1:59 with an assist to Neilon. At 14:47 Nelson scores again to make it 2-goal lead again. Bucs fall, 2-4. Written by Kevin Kasel.
Bucs Win Penalty Filled Game
Chicago, IL (2.23.03): Period 1: Bucs get on the board first with a goal from Mike Erickson on the power play with assists to Travis Anderson and Jamie Hoffmann at 8:23. The Steel get the equalizer at the 15:40 from former Buccaneer Ben Geelan, with helpers to Blake Williams and another former Buccaneer Eric Helstedt. The period ends 1-1.
Period 2: Bucs strike first in the penalty-filled 2nd period, Kyle Bushee from Erickson and Tomas Jasko at 5:50 on the power play to make it 2-1 Bucs. Bucs strike again on the power play, Jasko from Erickson and Hoffmann at 7:56 to make it 3-1 Bucs. At the 9:40 mark, Danny Charleston cuts it to a 3-2 Bucs lead, with assists to Brady Greco and Geelan. Patrick Borgestad gets his first goal as a Buccaneer at the 14:40 point, to make it 4-2 Bucs. Erickson adds another power play tally at the 19:58 mark, with assists to Jasko and Joe Campbell to make it 5-2 after two periods. By my unofficial tally the penalties go like this for the period; Chicago had 3 infractions for 6 minutes and were 0-5 on the power play during the period, Des Moines had 7 infractions for 14 minutes and were 0-1 on the power play in the period.
Period 3: Just like the second period, the third was filled with its share of penalties. This time, there was more called against the Buccaneers. The Bucs are able to kill off every Chicago power play opportunity and go 9 for 9 on the penalty kill, the most successful night short-handed so far this season (and hopefully don't have to kill off that many ever again this season). On the power play side they went 4 for 12 with the man advantage. Jasko extents the Bucs lead to 6-2, when the Steel pulled their goalie in a last ditch effort, at the 17:28 point with assists to Marty Mjelleli and Jon Rudnick. The Steel are able to cut the lead in half at the 17:40 mark with a goal from Travis Morin with helpers to Chad Solberg and Rene Gauthier. The game ends, 6-3 in favor of the Bucs.
Side notes: I find the score keeping in Chicago very suspect when the whole game Brad Oistad and Rob Lettington kept stating Brian Papcun was in net and even Bob Ferguson commented on Papcun's play during the post-game interview. But pointstreak had A.J. Bucchino has the goalie of record for Des Moines. I highly doubt, both of Des Moines' radio announcer and their Head Coach saw the wrong player in net. Other things that I call to question was the fact, that pointstreak kept showing "pre-game" until we reached the 1st intermission, then it would change occasionally throughout the first intermission showing game was in play (while in intermission, unless Rob and Brad were able to predict ahead of time the action on the ice). The same thing happened during the second period, pointstreak stated first intermission throughout the whole second period of play, then during the second intermission did it appear the game was going on. The third period ended and the coach's interviewed completed, before pointstreak showed the third period even starting. The bad thing is, Rob and Brad do not have Internet at the Edge Arena and throughout the game, they were telling people to check out pointstreak for up-to-the-minute stats, which was not true for this game. Pointstreak was only updating during the intermission and after the game.
Staying on my soap box, is the fact that through 45 games prior to tonight's game, Marty Guerin had a total of 8 infractions for 16 penalty minutes. Tonight alone, he had 4 penalties totaling 8 minutes. That seems a little strange to me. OK, I will get off my soap box. Written by Kevin Kasel.
Bucs Hold Off Green Bay Rally for Win
Urbandale, IA (2.27.03): Joe Piskula opened scoring for the Buccnaeers with less than 2 minutes gone in the game, followed by goals from Tomas Jasko and Marty Guerin (short-handed) to build a 3-0 first period Buccaneer lead. The lead seemed substantial until Green Bay scored 3 goals of their own, cutting down the Buc lead to 4-3 when the buzzer sounded to end the second period. Jamie Hoffman picked up the Bucs lone goal in the second period. Mike Neilon scored 2:14 into the third period to make it 5-3, and Marty Guerin made it 6-4 on a power-play tally to give the Bucs a 6-4 lead and win.
Third Period Buc Rally One Goal Short
Urbandale, IA (2.28.03): The Bucs fell behind 3-0 in the first period, but never gave up, scoring 3 third period goals withn a 4 minute span to bring the score to 4-3. The rally was too little, too late as the RoughRider defense tightened and kept the Bucs from forcing a tie. Jon Rudnick, Bryce Anderson, and Joe Campbell scored for the Bucs.
