April 2002 Game Commentaries
Bucs End Season With 3-2 Win
Urbandale, IA (4.6.02): The Buccaneers wound-up regular season play by beating the hottest team in the USHL - the Lincoln Stars, 3-2. Lincoln had won 16 games in a row, the longest winning streak in the USHL this year.
As the two teams hit the ice, I wondered which Buccaneer team would show-up. Would it be the Bucs of the beginning of the season when 
they won seven games in a row, including a 3-0 shutout of Sioux City and a 6-0 shutout of Omaha... or would it be the Bucs who won only 3 of the last 10 games? A group of logo-clad Lincoln fans hoped it would be the latter.
When the puck dropped, both teams fought for momentum. Lincoln had several rushes towards the net, but the entire Buc team was taking this game very serious and were not going to let the Star offense just walk in on goalie Chris Gartman. After some initial back and forth play the Bucs took control and it was not long before the Bucs were on the board. Seven minutes into the period the Bucs had just gone on the powerplay when Michael Hutchins broke the puck out to Evan Stoflet. Instead of just dumping the puck in the Lincoln zone, Evan skated in on goal and ripped the puck in the back of the net. The crowd lept to their feet and the arena echoed with the sound of the cheers of the jubilant fans. The Bucs continued their pressure on Lincoln, and with 2 and a half minutes left in the first period they lit the lamp again. This time it was Luke Irwin, assisted by Tom Kolar. The first period ended with a 2-0 Buc lead.
The second period began and the Stars came out skating hard, but the Buc defense was up to the task. Goalie Chris Gartman was making the tough saves and controlling the rebounds. Lincoln has the best powerplay in the USHL, but the Bucs were playing tough. In fact, the Buccaneers held the Stars scoreless on 5 powerplay attempts. With less than 2 minutes remaining in the period, the Stars went on the powerplay... but it was the Bucs who scored. Chris Collins knocked the puck free and raced up ice towards Lamoureux. Chris snapped off a shot that lit the lamp and brought the crowd to their feet. The goal gave the Bucs a 3-0 lead and proved to be the game winner. The goal also gave Chris the Curt Hammer award for the Buc's leading scorer. Coming into tonights game he was tied with Alex Matieroukine. Chriss was also voted the fan's most popular player. The picture above shows Chris scoring the shorthanded, game-winning goal.
The third period did not begin well for the Bucs. Just 18 seconds into the period Lincoln scored to make it 3-1. Chris Gartman had stopped the initial 2 shots, but the rebound was stuffed into the net. The entire period Lincoln put tremendous pressure on the Buccaneers, and had it not been for the excellent play by Gartman, Lincoln would have tied it up. Lincoln put 17 shots on goal in the third period, while the Bucs got only 4 shots. With 2:20 left in the game, Lincoln took a penalty, then pulled their goalie to try to tie it up. The Bucs held strong and in the end prevailed 3-2.
Written by Steve Bendy
Box Score
Bucs get shutout 4-0!
Rochester, MN (4.5.02): Tonight we face Rochester for the sixth and final time for this season. Currently we are 4-0-1 good for 9 points vs. the Mustangs. The lone non-win was a 3-2 shoot-out lose back on November 2nd in Rochester.
The question I have in regards to Rochester is, will they be in Rochester, MN next season with the entire hubbub with Tier 1 floating around? Rumors as them moving to Champaign, IL or Columbus, NE earlier this season. Also heard lately, they will be staying at least another year there?
No, Junior “A” hockey in Minnesota? When the USHL went all Juniors back in 1979 there were seven teams. Of those seven teams, four teams were based in Minnesota (Hennepin Nordiques, Bloomington Jr. Stars, St. Paul Vulcans and Austin Mavericks). Austin Mavericks relocated to Rochester and became the Mustangs in the 1985-86 season.
I heard the movie “SLAP SHOT II” is out on video now. I hear there is a classic line in the film “What do people know about hockey in Omaha, Nebraska?” I haven’t seen the movie yet, but will rent it. I heard that portion if used, would have to be edited. Could we use that since (unfortunately) the Lancer organization is crossing the river and playing in Council Bluffs, IA and won’t be in Omaha, NE? I guess it is too late to put up the barracks to keep them out of our state? Can we at least get up some detour signs and direct them to Missouri? The River City (Omaha) Lancers will still use “The Heat Is On” for their song and will update their logo.
I digress now. Not sure if Brett Skinner is healthy yet or not. I sure hope we have him available come play-offs.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
Starting goalies: Baker (DM), Chen (RO)
1st Period: Well Fergy changes thing up, starts Trent Baker in goal tonight. Baker is sure he will have his name on the scoresheet. At the 1:42 mark, he is called for delay of game for clearing the puck out of play. Bucs were able to kill it off, but at the 3:45 mark Phil Todd gives Rochester the early 1-0 lead. The game is pretty uneventful for the next 15 minutes. Luke Irwin goes off late in the period for cross checking. The Mustangs are not able to mount much of an attack, as the Bucs are able to kill off the penalty. The period ends Mustangs leading 1-0. Shots on goals: Rochester 11, Des Moines 11.
2nd Period: Second period starts off with the Bucs firing shots on net, but are not able to get one past Chen. At 2:21 Alex Matieroukine gets whistled for high-sticking, which kills off the momentum. Rochester has a great chance, but Baker is able to make the big save to keep it 1-0. Bucs get whistled for another penalty to give the Mustangs a 5-on-3 advantage. On the 2-man advantage, the Bucs dodge a bullet; they are the beneficiary of a quick whistle. Bucs are able to kill off both penalties. At 7:44 mark Eddie Johnson goes off for high-sticking to give the Bucs their 2nd power play opportunity. Rochester is able to kill it off. Around 5:15 left in the period, Nate Hansen is called for roughing to give the Mustangs their 5th power play opportunity of the evening. Then at 16:07 Rochester evens things up, Rochester has 2 go off to Des Moines’ 1 (Kris Bouchard) all for roughing. At 18:53 mark, the Bucs ONCE AGAIN GIVE UP ANOTHER SHORT-HANDED GOAL, this time to Billy Bagron assists to Grant Goeckner-Zoeller and Jeff Schultz to give the Mustangs the 2-0 lead. At 19:01 Adam Cozine goes off for interference to give the Bucs yet another power play. The period ends Rochester 2-0. Shots on goal: Rochester 11, Des Moines 13.
3rd Period: Mustangs kills off the penalty to start off the 3rd period. At 6:45 Dan Krmpotich gives the Mustangs the 3-0 lead with assists to Goeckner-Zoeller and Cole Koidahl. At 8:20 mark Mustangs’ Eddie Johnson is called for a double minor high-sticking, but the Bucs are unable to score. At the 15:00 mark Bucs pull their goalie, and Rochester scores at the 15:09 mark to make it 4-0, Krmpotich’s 2nd with Goeckner-Zoeller’s 3rd assist. Then at 15:21 Michael Hutchins goes of for cross checking. We kill off that penalty and Weston Tardy plays for himself and takes a penalty to give the Mustangs another power play. Rochester’s Bryce Anderson gets a 5-minute major spearing call at 18:10 to pretty much finish the game 4-on-4. Game ends 4-0, first time the Bucs are shutout in 61 games. Last time we were shutout, March 18, 2001 vs. Omaha. Bucs are the last team to get shutout in the USHL this season. If we keep playing like this, the play-offs, no matter who we play, will be short-lived! Amazing what happens in a month, about a month ago we were sitting where we wanted, in the hunt for the division. We hit a skid at the wrong time …. right before play-offs!
Written by Kevin Kasel
