Season Ends For Buccaneers
Urbandale. IA (4.13.02): The Bucs are in a must-win position tonight; if they win they continue to play - if they lose they go home for the summer. Even if they do win, they would have to win three in a row to get past Green Bay. Winning three in a row in a playoff situation is tough enough - but during the regular season the Bucs were hard-pressed to accomplish even that. As I pulled in to the arena, I expected it to be the last game of the season. Like many fans I had talked to, it was not that I was negative or down on the Bucs, it was just that this team was so inconsistent.
When the puck dropped the Bucs looked liked they were giving it everything they had. They were going after every puck and harassing the Gamblers physically when they had the puck. The Bucs looked hungrier. The Gamblers looked more skilled. Green Bay's passing and puck control was better. When Green Bay got a shot on net the puck would rebound out onto the ice, and had it not been for the heads-up play by the defense and forwards, the gamblers would have gotten on the scoreboard early and often.
But it was the Bucs who were to score first. Alex Matieroukine scored with 8:37 left in the first period, assisted by Jeff Genovy and Chris Collins. Alex took a tough-angle shot and the score was 1-0. Green Bay tied it up, but with 4:17 left in the period Keith Boyer made it 2-0. Assists went to Nate Hansen and Tom Kolar. Keith made a couple of nifty moves has he deked the goalie out and scored. It was now 2-1 Bucs and the crowd was making a lot of noise.
Five minutes into the second period Chris Collins slipped one by the goalie's leg and the post from the side. I was less than 2 feet away and still don't know how it went in. Luckily, I got it on tape (see the movie below). Assists went to Alex Matieroukine and Jeff Genovy. Green Bay scored 3 minutes later on a powerplay to make it 3-2. In an interview after the game the coach said that one of the things that hurt us was the penalties (6) we took in the offensive zone. Four minutes later the Bucs were on the powerplay and Alex Matieroukine slammed in a rebound to make it 4-2. Assists went to Chris Collins and Jeff Genovy. This goal is also in a movie below. Two minutes later Erik Johnson came in on a shorthanded break. His first shot was stopped, but Erik picked up the rebound and put it into the net to give the Bucs a 5-2 lead. Assist went to Luke Irwin. (see photo above). It appeared that the Bucs had a commanding lead. They were playing like there was no tomorrow, and the crowd was going crazy. Little did we know that there was going to be no tomorrow and that Erik's goal was the last the Buccaneers would get this season.
Four minutes into the third period Green Bay scored to make it 5-3, then scored again 3 minutes later to make it 5-4. With 1:20 left in the game Green Bay pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. With less than a minute remaining, Chris Gartman tried to pull the puck in with his stick and it put it into the net. The Gamblers had tied the game at 5-5. This is just my opinion, but to me the Bucs played the third period like they had most of the last month - and they paid for it. During the 20 minute intermission before overtime many of the fans left the arena.
When the overtime period started the Bucs were playing like they did for the first two periods and were getting good scoring chances. Their goalie was up to the challenge; ours was not. On Green Bays first scoring chance they scored to win the game 6-5, and the series, 3-0.
So, the Bucs end up 32-24-5 on the season. I have heard people say that this was the most disappointing season since the 1990's, and they have a good point. Only the 1995-96 team had a worse record (21-23-2). Even though the 95-96 team had a worse record they went on to beat Omaha in the first round of the playoffs. They also seemed to improve every game and gave it 100% - they were 4-1 the last month they played before playoffs.
This is not to say that there were not high points and that individual players did not improve - there were and they did. In the end, we have much to proud of. We have accomplished our mission another year: a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting ice sports in Des Moines and developing the skills of junior hockey players. When we buy a ticket or something from the concessions, the money goes into these activities, not an owners pocket. We are the only junior A team in the USA that does it that way. Yes, much to be proud of.
Erik Johnson scores a shorthanded goal to make it 5-2 Link to movie
Written by Steve Bendy
Box Score
Bucs lose again, 5-3, trail the best of five 2-0.
Green Bay, WI (4.11.02): Tonight is game two of the best of five Clark Cup play-offs against the Gamblers. Last night we faced the Gamblers and lost 5-2. Gamblers scored two quick goals to start off the 3rd period and the Bucs were never able to regroup. We played a better-disciplined game, only taking 5 penalties for 10 minutes. We need to continue to play discipline type hockey and convert on our chances on the power play.
Starting goalies: Gartman (DM), Pfligler (GB)
1st Period: First five minutes goes back and forth action with no goals scored. Bucs get the 1st power play opportunity of the game, too many men on the ice around the 6-minute mark. Bucs shoot the puck, but either miss wide or Pfligler makes the saves and the Gamblers kill off the penalty. After the power play, the Gamblers have chances but Gartman is able to make the saves and deflects the puck out of play. Bucs turn around and apply the pressure to Pfligler and the Gamblers, but no goal to show for their effort. At 9:15 mark, Matt Greene goes off for holding. Gamblers are able to kill off the penalty, but not without the Bucs getting their chances. At 13:01 mark Josh Chamber goes off for roughing, while the Bucs were on a semi-breakaway. The Gamblers’ AJ Degenhardt takes a feed from Joe Crabb to convert on the power play at 13:42 to take the 1-0 lead. At the 15:10 mark the Bucs go on the power play as Kelly Plude goes to the box. The Bucs are unable to convert and the game remains 1-0 Gamblers. At 19:07 Degenhardt feed Matt Johnson who take a 2-0 lead. Tommy Kolar does not help the team out goes off for holding at 19:41 mark. SOG: GB 13, DM 14.
2nd Period: The Bucs have to start off the period killing off the remainder of Kolar’s holding penalty. The Bucs kill it off. At 6:03 mark Gamblers make it 3-0. Too make matters worse; Des Moines gets called for too many men on the ice at 6:52 mark. The Bucs are able to kill off the penalty. Gamblers score again. Isn’t there a mercy rule in the USHL, where when a team has a 4 or more goal lead after the 10-minute mark of the 2nd period, the clock remains running until the lead is less then four goals?
Final score: Green Bay 5, Des Moines 3.
Written by Kevin Kasel
Bucs far apart in the third period and lose 5-2;
Gamblers lead the series 1-0.
Green Bay, WI (4.10.02): Tonight is game one of the 1st round of the Clark Cup play-offs. We face the #2 seed Green Bay Gamblers in this best of five series. We are 3-3-0 vs. the Gamblers this year. Each team is 2-1-0 at home vs. each other and 1-2-0 on the road. In the last ten games for the Bucs, we are 3-7-0, while Green Bay is 9-0-1. Green Bay’s hot streak late in the season helped them surpass Cedar Rapids for the Eastern Division title and the #2 seed.
Tonight and tomorrow the games are in Green Bay, and we return to The Madhouse on Hickman on Saturday for game three. There will be a game Sunday, April 14th (if necessary) in Des Moines and Saturday, April 20th in Green Bay (if necessary).
Clark Cup play-off match-ups:
#1 Omaha Lancers vs. #8 Chicago Steel
#2 Green Bay Gamblers vs. #7 Des Moines Buccaneers
#3 Lincoln Stars vs. #6 Cedar Rapids Roughriders
#4 Sioux City Musketeers vs. #5 Sioux Falls Stampede
Other USHL news: no surprise here for USHL fans, the Tulsa Crude organization cease operations. Rochester Mustangs cease operations for the 2002-03 season. The Mustangs is somewhat of a surprise to me, not that Mustangs ceased, but I thought they would stick around another year and move to a new location. For more information please visit: http://www.ushl.com/ushl0102/pr/0409ushl.htm (Rochester) & http://www.ushl.com/ushl0102/pr/0409ushl2.htm (Tulsa) for the USHL’s press release.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
Starting goalies: Gartman (DM), Pfligler (GB)
1st Period: Early off, both teams seem to have chances but both Chris Gartman and Eric Pfligler are able to answer the calls. It seems the Bucs are getting more of the early opportunities but no goals to show for their effort. Alex Matieroukine goes off around the 6-mark for elbowing. During the penalty kill Chris Collins has a breakaway opportunity but Pfligler makes the save to keep it 0-0. The Bucs are able to kill off the penalty. Play goes back-and-forth for the next few minutes until Green Bay’s AJ Degenhardt gets called for tripping. The Bucs are unable to get much of an attack set up and the Gamblers are able to kill off the penalty. A few minutes later Bucs start applying the pressure and at the end of the flurry Green Bay’s Brett Adam’s is called for checking from behind at 15:01 point. But at the 16:12 mark Jeff Genovy is called for interference to make them skate 4-on-4. Bucs are able to kill off the abbreviated Green Bay power play. The period ends the same as it started, 0-0. Shots on goal for the period: Green Bay 13, Des Moines 6.
2nd Period: Bucs get pressure on early, but are not able to get one in the net. Then Gamblers turn the tables and apply the pressure, but are not able to convert either. At 5:03, Nate Hansen goes off for roughing and at 6:35 mark Matt Johnson one-times the pass from Matt Greene into the net to give the Gamblers the 1-0 lead on the power play. Gamblers seem to use this to keep pressure on the Bucs, but Gartman and the Bucs answer the call. 10:38 Matt Greene goes off for high sticking to give the Bucs their 3rd power play opportunity. Then at the 10:59 Joe Crabb goes off for slashing to give the Bucs a 2-man advantage for over a minute. Then shortly into the 2-man advantage, Chris Collins is called for 4-minute high sticking. Double minor would happen if the Gambler player was injured by accident with the high stick, otherwise it is a 2-minute variety. (Rule 617- High Sticking: http://www.cs.rpi.edu/~kennyz/Hockey/rulebook/node77.html (We had a very similar situation in Green Bay in the play-offs 2 years ago where we didn’t get the double minor when the player was injured with a inadvertent high stick.) Both of the Gambler penalties end and that puts them on the power play. Collins’ double minor ends too with no damage done. At 17:19 mark Matt Greene pays another visit to the penalty box, this time for cross checking. This will be the Bucs 5th power play opportunity. Green Bay has a great chance short-handed, but Gartman keeps it 1-0. The period ends 1-0 Gamblers. Shots on goal for the period: Green Bay 14, Des Moines 11.
3rd Period: Bucs start off the period with a lot of pressure, but Green bay is able to break out and Joe Crabb blasts one past Gartman from the blue line to give the Gamblers the 2-0 lead. Less then 2-minutes later Gamblers grab a 3-0 lead from shot off Weston Tardy’s skate at 2:58, goal to Crabb. Question, did Crabb call bank? About minute later the Bucs start working on power play #6 with a high sticking to Brett Coburn. The Gamblers kill off the penalty; the Bucs don’t get much of an attack during the power play. Green Bay’s Tim Stapleton scores at 11:48 and chases Gartman out of the net and this brings in Trent Baker. 8:57 mark Dan Venard goes off for holding to give the Bucs power play opportunity #7. The Bucs are once again unable to convert. Bucs are able to eliminate the goose egg at the 13:06 with a goal to Luke Irwin with helpers to Alex Matieroukine and Genovy. The Bucs are not able to get to Pfligler again. Gamblers’ Matt Johnson shoots a puck from the blue line that dribbles past Baker to make it 5-1. Brett Skinner lets one go from the blue line that finds the back of the net to make it 5-2 at 19:50. Shots on goal for the period: Green Bay 15, Des Moines 18. Shots on goal for the game: Green Bay 42, Des Moines 35. Green Bay leads the best of 5 series, 1-0. These two teams will face-off tomorrow night in Green Bay for game two of this best of five Clark Cup series.
Written by Kevin Kasel
Box Score
