DATE: March 14, 1996 (away game)
OPPONENT: Omaha Lancers
Game 1 round 1 of the Clark Cup Play-offs
It's coming to the end of the season, and once again I wonder, what will I do when hockey's over? I suppose I'll be contented to watch hockey on TV, but it's just not the same as live action. I need to smell the ice and hear the sound of the blades! It was sad to hear that Fargo wouldn't be playing in the play-offs, because of a bounced check to the league. They had the best record for a new franchise in the league's history. They were in third place and all the players have to go home now. The Bucs and the Lancers are the two best power play teams, but not against each other. So would it be a deciding factor, the power play? It was questionable. And what about the fans, it is well known that the 6,000 Lancer fans can really get their team going, and get on the other team's nerves. If the Bucs could just "shut them up," as Nooyen said, they'd have the edge.
On the Lancer's first power play a Lancer got the puck past Clemmensen, but it hit the post! Adrian Fure got the Bucs on the board first 8:09 into the first period. Announcer Todd Kimm, thought it had hit the post before it went in, but the Lancer's goalie Correia had hit his stick on the post and that was the noise Todd had heard. The goal light had never even gone on for the goal, the goal judge must not have even seen it. Two minutes later Reggie Simon breaking down the ice with Klage Kaebel beat Correia (assists to Terry Harris and Christian Laden). Shortly after that a Lancer ran into his own goalie, Correia took a dive to make it look like Adam Morris had caused it. The ref didn't buy it. K.J. Voorhees is taking over for Brendan Walsh in the acting school department. The ref, Rooney went down to the ice during the first period, with a puck in his back. The crowd cheered as he went down, but when he finally got back up they cheered for him then too. Late in the first Bill Trainor got nailed in front of the net, but there was no call. The Bucs were outshooting and outscoring. Penalty kills were good for both teams, but as usual the power plays were struggling.
Within the first four minute of the second period the Lancers still had no shots on goal. Christian Laden got beat and Ryan Bencurik took a slashing penalty protecting him. Not much happened in the second period, but the Bucs dominated the Lancer's throughout, without slowing or giving up in the second period.
During the third period as soon as Clemmensen would get the puck he would cover it up to keep any thing from getting out of hand. This time Klage Kaebel was breaking with Reggie Simon, he took the shot and it hit the post. The net actually jumped back from the shot about an inch! Exactly four minutes left to go and my dad was whispering "Shutout, shutout!" It was not to be, Scott Matzka of the Lancers scored off a face-off with the Lancers third shot on goal for the period. 3:03 and the Lancer crowd was starting to get into the game, for the first time it was hard to hear the announcers. The crowd was getting to it's feet for there team. Klage Kaebel shot, and scored, but the puck was under Correia who was back in the net. Rooney signaled no goal and Correia knocked the net off trying to make the save. Throughout the game the ref and line made bad calls. Of course the Lancers wouldn't see it that way! 55 seconds to go in the third period and Correia came out of the net for the extra attacker. I have never been so nervous this season! Todd Kimm was getting so excited and he never once stopped talking. Clemmensen had an outstanding game and the coach shook his hand after the game as the players all celebrated with him. Written by Sarah Bendy
Des Moines 2 - Omaha 1
DATE: March 15, 1996 (home game)
OPPONENT: Omaha Lancers
Game 2, round 1 of the Clark Cup Play-offs
Well, no can say it wasn't an exciting game! Although half of the time you couldn't see the puck because too many bodies were in the way. Everyone, everywhere in the arena seemed to be charged with electricity, the players and the fans. After last nights victory the fans thought we could win this, the Lancers were mad, and I don't know what the Bucs were thinking.
Just a couple minutes into the game Omaha's Dan Peters lifted the puck up into the net during a flurry of bodies around the net. Then about two minutes later Adrian Fure scored (assists to Adam Morris and Bobby Davis). The Bucs looked like they were trying too hard, they needed to relax. Everyone was stumbling over everyone else, and the puck bounced everywhere. When the Bucs passed the puck, the Lancers intercepted it. Clemmensen went down to the right of the net to make the save, but the puck was still loose and Mark Shalawylo maneuvered it to the open side of the net. You could see the Bucs were out of position and struggling. I was starting to get sick as another flurry around the net resulted in another Lancer goal, Clemmensen went down, the puck went up. With 9:31 seconds left Omaha scored on a rebound after Clemmensen had made the first save, the goal went to the captain Jerry Keefe. After last night victory I didn't want to watch a mutilation. At the end of the first period Correia had made only 8 saves, while Clemmensen had made 14.
The Bucs came out of the locker room with a different attitude, they seemed a little more at ease, and the first couple minutes they turned up the heat. On a great one-timer form Klage Kaebel, Bobby Davis put one on the board (assists to Klage Kaebel and Ryan Bencurik). Clemmensen made two great saves - one as a Lancer broke down the ice with only one Buc on him and the other right off the face-off. 12:35 on the board and Omaha's Neil Breen scored. At 8:57 there were too many Lancers around the net for comfort, and sure enough Nick Lent got the goal on a one-timer. After this coach Owens made a goalie change. Platt had little time to warm up for the onslaught of Lancers. The Bucs were starting to take more penalties, could it be, that they were frustrated? About five minutes left in the period and Joe Blake went down then Scott Matzka of Omaha scored on Platt. Then with 2.6 seconds left another Lancer blasted one right between the five hole of Platt.
Six minutes into the third period Adam Morris had a clean breakaway, but Dan Peters took him down from behind - there was no call! The crowd was stunned! Even the Lancer fans behind us looked at each other in disbelief. Then, not even a minute later Neil Breen and Chris Antzoulatos fought. That was a given for Antzoulatos, but I'm not sure about Breen. Antzoulatos was so mad he was red! His head was down as the linesmen were trying to separate them and he didn't realize that he was no longer fighting Breen, but that he was fighting the linesmen. As the linesmen jumped on top of the players it looked like it was a four man fight as stripes went every which way. With 2:15 left in the period a slap shot from the blue line from Devin Swider went right through Platt's legs. Then a minute later a Lancer lifted the puck right above Jayme. Tonight only the die hard fans showed up at the Metro Ice Sports Arena, but they were just as loud as a full house. After the humiliating game was over the Bucs gathered in the middle and raised their sticks to the crowd as they hung their heads. The crowd loved it and cheered on the Bucs with mighty approval. No matter whether they win or lose we still love our Bucs. Written by Sarah Bendy
Omaha 10 - Des Moines 2
DATE: March 16, 1996 (away game)
OPPONENT: Omaha Lancers
Game 3, round 1 of the Clark Cup Play-offs
Still stinging after the humiliating loss of the night before the Bucs were going to be playing in front of the Lancer crowd again. Would they be massacred like the night before or would they seek revenge? The announcer's commented about the fish that was thrown out on the ice Thursday night, no I didn't say octopus, I said fish (how about some swordfish, maybe some shark, or my personal favorite mackerel).
In the first period Mike Nooyen got the puck in the net, but the ref waived it off because the net had been knocked off. The Bucs seemed to be playing a completely different game than the night before and coach was liking what he saw as he clapped his approval. Reggie Simon had a breakaway during the first period, but it was swept away by the Lancer defense from behind. Goal tending for the first period was great, and there were still no goals at the end of the first period. Scott Stirling for Omaha stopped 14 shots on goal, while Jayme Platt obstructed 7 Lancer shots.
During the first intermission the announcers talked about how much Adrian Fure had improved, hinting that it was due to his recent hair cut. Hmm... would a hair cut improve certain other players? I wonder.
In the second period Bobby Davis scored on a rebound shot from Klage Kaebel by standing on the door step (assists to Kaebel and Ryan Bencurik). The play was started by a hustling Bill Trainor to force the penalty that gave the Bucs the power play. At 4:24 Adrian Fure started a rush; when he wound up and took the shot the puck deflected off Stoy Dulgeroff and into the net (assists to Bobby Davis and Adrian Fure). Another ref went down to the ice tonight, and it proved to be about the only thing the Omaha crowd had to cheer for!
When Terry Harris took a high stick into the mouth he fell to the ice. The Lancer had drawn blood. Then at 16:23 Bobby scored again as he got the puck past the Lancer all-star goalie (assists to Andy Birrenkott and Klage Kaebel). The Bucs were adding even more pressure late in the second. So far the Bucs had outshot the Lancers 26-16. The Buc shots were quality shots, while most of the Lancer shots were weak. The Lancers were playing good, but the Bucs were playing better. If the puck was there, a Buc was there.
The Lancers had been awful at the power play, but the Bucs already had two power play goals. Finally it seemed like the Lancer crowd would have something to cheer for. Mike Lephart got a goal that was instantly waived off because Lephart tripped Peter Fregoe. At this point some trouble makers in the crowd started throwing debris onto the ice. There was even a tussle up at the top of the arena in the stands. Mats Carseberg (by the way, he's from Sweden!) had a breakaway that Platt robbed with a little help from Lucas Kirsch. Platt had another good save when Neil Breen tried to one-time it past him, but from down on the ice he saved it. Jayme Platt got the shutout that we had been hoping for Thursday night. Even if it was a little late it couldn't have been a better victory.
Tuesday night's game should be a good one, and it better be filled up. There's all together too many tickets available for those Lancer fans to grab! Do we really want the Lancer fans to be louder than the Buc fans? I don't think so. Written by Sarah Bendy
Des Moines 3 - Omaha 0
DATE: March 19, 1996 (home game)
OPPONENT: Omaha Lancers
Game 4, round 1 of the Clark Cup Play-offs
Tonight would be a good game and the Bucs would win, I could just feel it. The home team had yet to win and the Bucs were on fire, the hottest team in the USHL. Now, to drop a few names: Mark, the Music Man, Hall; Dereck, the Newspaper Man, Lewis; Hobbs, BUCS 5. Oops! Those last two bounced!
I wasn't sure, but as the first period started I didn't think Jayme Platt looked as sharp. Then as Platt made good save after good save, I was proven wrong. The Lancer's goalie, Correia, must have felt the pressure, because as the net was wide open he turned around and dove into the side of it to knock it off giving us a power play. No one scored in the first period, but there was plenty of "Oh!"s from the crowd. Then with just minutes left in the period Platt made save after save, saves that must have been the saves of his life. The crowd stood and cheered the for Platt, I think it was the loudest its been in that arena all year. Correia stopped 9 shots at the end of the first period, Platt saved a whopping 17. (Mm hmm, yeah right Sarah, not looking very sharp?)
2:36 into the second period and Bobby Davis shot the puck at Correia's legs, Correia stood there, Bobby stood there. A second later the puck trickled back into the net (assist to Mike Nooyen). A little later when Platt had just gotten belted on a Lancer power play, he needed a breather. He used the old "adjusting his pads" routine. With 13:17 left to go in the second there was flurry around goalie, Platt. As Platt looked behind him the light went on, Omaha had just scored with Nick Lent. I think I found out what Lancer forward Mike Lephart's favorite penalty is, tripping. Midway through the second Joe Blake wound up to shoot, and at least two Lancers dropped to the ice and out of his way! The "B-U-C-S" war raged again tonight, this time it was a civil war in the East. Then by a brilliant unassisted play by Stoy Dulgeroff seventeen minutes into the second he came in, and deeked the goalie out. Stoy was so happy he lost his pants! Was it my imagination, or did I see Matt Bailey checking to make sure his breezers were on tight after that? With only 1.5 seconds left in the second was it really worth it for the Lancer bench to complain? This period Correia had a few more shots on goal, 12 that didn't go in.
Jerry Keefe had a breakaway with only Platt between him and the net, the puck went cleanly through Platt's legs, and there was still 14:02 left to go. The net went off for the third time during the third period. About four minutes left to go and a fan beside me muttered "Oh no!" the puck went in and the Lancers were celebrating, but the ref signaled no goal because it was put in with a hand. Then about two minutes later the Lancers wanted revenge they scored on another breakaway with only Blake trailing behind Lephart. Omaha took a time-out after this. As they got ready to take the face-off Bobby Davis came back on defense, getting ready to wind up for the run. Nothing happened and with 24 seconds left the Bucs called a time-out. As the crowd cheered and got to their feet the time was running out. Suddenly the red light went on and the crowd went wild, it wasn't too late, Klage Kaebel had scored with a 1/2 second left in the third period (unassisted). We were going into over-time.
I started to wonder if this could be a double over-time, even triple over-time game. All the tension had caused my stomach to tie up and get in the way of the enjoyment of the game. Mike Hastings (the Omaha coach) was heard to say "If we don't come out fighting. . .?" (in other words he was worried!). Then half-way through over-time, the captain and favorite player, Nooyen scored (unassisted).
The Bucs now only have to win one more game and the Lancers are knocked out of the race for the Clark. The pressure is on. . .or should I say the heat? Written by Sarah Bendy
Des Moines 4 - Omaha 3 (overtime)
DATE: March 21, 1996 (away game)
OPPONENT: Omaha Lancers
Game 5, round 1 of the Clark Cup Play-offs
Would the Bucs force the Lancers to take out the ice in Aksarben? The Bucs would either win, leaving Omaha to get ready for next year, or the Bucs would lose, causing game six to be held Saturday night in Des Moines. Whatever happened I doubted it would be an easy game, the Lancers aren't second place for anything. Scott Stirling was in goal for Omaha, he hadn't done too well in the last previous meetings with the Bucs, but then, neither had Mike Correia.
The first period started, and I felt if the Lancers got the first goal it could be a dangerous game. 2:14 into the first and Scott Matzka scored on a strange play. The puck was played back into the Bucs zone and Matzka, who was sitting right there, put it in while Jayme Platt was out of the net and unsuspecting. I started having nightmares of the last game the Lancer's won, the massacre. Stirling wasn't even challenged in the first period, the Bucs only had four shots on goal. The Lancers had fourteen shots on goal.
The Lancers started right where they left off, because a 1:42 into the second period Lephart scored after Platt had made several saves. Then a minute later Dan Peters scored and Omaha was up 3-0. The crowd was going wild. 4:02 into the period and off a great feed by Peters, Kevin Swider scored, it was Omaha's first power play goal of the series. After this coach changed Platt in favor of Scott Clemmensen. Not long after this K.J. Vorhees scored on another power play. Then 14:10 into the second Ryan Longfield was trying to stop the puck from going into the net, but Mike Hanson put it in (assists to Adam Morris and Peter Fregoe). Just a couple of second after that Dan Peters got his second of the night. About a minute later and Hanson also got his second of the night (assists to Joe Blake and Adam Morris).
The third period started and the Bucs had a penalty to Peter Fregoe who went off at the end of the second period. Andy Birrenkott and Neil Breen wanted to fight, Breen got a few punches in the air (that went nowhere) and Andy pushed Breen to the ice. The ref got between them instantly, and dished out fighting penalties. Stoy Dulgeroff soon smashed Stirling behind the play, he must have been tired of all the little plays by the Omaha goalies, you know, the ones were the net keeps coming off? While the Bucs were short handed Bill Trainor scored (assists to Reggie Simon). But Omaha wasn't done, Ender was standing right at the net and after Clemmensen made the initial save he put it right in. At the end of the period Jeff Bernard wanted a piece of Antzoulatos, but Adam Morris shoved Antzoulatos away. I wonder what will happen Saturday night, between Bernard and Antzoulatos I mean! The Lancers saluted their fans this time (must have gotten sick of watching the Bucs doing it!). Written by Sarah Bendy
Des Moines 3 - Omaha 7
DATE: March 23, 1996 (home game)
OPPONENT: Omaha Lancers
Game 6, round 1 of the Clark Cup Play-offs
It was the opening face-off of the first period, and Reggie Simon and Scott Matzka were already at it. The ref broke it up and gave them a talking to. Does it ever really help to talk to the players? They just try not to get caught next time! The crowd was full of electricity, but there were a lot more Lancer fans than previous visits. About midway into the first Scott Clemmensen was getting pelted. He missed several shots, but they bounced off the post. With 11:13 left to go Bobby Davis scored after rough hard hockey (assists to Mike Nooyen and Mike Hanson). Adam Morris went into the box for a high sticking penalty the Lancer fans did our "See Ya!" cheer! Clemmensen had a total of eight saves in the first. Mike Correia had a little bit more pressure, he had to stop 11 shots (he missed one).
Not even a minute into the second period and the Bucs scored with Bill Trainor (assists to Reggie Simon and Klage Kaebel).
Interruption: Sorry about this, but I'm not going to talk about hockey for a while. I am now in Shelby, Iowa in a restaurant/gas station, freezing. I drove back from Omaha today (this is Sunday) and hit bad, icy weather. If any of you were listening to the weather, you know what I'm speaking of, well, we were in the middle of it all. We knew the weather was getting bad, but we just had to sit and watch the CC vs UM-Lowell play-offs. Driving back at under 20 miles an hour and sliding was not my idea of fun! We had to get off. Now I'm sitting at a table writing my Rant on a freezing keyboard, with shaking, trembling hands. I had to go into Omaha to visit a friend who had gotten in a car accident. When I started driving back home at 7:00 it took two hours just to get somewhere it normally took 45 minutes, and I still hadn't gotten home. Now I'm so tired as I sit here with a bottle of Mylanta, surrounded by foreign objects, foreign feelings in my mind, and a thankfulness I've never experienced in my life. Yes, maybe even a peacefulness that I've never felt as I sit in a room with people who are abnormally friendly because of our situation. Smoke fills the room and my sensitive eyes are starting to sting. The restaurant is supposed to close in ten minutes, but I doubt it really will. They'll just stop serving food, but after the incident we've just been through, I don't want food. I have to give a big thanks to Ron at the Cornstalk restaurant, for how nice he was. We couldn't have found a nicer person at this forsaken time. Are you asking were the hockey is? How about auto hockey, we can talk about that! My little black truck was the puck, the big semi's roaring by us were the big hockey players. Getting out of my car I wish I'd brought my hockey skates, I could have gotten around much better in those, than on my feet. Shall I get back to the Buc game? Yes I think so, because it was such a wonderful game last night that I'm still psyched about it.
Back to the second period. At 17:41 Mike Hanson came streaking down the ice and got a breakaway with only one Lancer between him and the net, Correia. Of course he scored, it went right past Correia and into the net! Eight minutes into the second and there were Lancers around the net, I saw Mark Shalawylo put lift on the puck and the red light went on as the puck flipped upwards. At 11:51 Clemmensen tried making the save but Lancer Neil Breen put it in under him. Then at 9:11 Hanson got his second of the night on a beautiful play. Peter Fregoe came down the ice with the puck and passed it to Hanson when they were free from an off-side call. Hanson just one-timed it in, Correia made the save but the puck squeezed through his legs post. About a minute later and Omaha answered with another goal from Matzka. At 2:24 Hanson got a hat trick. Correia made a save on a shot from Davis, the puck came loose, a Lancer tried to clear it, but Hanson was right there and lifted it over the sitting Correia. Near the end of the period Matzka and Simon were still at it. Matzka got a penalty for retaliation and Simon made faces at him from the players bench. Clemmensen made seven more saves then Correia, who had eleven.
In the third period Chris Antzoulatos ran into the goalie and simultaneously two Lancers bashed in his head (no, not literally). Right off the face-off and from the point Brent Voorhees scored and the Lancers had only one more point to tie it. At 4:42 Shalawylo did tie it up for Omaha, on a breakaway he put it in the upper left-hand corner. We almost thought it was over when the Lancers scored another goal, but it was waved off because they high sticked it in. Both goalies saved nine shots. We were going into over time!
Within the first two minutes of over time the Bucs iced the puck three times in a row. Both teams looked desperate. Correia continued to knock off the net as he huddled toward it and just kind of ran into it. It was to no avail, Andy Birrenkott won the series at 5:32 (assist to Mike Nooyen).
The atmosphere after the game was very mixed. The Lancer fans sat against the wall waiting for their beloved Lancers. Their orange fingers sticking forlornly down. The Buc fans were all cheering, hugging each other and drunkenly stumbling around. When Andy Birrenkott walked through the door of the lounge, the whole room cheered for the defenseman. Crazy Larry was leading Buc cheers in the lounge in which many joined in. Geoff Bennetts was even at the game, smiling and happy (from what I could tell). The Bucs had downed the second place Lancers and the fans who hadn't gotten their play-off tickets in a package were sorely regretting it. Is it fair for me to say "told ya!" Oh, by the way, hi to the Trainor family, and it was great to meet you Mr. & Mrs. Trainor!
For the fans who were wondering, I stayed all night at the restaurant / gas station and was still there at eight a.m. when my car would not start. I finally got it started and got home at 10:00. I never want to do that again! Written by Sarah Bendy
Des Moines 6 - Omaha 5 (overtime)
Des Moines wins round 1: 4 - 2
March Rants | 1995-96 Schedule | Clark Cup - Round 2 Rants
