Coach: Bucs have to win 3 of 4 now
Des Moines Tribune
Wednesday, 3-12-82
By Don Clasen
"We have to win three of four now, but we'll be ready." Coach Ivan Prediger said Thursday as his Des Moines Buccaneers prepared for Saturday night's USHL playoff game against Sioux City here.
Prediger said the Bucs played one of their best games of the year in losing, 6-4, in the playoff opener Wednesday night at Bloomington, Minnesota.
Saturday night's opening against the regular-season champion will get underway at 7:30 at the Des Moines Ice Arena where the Bucs will play second-place Dubuque in Game 3 next Wednesday night.
Then, after hitting the road for a game at Austin, Minn., the next night, the Bucs will finish the first round of playoffs here against St. Paul on March 20.
The two teams posting the best records in the opening series will clash in a best-of-five series to determine the playoff champion.
"We still can get into the finals," Prediger emphasized. "It depends on who knocks who off. We need a 3-2 record.
The coach explained that if several teams finish the opening round with identical records, the one with the best showing in head-to-bead competition will get the nod.
Prediger said the Bucs, who finished sixth in the regular season, should be near full strength Saturday night.
"(All-star defenseman Scott) Lauder will be back and (Tom) Miller (who like Lauder had been injured) was just flyin' against Bloomington," said Prediger.
The report on Greg Shively, another all-star defenseman, was not as optimistic.
"He's probably done for the year," said Prediger. "He worked out, but his eye got blurry and is going back to the doctor. It doesn't look good."
Shivley suffered eye and facial injuries when be was accidentally struck by a Musketeer's stick in a 7-6 loss to Sioux City here Feb. I3.
During the regular season, Deg Moines won two, lost five and tied one game against Sioux City.
Playoff Schedule
TONIGHT'S GAME
Bloomington at Dubuque
SATURDAY NIGHT'S GAME
Sioux City at Des Moines
SUNDAY'S GAMES
Sioux City at Austin
St. Paul at Dubuque
March 15
St. Paul at Bloomington
March 17
Dubuque at Des Moines
March 18
Des Moines at Austin
Dubuque at Sioux City
March 19
Austin at St. Paul
March 20
St. Paul at Des Moines
Bloomington at Sioux City
March 21
Austin at Dubuque
St. Paul at Sioux City