Prediger cuts Bucs' Bayens; suspended Doty quits
Des Moines Tribune
By Don Clasen
Wednesday, 2-3-82
Ivan Prediger doesn't like to lose. And after his Des Buccaneers lost twice and failed to gain any ground in two key United States Hockey League last weekend, something was bound to happen.
With his team mired in fifth place with a 15-18-1 record and only about a month to play in the regular season, Prediger lowered the boom before his charges begin their busiest five days of the season tonight.
Prediger said Monday that he dropped center Tom Miller and defenseman Pat Bayens and suspended Doran Doty, a winger from Des Moines.
Tuesday, however, Prediger said he decided to give Miller "a second chance," and at the same time said that Doty had quit the team.
"I'm no longer Mr. Nice Guy," said Prediger of the shakeup. "We have to make our move this week. Only the toughest are going to survive. We've got to play with intensity.
"I'm only going to go with the guys who give 150 percent. I'll put up with mistakes, but I'll not put up with any players giving less than 150 percent.
"It all comes down to how much heart do we have."
The Bucs lost to Dubuque, 8-5, here Saturday night and by 7-5 Sunday to last-place Waterloo on the road. Bad starts cost Des Moines in both games.
Prediger said Miller came to him and admitted his shortcomings and asked to taken back on the team. "The potential is there and he realizes he needs to go after the puck and check, and since I couldn't find another replacement at this time of the year, I took him back," Prediger said.
Miller, 20, from Duluth, Minn., is considered the fastest skater on the team. Since joining the Bucs before Christmas, he has four goals and eight assists in 17 games. He was among the USHL scoring leaders last season at Green Bay, Wis.
Bayens, 18, of Baldwin, Mo., has one assist in 26 games. Prediger said Tuesday that Bayens will go to Waterloo to join the Black Hawks.
Prediger said Doty was suspended Monday "for conduct detrimental to the club."
The Bucs play tonight at Dubuque, where they have never won; go for four points here Friday night against St. Paul; face Austin here Saturday night, then travel to Sioux City for a Sunday afternoon date.
Despite the losses, Des Moines remains only 11 points off the pace set by Bloomington and Dubuque and could overtake third-place St. Paul by winning its next four games.
Prediger made it clear that if the Bucs don't improve their record this week, other changes will be made.
Along with the roster cuts, Prediger said he is imposing an 11 p.m. curfew.
"Nine or 10 of my kids have only 1 1/2 months of junior hockey left," he said. "The end is near for them (to get a college scholarship or pro tryout)."
Prediger was referring to nearly half of the Bucs, those who have reached the age of 20 and will not be eligible in the amateur league after the season.
The coach also said that Tuesday that Jeff Strandell, the sixth highest scorer on the team, was admitted to Northwest Hospital after missing two games with a stomach ailment. Goalie Mark Pagnac also missed practice Tuesday because of a similar ailment, Prediger said.
In a bright note, goalie Frank Cataldo, who missed the weekend games because of the flu, returned to practice and is expected to make the trip to Dubuque.
With Doty gone, Cataldo is the only area player left on the squad. He prepped at Dowling of West Des Moines.
USHL Standings |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM | W | L | T | GF | GA | PTS |
| Bloomington | 21 | 15 | 0 | 219 | 174 | 42 |
| Dubuque | 21 | 13 | 0 | 191 | 163 | 42 |
| St. Paul | 19 | 14 | 1 | 189 | 176 | 39 |
| Sioux City | 18 | 11 | 2 | 177 | 154 | 38 |
| Des Moines | 15 | 16 | 1 | 185 | 202 | 31 |
| Austin | 12 | 21 | 0 | 158 | 186 | 24 |
| Waterloo | 10 | 24 | 0 | 133 | 196 | 20 |
TONIGHT'S GAMES
Des Moines at Dubuque
St. Paul at Sioux City
FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
St. Paul at Des Moines
Austin at Waterloo
SATURDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
Austin at Des Moines
Waterloo at Dubuque
Bloomington at Sioux City
SUNDAY'S GAMES
Des Moines at Sioux City
Dubuque at St. Paul
Bloomington at Austin