Bucs hoping to get hot on home ice
Des Moines Tribune
Friday, 1-8-82
By Don Clasen
There's no place like home, the old saying goes.
Ivan Prediger and his Moines Buccaneers hope that proves true the final three months of the United States Hockey League season.
The second-year Bucs, mired in fifth place in the seven-team league, have played only 10 of 24 in the friendly confines of the Ice Arena. But they will be on the road for only seven of their remaining 24 games before the playoffs.
The heavy home schedule begins this weekend with a contest at 7:30 tonight against Austin, Minn. It's the first of three weekends when Bucs home games are slated on Friday and Saturday nights.
"We're on!y 11 points out of first place and the nice thing about the schedule is that we've got games in hand with the leaders," Prediger said Thursday.
"There's a definite advantage there and we'll have no one to blame if we don't win. If we get hot, we're going to be tough.
"We have four in a row at home, including three against top-place teams."
After tonight's date with Austin, the Bucs face St. Paul, Minn. the team just ahead of them in fourth place -- here Saturday night.
The Bucs will host the All-Star game next Tuesday night, then entertain Bloomington, Minn. currently in third place, in a pair of contests next weekend.
Helping boost the Bucs at the Ice Arena have been the crowds, which Prediger says are averaging about 2,760.
Prediger said his squad is ready for the second-half drive, but added that he was concerned about defenseman Greg Shively, who has been hobbled by a hip pointer.
He praised defenseman Scott Lauder, who banged in what he termed "two second-effort goals" in Wednesday's setback at Dubuque.
Tuesday's All-Star contest will begin at 7:30 p.m. The contest, which also was played here last year, originally was scheduled for Dubuque. But the Fighting Saints backed out because they played in Florida over the holidays.
Last year, the USHL's Northern and Southern Division teams clashed. But since the league no longer consists of two, four-team divisions, 20 All-Stars selected by the coaches will face the Bucs.
Prediger said the Des Moines' Myles Hart, Bill Ries and Scott Rupp were named All-Stars, but they will play with the Bucs.
USHL Standings |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM | W | L | T | GF | GA | PTS |
| Dubuque | 12 | 10 | 0 | 149 | 130 | 24 |
| Sioux City | 16 | 8 | 1 | 145 | 120 | 33 |
| Bloomington | 16 | 11 | 0 | 154 | 125 | 32 |
| St. Paul | 16 | 12 | 0 | 153 | 133 | 32 |
| Des Moines | 11 | 12 | 1 | 122 | 125 | 23 |
| Austin | 8 | 19 | 0 | 117 | 158 | 16 |
| Waterloo | 7 | 19 | 0 | 103 | 149 | 14 |
WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
Dubuque 5, Des Moines 4
Sioux City 11, Waterloo 5
Bloomington 6, St. Paul 2
THURSDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
Austin 8, Waterloo 6
TONIGHT'S GAME
Austin at Des Moines
SATURDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
St. Paul at Des Moines
Dubuque at Waterloo
Bloomington at Sioux City
SUNDAY'S GAMES
Sioux City at Austin
Waterloo at St. Paul
TUESDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
All-Stars vs. Buccaneers at Des Moines