Victory gives Bucs 'big lift'
Des Moines Tribune
By Wayne Grett
Wednesday, 1-13-82
Des Moines Buccaneers Coach Ivan Prediger talked about his players "getting a big lift" from beating the United States Hockey League All-Stars here Tuesday night, but he was very proud himself as various team owners and league officials dropped by to offer congratulations.
Des Moines won, 8-7, at 2 minutes 12 seconds into a sudden-death, 10-minute overtime when Greg LaDouceur scored while inches from the goal. He had acquired the puck near the red line and had passed to Scott Rupp. Rupp fired it right back as LaDouceur headed for the goal.
"I was just talking to the president of the league," said Prediger, "and he said we have two of the best front lines in the league."
One includes LaDouceur, Rupp and Bill Ries. The other has Myles Hart, Jeff Ulrich and Jeff Strandell.
Hart, who leads the USHL in scoring with 59 points, Ries and Rupp were named league all-stars, but because the Bucs were selected as the host team, they were allowed to play with their mates.
Twenty players from the other six USHL teams also were named stars.
Ulrich bagged a pair of goals for the Bucs and Rupp, Hart, Strandell, Ries and Rick Swarbrick also scored for Des Moines, which has now won five of its last seven games, although Tuesday night's won't be an official win.
Surprisingly, Des Moines took a 5-2 lead in the first period. "We were pretty uptight before the game," said Prediger. ”You never know what to expect. We relaxed when Hart got the first goal just 41 seconds into the game. We played well offensively, but we need to do better defensively. We'll work the rest of the week tightening up the defense."
The Bucs resume regular play against Bloomington, Minn., here Friday and Saturday nights.
Des Moines led, 7-4, going into the third period Tuesday night. Then Jim Banaszek of Waterloo scored 45 seconds into the period and again at the 11:16 mark. Dan Dorien of Austin, MInn., got the tying goal with 2:14 remaining.
Stars Coach Bob Ferguson, who coaches Sioux City, was asked before the game if All-Star players have difficulty in becoming a team when they can't have any practice.
"They are good enough players to overcome that," he said. After the game he added, "In the first period we played poorly. Then we got adjusted."