Bucs Beat Omaha at AKSARBEN
Date: 11/1/97
Opponent: At Omaha Lancers
Pre-game rattle
It looks like the Bucs have lost Fred Seagrave and Troy Linna, both leaving the team for personal reasons. To top it off, Jason Basile will be leaving to play in Germany. These things happen, bad for us, good for them - good luck guys! On the bright side, our new player from Russia is really making his presence felt. We posted his picture today (go to the roster and click on his name to see it). By the way, Mark Hall (our Photoshop god) pasted Gino's head onto the body of another Buc so that he would match the other pictures. Bet you can’t guess whose body it is?
I wondered how the attendance would be for the Lancers with the UNO Mavericks playing at home. I take my hat off to Omaha, they are hockey crazy - both barns were full. That is over 10,000 people watching hockey on Saturday night. The impressive thing is that Omaha fans understand the game.
Period 1
The puck dropped and the Bucs came out smoking. The Bucs were able to break it out easily, and the forwards and D were in on the action. Birrenkott was taking shots from the blue-line! Keep it up Bill! The pressure eventually paid off, and at 5:03 Jeremy Vokes passed it to Nick Parillo who wasted no time doing damage. The Lancers contested the goal saying that it was kicked in - but the ref saw otherwise. The Buc goal stood.
The Bucs continued to put on the pressure, and Krueger was doing a good job up front. He has really blossomed as of late. The first power play went to the Bucs. Jim Jackson (Marquette, Michigan) and Peter Capouch (Hibbing, Minnesota) took turns taking one-timers, but Tony Zasowski was up to the task. The crowd was not helping the Lancers, they were quiet. Maybe they were exhausted from cheering on the Huskers as they drubbed Oklahoma 69 to 7.
The Lancers scored at 11:27 when Jed Ortmeyer teamed up with Chad Theuer to tie the game. The goal sparked the Lancers and the next several minutes it seemed that the momentum had changed. Des Moines native Mark Krueger went top shelf at 17:32 to put the Bucs up 2 - 1 (assists to Maksimenko and Clarke). Nick Parillo, who has really been hot in the last couple of games, scored just 15 seconds later! Nick went 5-hole after taking a pass from Peter Capouch. The period ended with the Bucs leading 3 - 1. Even if the Bucs were not to score again, they would win the game. Nick was not done yet.
Period 2
The Lancers came out hard and the Bucs had to take a penalty. The Lancers peppered Walker with 5 shots, and Jon stopped them all. The Bucs were not even able to clear the zone. As soon as the teams were even strength, Jason Nightingale broke it out with Gino, who took a shot. Nick Parillo picked up the rebound and scored! Hat Trick! The Bucs were now up 4 - 1.
Kourilin and Parillo were working together like a well-oiled machine. Erik Strand was also working well, hitting the crossbar on one shot. He could not buy a goal. Neil Breen was tired of Parillo playing like a madman, and they went at it. Both went for 2 minutes and Neil got an extra 2 for his efforts. Hey Neil, if you read this - my little nephew (Marty) was so impressed with his FOX TV interview with you last year, that at his next roller hockey game he checked a little kid and got tossed from the game. He told me that he is the penalty leader now.
At the end of the period, a Lancer took a high stick, but the ref did not see it. Breen argued with the ref and the crowd was supportive. However, the ref did not call a penalty. Would this spark the crowd and the lancers at the start of the third period?
Period 3
The third period started and the crowd and Lancers were flat. Strand and Dube were not. Ortmeyer and Basile both slashed players but were not called.
At 6:51, while on a power play, the Lancers scored with a goal by Chris Hartsberg (assists to Paradise and J Ortmeyer). The score was now 4 - 2. This goal caused the momentum to swing to the Lancers. However, Maksimenko, Basile, Stafford, and Donnette worked hard and the Bucs turned the tide. At 14:49, Nick Parillo scored his fourth goal on the night on a tip-in (assists to Basile and Searles). This goal caused some of the Lancer crowd to head for the doors. The Lancers took several penalties that did not help the situation. The period ended and the Bucs had won convincingly, 5 - 2. It seems that the Bucs have a habit of winning in Omaha. Written by Steve Bendy.
Des Moines 5 - Omaha 2
Late Goal Beats Bucs
Date: 11/7/97
Opponent: Lincoln Stars
Pre-Game Rattle
The lack of e-mail this week was due, no doubt, to the eager anticipation of this weekends double-header with Lincoln. The crowd ambled in - another sellout. High school football was over so even the season ticket holders were here tonight.
The opposing team skated onto the ice and I noticed that #10 had the name Antzoulatos sewn on the back; yes it is the same Chris that was traded to fargo-Moorehead just weeks ago. Others in the crowd noticed it also, and those that noticed cheered. They were soon drowned out by the loud thumping of the music. The big pre-game laser show had begun. After the big intro, the halogen lights slowly warmed up to full power and the game began.
Period 1
The starting lineup was Jon Walker in goal, Garrett Stafford and Peter Capouch on D, Noah Clarke, Nick Parillo, and Jeremy Vokes up front. The Stars went with Tim Peters in goal, Richard Spiller and Adam Kragthorpe on D, Trent Clark, Chris Antzoulatos, and Bryan Lundbohm up front.
The first period began with the usual rush by the Bucs, however it seemed that both teams were playing very cautiously, at times as if in slow motion. Four minutes into the period Chad Mazurak from Regina, Sask. was down on the ice bleeding below the left eye. He was complaining, but Doty (the linesman) was right there, shaking his head no. Just a note - playing without a face shield is stupid, right? This injury inspired the Stars to step up the pressure, but were unable to score.
With 6 minutes gone in the period Mark Krueger began exchanging body blows with various Lincoln players, which thrilled many in the crowd. Vokes thrilled the Buc faithful when he scooted the puck between a defenders legs, hoped around him, and put a shot on Peters. Hey, shouldn't Peters be playing in the pros or something? He robbed Vokes. The Bucs were playing well. Lincoln was responding with a clutch-and-grab style of play.
Birrenkott and Stafford were having a great period - Garrett showing his offensive abilities, while taking care of business on D. The first penalty of the game was called on, you guessed it Chris Antzoulatos! The Bucs were unable to convert despite some great play by the Bucs.
You know, when you are hot, you are hot. A case in point: Peters went out of his net to clear the puck - right to a waiting Buc on the side of the boards. He shot the puck, and Peters dove towards the net with his stick outstretched - stopping the puck. The period ended with 11 saves for the Stars, and 6 for the Bucs.
Period 2
Jake Searles took a penalty, giving the Stars a power play. The Stars were not even able to get a shot on goal. The first 5 minutes both teams seemed to exchange play at center ice, unable to put any sustained pressure on net. The Stars scored the first goal at 6:55 when Drew Omiciolli took a pass from #20 and Tim Schneider.
Meanwhile, the Bucs were passing and playing well. Lincoln's goalie was called for a 2 minute penalty when he skated behind the net and froze the puck - I guess when you are hot you take chances. The Stars had almost killed off the penalty when Kevin McElroy took another penalty for interference. At 16:42 Jake Searles teamed up with Jeremy Vokes and Peter Capouch to tie the game on a power play goal. The goal was really trick! Searles took the pass from Vokes. Searles was tied up, but, with his back to the net, he stuffed the puck between his own legs into the twine. Both teams had 6 saves for the period.
Period 3
Lincoln came out hustling, keeping the play in the Buc end. Walker had to come up big several times. In one instance, Lincoln's #20 took a pass and one-timed at point blank range - I don't know how Walker saved it, let alone even saw it.
Peter Capouch made an excellent play when he broke up a 2 on 1 by the Stars, and later, Lincoln was able to kill off another penalty, 40 seconds of which we had a 5 on 3.
Lincoln's #25, Drew Omiciolli made a determined rush on the net and as he crossed the blue-line, lost his stick. Not to be denied, he kicked the puck forward. Now, what he thought he was going to do with it is beyond me. He coudn't score without a stick. A Buc (whom we won't name, but will say he is from NMU territory) hooked him and was called for a penalty.
This gave Lincoln the chance thet needed. At 10:23, Pete Summerfelt (assists to Chad Theuer, Chris Hartsburg) made the Bucs pay when he scored on the power play.
During the last 4 minutes of the period the Bucs had several quality chances for goals, but were robbed. The ref had also apparently lost his whistle as several blatant infractions were not called. Being a biased ranter, I would have to say that Lincoln got away with more than the Bucs did.
With one minute left, coach Owens pulled Walker for the extra skater, and the Bucs put the pressure on. The crowd was going bezerk. Peters was forced to freeze the puck twice after scrambles in front of the net became to intense. The Bucs were not able to convert, and the period ended with a Lincoln win. The Stars had 11 saves in the period for a game total of 28. The Bucs had 5 for game total of 17. Written by Steve Bendy.
Lincoln Stars 2 - Des Moines Buccaneers 1
Bucs Lose At The Ice Box
Date: 11/8/97
Opponent: At Lincoln Stars
Pre-Game Rattle
Tonight we would go to Lincoln, which is always a fun time. The crowd at the "Ice Box" are not afraid to yell for their team - and they are loud! I wondered how we would respond after last nights loss at home. The Bucs did nor play a bad game last night- they just seemed slow; combine that with a hot Lincoln net-minder and the Bucs just could not get it done.
So how would the Stars respond to the game tonight? The outcome of the Nebraska - Missouri game would effect the mood of the fans. For those who are not Nebraska football fans, you need to understand that in Nebraska, Big Red is really Big Red. The streets are deserted during the games - those that are not at the game are listening or watching the game. It is a great time to shop; but even at the shops the piped-in music is turned off and tuned into the game instead.
So what happens to the Huskers? Nebraska scores as time runs out to put the game into overtime. Then they then win by a touchdown! The crowd will be pumped in Lincoln.
Period 1
The crowd was pumped. The Stars came out playing hard and physical. Jon Walker got to see action right away, and came up big. Nick Parillo was having a great game again. He was named USHL player of the week, the third Buc this year to be honored (Walker and Fregoe were also honored).
Drew Omicioli tipped in a Kevin McElroy shot to score for the Stars at 3:30. The Stars score first on a redirection and Walker did not have a chance.
There were a couple of tie-ups, no fighting though, just pushing and shoving. Clark and Stafford, Parillo and a Star (couldn't get his name).
Saves for the period: Bucs 13; Stars 6.
Period 2
At the start of the period, Joe Garbin checked Searles from behind. He got 2 minutes and a 10 minute misconduct. What a cheap shot! I noticed that Lincoln was dishing out lots of cheap shots last night. The Bucs would be on the power play. They did a great job taking shots, but Peters came up big and the Stars did a good job holding up the Buc players. Hey, holding is a penalty, isn't it? Come on ref, call it!
Strand always seems to get mugged, and tonight was no exception. This period though, the Bucs were playing hard. Kourilin, Krueger, Dube, and Jackson were taking good shots but Peters stopped them all.
Finally, at 8:13 Drew Omicioli was called for holding - about time! The Bucs were on the power play, but were unable to convert.
Maksimenko, Krueger and Fregoe are really playing well this period, but Peters was just unbeatable. For Lincoln, Antzoulatos seemed to be playing inspired hockey, not taking stupid penalties.
Finally, the Bucs hard work paid off. At 16:16, Mark Krueger skated across the blue line and passed cleanly to Pete Fregoe, who went low to the stick side to beat Peters easily. The game was tied. The Lincoln fans, instead of quieting down, cheered all the louder! The period ended and the Bucs had outplayed the Stars the entire period.
Saves for the period: Bucs 6; Stars 11.
Period 3
The period started with both teams playing well. At one point, the puck had rolled up on it's end and was stuck against the boards. A linesman came over and kicked it out into the waiting stick of Parillo. The ref blew his whistle and stopped play - hey, this is a developmental league.
In a scamble in front ot the net, the Bucs almost scored, but Lincoln picked up the puck and scored at on a breakaway (3:15), Highson (McElroy).
The Bucs came right back with lots of pressure and scored at the 6 minute mark when Nick Parillo took a rebound on a shot by Jeremy Vokes. The game was now tied at 2 each. After the goal, Brendon Hodge was tossed for 10 minutes for misconduct.
The Bucs D was playing much better tonight: Birrenkott was dishing out hits, Jackson was playing smarter, Bachet was taking some good shots on goal, Capouch was passing well, and Stafford was making good plays.
With 5 minutes left, the Stars were taking advantage of the fact that the ref had lost his whistle. Omicioli gave Krueger a bear-hug and Fregoe was hauled down from behind on a break away. This should have been a penalty shot.
The game wound down as both teams traded shots on goal, but with 2 minutes left in the game, Andy Lundbohm scored with an assist to Trent Clark. The Bucs pulled Walker to attempt to tie the game. Vokes, Parillo, Fregoe, and Stafford put the pressure on. Peters stopped play and forced a face-off with 25 seconds to go. The Bucs took a time out.
Fregoe took the face off and passed it back to Bachet who took a shot, but Peters stopped it. Brendon Hodge cleared the puck and with 1 second left scored an empty netter. The Bucs had a good effort, but the Big Red, I mean Stars would prevail. By the way, has anyone else noticed that the Stars logo is a copy of a certain Russian hockey team? Does this give new meaning to the term "Big Red"? Written by Steve Bendy.
Lincoln Stars 4 - Des Moines Buccaneers 2
Buc Back On Track With Shut Out
Date: 11/14/97
Opponent: At Rochester Mustangs
Pre-Game Rattle
In what coach Owens has called the "toughest weekend of the year", tonight was to be the first meeting between the Rochester Mustangs and the Des Moines Buccaneers. Rochester is a very talented team, and had several players participating in the Four Nations Tournament in Germany. Their goalie, Dean Weasler was chosen MVP goalie. Rochester does not allow many goals, and they do not score many goals.
A threat tonight is bound to be Livon Mikelyan from Moscow, Russia. Livon has emphatically stated that he wants to go straight to the pros and would not consider division I college play. Livon, who is married, is thought to go in the third round of the draft.
The Buccaneers Jason Basile and Jason Nightingale are also back for tonights game, Basile getting the MVP for defense. The USA team ended with a 2 - 0 -1 record. Jeremy Vokes was out for tonight after a viewing of the game tapes confirmed a careless handling of the stick. Jeremy can use the time to contemplate college life at Miami of Ohio, as he just signed with them this week. It was to be Willie Raderschadt's second start of the season, won after an excellent week of practice.
Period 1
A snowy night in Rochester brought out about 500 fans, including a small but vocal Buccaneer contingent. The puck was dropped and with a minute and a half Jason Basile was called for a high stick. It would be up to Kourilin, Jackson, Birrenkott, Donnette, and of course Raderschadt to kill the penalty. B.J. Able fired a shot from point blank range and Willie was up to the challenge. The Buc D stiffened and killed the penalty.
As soon as the penalty was over, Parillo raced down the ice and let a shot go that Weasler caught in his armpit. The shot almost went in. For good measure, Weasler took a whack at a passing Buc after the play was over. Oooh - feisty are we?
Pete Fregoe took a hit to the head, which gave the Bucs their first power play. Nick Parillo, Erik Maksimenko, and Jason Nightingale worked hard but could not convert.
Livon Mikelyan had been playing very hard for Rochester but seemed to want to pick a fight. He finally went for boarding, although it could have been tripping, holding, or slashing - since he did all of them.
The Bucs wasted no time in scoring. At 16:46 Vincent Bachet, an offensive defenseman pinched up as Nick Parillo and Erik Maksimenko took shots. On the third rebound, Vincent stuffed it in, making the score 1 - 0. The Bucs are 8 and 1 when they score first. The odds would be with us tonight. Saves for the period: Bucs 11; Mustangs 7.
Period 2
Both teams came out hard, exchanging shots on goal. At 3:10, the Bucs got another power play when BJ Stephens took a penalty for checking from behind. This dangerous infraction gave him a 2 minute and 10 minute rest. The Bucs were unable to convert despite some good pressure.
Several minutes later, Ryan Wetterberg had a breakaway but Willie stopped the backhand shot. Willie was on tonight; anytime you can stop the likes of Ryan Wetterberg, you are doing good.
The Bucs made it 2 to zip when Gino Kourilin used Krueger as a screen and one-handed it past Weasler (assist to Jake Searles). The Bucs had another power play opportunity at 15:46 and despite the efforts of a pumped Maksimenko, were unable to score.
The period ended and the Bucs were up by 2, working on a shut-out. The D was really hot holding the Mustangs to just 4 shots on goal. Saves for the period: Bucs 4; Mustangs 11.
Period 3
Rochester came out hard, hoping to score early. Willie raderschadt had other ideas, coming up big, stopping Livon Mikaelyan.
Play went back and forth, neither team getting many scoring chances. Halfway through the period a shift by Strand and Maksimenko caused commotion in front of the Rochester net. Livon, who appeared to be looking for a fight, challenged Nick Parillo. Nick, who has shown great restraint and wisdom since being booted many games ago, gave in. Both were booted and would be out for the next 2 games. I am sure neither coach was very happy; these were stupid penalties.
Less than a minute later (10:54), Gino Kourilin (unassisted) got a breakaway and came in on Weasler all alone. A deke and then "bang" low to the stick side and the red light was on. The Bucs were now leading 3 - 0. Chris Dube came right back and almost added a fourth goal. It was Jason Nightingale (unassisted) that added the fourth goal at 17:09 to end all hopes for the Mustangs.
Willie did not have his shut out yet, in the last minute of play he had to stop several tough shots. When the buzzer sounded he had his first shut out of the year, as did the Bucs. Saves for the Bucs, 4 for a game total of 19; Mustangs 5 for a game total of 23. Written by Steve Bendy.
Des Moines Buccaneers 4 - Rochester Mustangs 0
Buc Beat Omaha in Overtime
Date: 11/15/97
Opponent: Omaha Lancers
Pre-Game Rattle
You know, what is it with certain teams? We rarely win when we play Lincoln, yet the Lancers seem to fall to the Bucs on a regular basis. The Bucs had really put it to the Mustangs last night, and I wondered how the team would play tonight. We would be without Nick Parillo because of his fight with Livon Mikeylan late in the third period of yesterday's game. Jeremy Vokes will be playing tonight.
Period 1
The Metro Ice Sports Arena was packed. As usual, it was a sellout, but every available seat and place to stand was taken. A small but vocal contingent of Lancer fans were present to cheer the bad guys. You've got to love Omaha - UNO is at home against Denver in a Division I hockey game and still the Lancer faithful turn out.
Coach Owens decided to go with Jon Walker in goal, not because Willie Raderschadt played poorly (he got a shutout last night!), but because we play North Iowa Sunday night. Garrett Stafford and Peter Capouch were on D, Noah Clarke, Jeremy Vokes and Jason Nightingale up front.
The puck was dropped and the Lancers came our smoking. They skated hard and outworked the Bucs at every position. For the first 10 minutes the Bucs rarely broke it out of their zone. Walker had to come up big for several pointblank shots. Frankly, he also got lucky several times. An example was when Jake Ortmeyer had a one-timer at pointblank range and just plain missed the empty net.
At 7:43, the Lancers took the first penalty and Basile, Bachet, Donnette, and Kourilin were working well, getting several quality scoring chances. The Bucs took the next penalty at 10:13 and they paid for it. The Bucs were 2 seconds away from killing the penalty when David Noble put a shot on the net and Mike Lucci redirected the puck past Walker (assist also to Carl Boben). The line of Maksimenko, Searles, Stafford and Fregoe fought back, putting pressure on the Omaha net.
With 2 and half minutes to go in the period there were two injuries: one on the ice, one off. Neil Breen was down on the ice, not moving. A lady behind us had also just been hit in the head with a puck and was being attended to.
Play resumed and with 2 minutes left in the period, Noah Clarke picked up the puck along the right side of the boards on his on blue-line; streaking down the ice, he crossed to the left on a breakaway and went top-shelf glove-side to tie the game at 1-1. The period ended with 6 saves for Des Moines, 7 for Omaha.
Period 2
The Bucs came out playing hard and the play was in the Lancer end. Then, disaster struck. With just 38 seconds gone, Jed Ortmeyer (Chad Theuer, Neil Breen) took a centering pass from Theuer and went 5-hole on Walker to take the lead, 2-1. Fourteen seconds later, Carl Boben (Jeff State) let loose a shot from the top of the circle that caught Walker by surprise. The score was now 3 -1 in favor of the bad guys. Six minutes later the Lancer scored again when Chad Theuer came in on a breakaway to beat Walker (assists to Chris Paradise and #32).
Instead of getting very loud and proactive, encouraging the team to action, the crowd sat on their hands. The Bucs, however, never gave up. They kept plugging away, working hard. Later in the period, Jeff State cross-checked a player and Jason Nightingale and Jake Ortmeyer got into, shall we say, a disagreement? Jason let Jake have it big time. The fight was called when Jason knocked Jake to the mat - I mean ice. Jeff State got a 10 minute, and Jake and Jason got booted. This fight ignited the fans (finally), and the fans stayed with the Bucs the rest of the game. B - U - C - S, BUCS, BUCS, BUCS! Crazy Larry was at it again!
With 1:48 left in the period, Pete Fregoe (unassisted) slowed down (hooked) a Lancer attempting to break the puck out of his zone. Fregoe picked his pocket, skated to the other side of the ice towards the net, waited for the goalie to go down, then backhanded it high to the stick side to pull the Bucs within two. Vokes and Clarke put pressure on the net and almost scored another one. The momentum had turned, you could feel it. The period ended with 7 saves for Des Moines and 13 for Omaha.
Period 3
The Bucs came out hard. It was 2 full minutes before the puck was even in the Buc defensive zone, and that was just for a short period of time. The Bucs were playing hard, keeping the play in the Lancer end, but they just could not seem to get a quality scoring chance.
The period was now half over and still the Bucs were down by 2. Finally, with 3:14 left in the period, Maksimenko got mad and took it in, got tied up and dumped, got back up and took a pass from Jake Searles (assist also to Fregoe) to score the Bucs third goal! The crowd went wild, it was loud! The Lancers called a time out, to talk over the strategy of the final minutes. The crowd was cheering in unison, and the Bucs were ready to play. You could see it in their eyes.
After the face off, David Noble just let loose a punch on a Buc in front of the net to take him to the ice, but the Bucs were not backing down (I suppose the refs let this go to make up for a blatant cross-check that leveled a Lancer by Stafford earlier. Even Garrett looked back at the ref to see if he had been caught).
Kourilin, Stafford, Donnette, Jensen, Fregoe, Searles, Bachet, and Basile were playing like madmen. Several shots were let loose and covered by the Lancer goalie. With 1:02 left in the game, Walker was pulled and their was a face-off in the Lancer zone. Jason Basile took the puck and shot it hard on net, Gino Kourilin picked up the rebound and puckered the twine and, I tell you, any snow on the roof was blown into the next county it was so loud. The game was tied and the last minute was played out. We were going into overtime! The Bucs had 3 saves for the period, Omaha 11. The third period was all Bucs.
Overtime
There was a 3 minute break before overtime. Kourilin, Donnette, Basile, Krueger, and Bachet were on the ice waiting for the face-off, listening to coach Owens along with the rest of the Bucs. Two girls were dancing to the music right behind the bench, but the Bucs were not looking.
Everyone was on their feet as the puck was dropped to begin the overtime. The Bucs won the face-off and took a shot on goal. The Lancers came back and Walker saved the win stopping a shot. For good measure, Jason Basile put a BIG hit on Ortmeyer, sprawling his fanny on the ice. The play continued back and forth for the first minute and a half, but the Lancers seemed to be in better control of the puck. Krueger and Kourilin were working hard. Jeremy Vokes took a shot and the red light came on but was waved off immediately - drawing boos from the crowd (and cups onto the ice).
Then Erik Maksimenko and Garrett Stafford got mad. Stafford took the puck into the corner and passes to Pete Fregoe who was in front of the net. The red light came on and the roof was blown off the Metro Ice Sports Arena. The Bucs mobbed Fregoe and the crowd drank it in. The Bucs skated to center ice and raised their sticks to the crowd. The crowd milled around for awhile doing the B - U - C - S cheer. Oh, baby, is this a great sport or what? Written by Steve Bendy.
Des Moines Buccaneers 5 - Omaha Lancers 4 (OT)
Bucs Win Penalty-Free Game
Date: 11/16/97
Opponent: At North Iowa Huskies
Pre-Game Rattle
Coach Owens has called this weekend the toughest of the year, and the Bucs have faced the challenge notching two wins in two nights. Last night against Omaha was one to remember, "one of the most exciting in a year and a half" according to Owens. I would have to agree.
So what's new? Jason Basile was voted Best Defenseman of the Four Nation's Tournament in Fussen, germany. Pete Fregoe was named USHL offensive player of the week. November 17, 18, and 19, the USHL All Star Team will face teams from the North American Junior League, Eastern Junior League, and American Frontier League. Peter Capouch, Jason Basile, Garrett Stafford and Eric Maksimenko have been chosen to be on the team.
In college related news, Jason Nightingale signed with Lake Superior State, Jason Basile signed with Ferris State, and Jeremy Vokes with Miami of Ohio. There are others considering offers but have not yet committed.
I have received several e-mails asking what happened to several "ex" buccaneers, so I thought others might be wondering also. Fred Seagrave is playing in Weyburn, Saskatchewan and Matt Vashaw is playing in Ottawa. Troy Linna has decided no to pursue hockey and has returned to Waukegan, IL.
Period 1
The ice arena in Mason City had a good crowd on hand, and as usual there were Buc fans in attendance. North Iowa had gotten back from Green Bay at 7:15 this morning, so at least they would be just as tired as the Bucs must be. The Huskies would start Rob Anderson in goal who is 1-0-0, and the win was a shutout. The Bucs would start Jon Walker.
The puck dropped and after two minutes of play it seemed that the Bucs were having much more success breaking the puck out than they did against the Lancers. Still, the Huskies are a very talented team and held the Bucs from getting good quality scoring chances. The Bucs were not to be denied, however, as Pete Fregoe took a pass from Eric Maksimenko after a face off and went 5-hole to make the score 1-0 (4:15). The goal energized the Bucs and within 2 minutes got their second goal; it wasn't pretty, but it counted. The Huskie goalie was attempting to clear a shot by Noah Clarke and the puck bounced off the midsection of Jason Nightingale and into the net! North Iowa made a goalie change after the goal.
The Buc Defense was playing inspired hockey - North Iowa dd not get a shot on net until 10 minutes into the game. The Huskies decided to pump up the volume in the last 10 minutes of the period as they put 5 shots on goal and for a 2 minute period put constant pressure on Walker. The period ended with 5 saves for the Bucs and 9 for North Iowa.
Period 2
The Huskies came out hard, Shane Fukushima just missing the reward of the red light. Jeremy Vokes and Noah Clarke mustered an attack on the Huskie net, but Shaun Winkler fed Garrett Rogstad who went 5-hole to beat Walker (10:32). Jackson put several blasts on net, but the Huskies roared back and scored 4 minutes later. I did not get who scored the goal (Rogstad?), but the assists were to Dave Almquist and Shaun Winkler. The score was now tied.
At 15:25, the Bucs scored to make it 3-2. Eric Maksimenko fed Vincent Bachet who brought it in to the net. He waited for what seemed like an eternity for the goalie to make a move, then, at the last minute backhanded it to Pete Fregoe who put it topside past Menard. The period ended with 11 saves for the Bucs and 7 for North Iowa.
Period 3
The period started with both teams skating well. Gino Kourilin was robbed when he came in on a semi-break - so close! The Bucs really needed to score again, because the Huskies were not letting down. At 4:18, Menard made a mistake when he thought Maksimenko could not get to a rebound. He did, and he scored (assists to Jackson and Searles). The Bucs had made a crucial goal and the Huskies knew it - they called a time-out to talk things over.
Two minutes later and Nate DiCasmirro scored with assists from Nelson and Cullen to make the score 4 - 3. He was all alone in front and Walker did not have a chance. The Huskies were not giving up, but neither were the Bucs. Eric Strand passed to Chris Dube who almost scored. Then Vincent Bachet cleared the puck and Noah Clarke made the score 5 - 3 (assists to Bachet and Nightingale).
North Iowa really stepped it up, and at times the Bucs could not even get a line change. With 2 minutes left the Huskies pulled the goalie for an extra attacker. Walker was up to the pressure, and with 30 seconds left, Jeremy Vokes got control of the puck and scored on the empty net. A note: there were no penalties called the entire game. The Bucs had won all three games against very tough teams. Great job guys! Written by Steve Bendy.
Des Moines Buccaneers 6 - North Iowa Huskies 3
Shoot-Out Win Extends Win Streak To Four
Date: 11/21/97
Opponent: Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks
Pre-Game Rattle
Usually I have something to rant and rave about, but this week all is calm. I am sure there is some juicy tidbit of information out there; if there is I know not of it. The only thing to report is that Sarah (of Sarah's Rant and my daughter) will be back in town. She has been away at college, attending classes and ranting for the UNO Mavericks hockey team. If there are any parents reading this, you know how good it is to have your kids home from college. She will be guest-ranting for the Waterloo game this Wednesday.
Period 1
Willie Raderschadt will start in goal, Vincent Bachet and Jason Basile on D, and Erik Maksimenko, Jake Searles, and Pete Fregoe up front. Fargo Moorhead will be coming in with the league's two top scorers, Tyler Arnason (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Mark Cullen (Moorhead, MN).
When the puck was dropped Fargo really got after the Bucs. In fact, the first 5 minutes was all Ice Sharks. Willie was playing well, as Matt Mathias would discover when had a clear shot and was robbed.
The pressure was too much, however, and the Ice Sharks scored at 7:30 on a powerplay. The Buc D had the puck, but it was stolen away and Matt Mathias shot it in goal past a screened Raderschadt (Amason, Reierson).
The Bucs responded 3 minutes later when Mark Krueger took a slapshot and Gino Kourilin picked up the rebound and stuffed it past Jason Endres to tie the game (Krueger, Clarke). The last two minutes of the period the Bucs finally got some consistent pressure on the FM net. In fact, it looked like the Bucs were on a 2 minute powerplay. Both teams ended up with 8 saves for the period.
Period 2
Both teams came out hard, and the pressure paid off for the Bucs at 1:51. Gino Kourilin brought the puck into the zone and Noah Clarke ended up with the puck behind the net. He shot off the back of the goalie to score! (Capouch). The score was now 3 - 1.
The Ice Sharks were on a powerplay when Brian Nelson gave Vincent Bachet a facial in full view of the ref, causing a 2 minute penalty and ruining the man advantage. Chris Dube, Erik Maksimenko, and Mark Krueger were playing well, Maksimenko and Krueger getting semi-breaks but not scoring. At 7:55 the Bucs extended their lead when Jake Searles wound up, took a shot that Endres stopped but left hanging. Pete Fregoe picked up the puck and scored! (Searles, Birrenkott). The Bucs now led 4 - 1 and appeared that the game was well in hand.
At 9:21 the Buc gave up the puck behind the cage and Bill Methven wasted no time in making the score 4 - 2 (Paul, Kalbrener). The Ice Sharks brought the puck back in the Buc zone and worked the puck in for a point blank shot on Willie, which he stopped.
Then with 9:28 on the clock, Erik Jensen and the Ice Shark's #12 (sorry did not get the name) got in a huge fight that got them both tossed. This finally got the crowd into the game, chanting "Let's Go Bucs." Unfortunately, the Bucs got an extra 5 minutes. this meant the Ice Sharks would have a man advantage for 5 minutes, regardless of how many goals were scored.
The Ice Sharks wasted no time, and 20 seconds into the penalty Tyler Amason scored on a nifty backhand (Cullen, Laurila). Mark Krueger and Erik Strand were doing a good job on the penalty kill, but in a scramble in front of the net, Mark Bry scored to tie the game at 4 each (Laurilla, Cullen). There were still 3 long minutes to go on the powerplay.
Twenty seconds later (12:58) Mark Cullen scored on a one-timer (Endres, Amason) to give the Ice Sharks the lead. Coach Owens called for a goalie change, Jon Walker skated out to the net.
The Bucs killed off the powerplay, and at 18:06 Pete Fregoe tied the game when he puckered the twine on a slap shot high to the stick side (unassisted). Seconds later, Kourilin let loose a blast that Searles followed-up on and missed by inches! The Ice Sharks were called for checking from behind and the Bucs were on the powerplay the last 2 minutes of the period. With 48 seconds left in the period, Noah Clarke passed it to Garrett Stafford who wound-up and took a huge blast. Jake Searles tipped the shot in to give the Bucs a 6-5 lead. Mark Cullen won the face off and passed it to Tyler Arnason who blasted it from the top of the circle. It hit Walker's stick and popped up and over into the net. The Ice Sharks had tied the score at 6 apiece. The Ice Sharks had 8 saves and the Bucs had 9 for the period.
Period 3
The first 5 minutes of the period was marked by slow, deliberate play by both teams. The Bucs passing seemed horrible. In fact, there was no real pressure on the FM net until 9 minutes into the period. You know, watching Jason Basile wind up and shoot reminds you of former Buccaneer Joe Blake's killer shots, doesn't it?
Walker came up big when Brian Nelson had a breakaway, stopping the shot and keeping the score tied at 6 each. The play went back and forth, both teams playing conservatively. With 4 minutes left, the Bucs began to take some chances and put pressure on the Ice Sharks. Pete Fregoe and Vincent Bachet almost scored, but the game ended in a tie. Des Moines had 12 saves, Fargo had 7.
Overtime
Both teams had a 3 minute rest before playing a 5 minute overtime period. If neither team scored, there would be a shoot-out! The crowd was going crazy! The Metro Ice Sports Arena was rocking! The Bucs came out hard and were playing to win. The Ice Sharks had 2 breakaways but Walker stopped one of them and the other shot high. The overtime period ended and both teams had one shot on goal. Each team had earned one point. It was now time to settle this thing in a shoot-out.
Shoot-out
During the 2 minute break, Fargo's Matt Mathias fell out of the player's bench onto the ice, bringing a roar from the crowd. You could see Matt grinning. I love it when palyer's have a sense of humor. Each team would pick 5 shooters.
The Ice Sharks would go first. On the refs signal, Andy Reierson skated from center ice towards Walker - he shot high! The crowd went crazy! Noah Clarke was next. He came in, deked and backhanded it into the net. The crowd roared! The Bucs were up 1-0.
Matt Mathias came in and tried to backhand the puck past Walker. Walker caught the puck in his skate - nothing doing! Erik Maksimenko came in on Endres and let loose a shot high to the stick side that Endres did not even see. The Bucs were up 2-0.
Neal Vatnsdal came in on Walker and scored - sliding it by the prone Walker. The score was now 2-1. Nick Parillo from New York was next. He deked, let the goalie go down, then just missed the open net!
It was Tyler Arnason's turn - the USHL's leading scorer. Walker stopped his 5-hole attempt with his pads! Peter Capouch was next for the Bucs. He just missed as Endres stopped it with his skate! The crowd groaned.
It was now Mark Cullen's turn - the USHL's second leading scorer. The crowd was loud. If he missed, it was all over and the Buc's would win. If he scored, the Bucs would need to score to win, or face a sudden death shoot-out. Mark skated in. He shot. Walker responded with a kick save. The crowd roared as the bucs mobbed each other.
The Bucs had won another game, and as I drove home with my family, I wondered where else we could have such a good time for under $40.00 - total!!! Written by Steve Bendy.
Des Moines Buccaneers 7 - Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks 6
Win Streak Increases to Five
DATE: 11/22/97
OPPONENT: Team USA (under 18)
Pre-game Rattle
The Bucs are coming off a crowd-pleasing 7-6 shoot-out last night, and would be facing Team USA for the first time since pre season. Team USA is made up of select under-18 players from around the country, and they are big! I swear they are all 10 feet tall. They play a physical game and are talented. Tonight's game will count for the Bucs. Just a note: Bill Rousseau is still out with his achilles injury, hopefully he will see action soon.
Period 1
Coach Owens started Jon Walker in goal, Garrett Stafford and Peter Capouch on D, and Noah Clarke, Mark Krueger, and Gino Kourilin up front. Team USA went with Adam Hauser in goal, Doug Janik and Dave Tanabe on D, Garrett Heisten, James LaLiberty, and Joe Goodenow up front.
Team USA scored first when Walker stopped a shot by Matt Doman, only to have Michael Chin go top shelf with the rebound at 1:15. The crowd was very quiet. It seemed as if they were checking out the new team and just watching their style of play. They played a very disciplined game, holding their positions and passing crisply. Of course, they are still young and I caught Jordon Leopold dancing to the music before a face-off. The first two minutes was all Team USA.
The first glimmer of life from the Bucs came at the 5 minute mark when Garrett Stafford came in on net and did a little spin move (reminiscent of Andrew Tortarella) to get by a defender and get a shot on goal. The Bucs began to settle down and were now passing better, breaking it out much easier.
The Bucs first goal was the result of patience and heads-up play. Jake Searles brought the puck in and passed it to Erik Maksimenko who was to the left of the net at the bottom of the circle. He saw Fregoe in front of the net and to the right. A quick pass to Fregoe and the red light was on. On the next face-off, Peter Capouch took the puck end-to-end and almost scored! Team USA took a penalty as a result. The Bucs were unable to convert, and the period ended with 9 saves for Des Moines and 8 for USA.
Period 2
The period started with neither team gaining an advantage. Nick Parillo was hustling as usual, skating hard and playing smart. Then, all of a sudden Erik Jensen and Kyle Clark began to square off in front of the USA player bench. Blows were traded, but the fight ended quickly. Both were tossed for the rest of the game. I was able to find out after the game that Clark was spearing Jensen and pushing him to fight. Evidently, Clark thought Jensens's full face shield was a sign of weakness. Oh, boy was he wrong. After the fight, Donnette was playing very tough, and kept the momentum from swinging to the bad guys.
Maxwell announced over the PA that it was assistant coach Jay Boxer's birthday. He didn't seem to respond until the crowd began to chant "Happy Birthday, Jay" - that brought a grin to his face. For those of you who do not know Jay, he is a great guy and a great coach.
The fight definitely energized the Bucs play; just two minutes later, at 6:55, Nick Parillo took the puck in the bad guy's zone and went behind the net. He centered it in front of the net, and the puck got tied up in Jeremy Vokes' skates. Jeremy picked it up and scored.
The USA Team came back and put a shot on net, but Walker was up to the task. Gino Kourilin took a sweet pass from an unidentified Buc, but was robbed. At the 8 minute mark, Brett Henning, decided to test Vincent Bachet on the blue-line. Crunch! Henning skated very slowly to the bench - not really knowing where he was. Who said the French were whimps?
Nigthingale and Paul got in a pushing match, but nothing came of it. The Bucs seemed to be playing very sloppy, although they would have flashes of brilliance. Team USA seemed to be playing very disciplined, but lacked emotion. Speaking of emotion, Nick Parillo nailed Goodenow right into the glass in front of yours truly! Good hit Nick! He deserved it! Parillo almost scored after that. Team USA almost scored right after Parillo's shot, but the shot went wide of the net (Walker was beat). The period ended with 4 saves for USA and 3 for Des Moines.
Period 3
The third period started to the familiar theme of Rocky. Kourilin took the face off. Garrett Stafford grabbed the puck and took it in, the USA team panicked and wisely took a penalty. Team USA's Brett Henning caught the Bucs pinching and came in on Walker, using his size to fight off the Buc D. He slid the puck past Walker to score the short-handed goal at 1:53. The score was now tied at 2 each.
The Bucs were still on the power play, and Noah Clarke passed it to Garrett Stafford who let loose a blast from the blue-line. Gino Kourilin, every vigilant in front of the goal, slammed home the rebound. The Bucs took the lead, 3 - 2 with just 9 seconds left on the penalty.
The Bucs came right back with a beautiful give and go; Garrett Stafford scored with the assist to Jake Searles at 3:03. The Bucs were up 4 - 2.
The Bucs continued to put pressure on with shots from Bill Birrenkott and Noah Clarke. Team USA came right back and there were four guys in front of the net, 2 Bucs and 2 D. All of sudden, like pins in a bowling alley, they all went down. Birrenkott was called for a 2 minute penalty. The Bucs were able to kill the penalty easily. A Team USA player took a big run at Birrenkott, hoping to nail against the boards. Bill moved at the last second and the player smacked the boards! My wife commented that "he boarded himself!" Team USA put on more pressure as Leopold got a quality shot, but Walker hot and not about to be scored on.
Heisten was called for checking from behind, and the Bucs were on the power play, Jeremy Vokes and Erik Maksimenko almost scored but were robbed. Frustration must have been taking it's toll, because Heiston was called for an additional 10 minute unsportsmanlike while in the penalty box. Coach Owens and Steve Anderson grinned about that one.
There seemed to be a lot of big hits tonight, and most of them were in our end. Doman put a big hit on Basile that sent him sprawling. As Basile got up you could see him looking to see the number of the guy who did it.
With 5 minutes on the clock, Jackson put a blast on net and was leveled for his effort. Dan Donnette picked up the rebound and scored. The Bucs were up 5 - 2 (Fregoe, Jackson).
The Bucs were not done with the "golden boys"; at 17:43 Pete Fregoe brought the puck in and gave it to Erik Maksimenko who had just crossed the blue-line. Erik, instead of skating in, gave a quick wrist shot that caught the goalie off-guard, high and to the glove side. The Bucs were now on top, 6 - 2. The last goal caused Team USA to let down, and the last 2 minutes of the game looked like the Bucs were on a power play. The period ended with 4 saves for Team USA and 3 for Des Moines. Written by Steve Bendy.
Des Moines Buccaneers 6 - Team USA (under 18) 2
7-2 Win Ups Winning Streak to Six
Bucs 7 - Waterloo 2
Des Moines, IA (11/26/97)
The Bucs converted on 3 of 6 power plays and Chris Dube scored a short-handed goal to defeat the Blackhawks. The Bucs have now won 6 in a row and are tied for first place in the USHL.
Dube (Capouch, Stafford), Fregoe (pp) (Bachet, Kourilin), Clarke (Kourilin), Parillo (Basile, Walker), Parillo (pp) (Maksimenko, Vokes), Kourilin (pp) (Fregoe, Capouch), and Dube (sh) (unassisted) scored for the Bucs.
Special Guest Ranter: Sarah!
Pre Game
Stella's is popular for the Bucs I guess! While we ate with Erik Strand at the place and had shakes poured on our head. We also saw Gino Kourilin there. I however, had to be told who he was! I have to keep asking "who's that?" I'm gone now and I just don't know the team like I used to. But it's great to be back anyway! It's comforting and welcoming to be back - it's like a home coming. I've heard that Waterloo is in last place, now that I'm at college and very busy, I don't have a lot of time to keep track of these things. Christian von Trzcinski is now playing for Waterloo, that all happened in a round about way that is very confusing. In any case before long he's going to look like one of those Hanson Brothers he wanted to look like. I really don't understand the fascination for those three long haired, four eyed, goons!
First Period
I had heard about how terrible Waterloo had been doing and then 8:14 into the first period they score first! That's the way hockey can be sometimes, but it was rather disappointing to see them get to us so easily! At 8:14 Dave Hytinen scored this Waterloo goal against Jonny "ballgame" Walker (assist to Kyle O'Keefe and Tom Ogee). Around the ten minute mark Pete Capouch took a hard hit to the boards and looked a little weak. Though Capouch wasn't feeling the best yet it didn't stop him from making a great defensive play while he was hurt! He stopped a three on one before limping painfully to the bench. We've definitely had the pressure, but the Waterloo goalie just seemed to stifle us no matter what. Nothing seemed to be going in and he was doing a wonderful job. The fans were trying to start some cheers, but it was very pitifully done! The crowd just didn't seem to be what it used to. Jay Boxer mentioned it was because we've been playing conservatively lately. We were definitely dominating with about a minute and a half left, but it didn't show on the scoreboard. Saves for the first period: Waterloo - 11 & Des Moines - 5.
Second Period
We played a nice round of musical chairs during the first intermission. It's very amusing to see an all out war break out among kids when the start to play a little game. The competition was fierce... against a chair! About four minutes into the second period and we still hadn't a penalty yet during the entire game for either side. Chris Dube skated in on a partial break and attacked their goalie; he scored at 4:53 with a shot high to the left side of the net (assist to Pete Capouch and Garrett Stafford), now the crowd was getting loud! Waterloo must've been shaken up a bit, because they took a time-out after this in an effort to find a way to squelch the upcoming onslaught! What do you think, will it work? At 8:06 Matt Murray took down Erik Strand and we got the first penalty of the game when he went for hooking. We were now on the power play. Pete Fregoe scored thirty-six seconds into the power play and we had now broken the tie (assist to Vincent Bachet and Gino Kourilin). At the ten minute mark I departed to ride in the Jeep during the second intermission. Jeff had promised me since I was home for Thanksgiving that I could ride in it. Gino Kourilin passed across the crease with 9:56 left to Noah Clarke and we were now ahead by three as Clarke got the goal. With 6:48 left on the clock Waterloo got a penalty to Mike Ritter for tripping, which the Blackhawks ended up killing off. With about three minutes left in the second period the momentum was in our favor and we were getting several good shots on the net. Parillo came streaking in at 18:41 down the right side of the goal, fought off a defender, and went high to the glove side of the goalie (assist to Jason Basile and Jon Walker). With one minute left Waterloo came back and put a lot of pressure on the goal. Walker didn't know where it was so he did his famous glove behind the back routine and covered it up. The Waterloo players were celebrating with sticks in the air, but the ref immediately waived it off.
Third Period
The Bucs were leading 4-1 at the start of the third period... and I just expected more goals! Chris Dube was down on the ice, looking a little sore at 2:47 and as the penalty box opened up with a metallic "chung" Ryan Hale was escorted into it. He went for high sticking as Dube got up slowly. Not long after this Kyle O'Keefe was down on the ice also in pain.... he looked like a fish out of water! O'Keefe managed to pull a penalty against Josh Flynn for slashing. Walker made some good saves as the Bucs couldn't manage to clear out the puck not long into this. O'Keefe came in and wouldn't leave Walker alone...as Walker covered the puck Kyle speared him... this was uncalled for!! Walker rose up from the ice mad and faced the guy (I'm sure words were exchanged). O'Keefe got his when he was penalized for slashing at 8:01. Nick Parillo got his second goal of the night on a back hand to the stick side (assist to Eric Maksimenko and Jeremy Vokes). Dan Donnette and Jake Tesar both went for coincidental unsportsman like conduct penalties. Mmm... the wonderful aroma of burnt popcorn! Don't ya all love it? It was very potent around the ten minute mark. With 9:39 left Ryan Hale for Waterloo scored on a breakaway through the five hole of Walker (maybe the popcorn smell distracted Jon!). Jim Jackson went for the puck instead of the man, see what happens when you do that, you get scored on! Mark Krueger went for high sticking at 11:15. During this Waterloo power play we broke out and even had a shot or two on net, this just shows how well we were playing. Matt Murray at 15:33 went for roughing. On this Murray penalty we got our sixth goal by Gino Kourilin (assist to Pete Fregoe and Pete Capouch). With 2:42 left Garrett Stafford went for interference, but it wasn't a bad penalty for him to take. He had to stop Nick Stepich, who had a breakaway, Garrett went sliding into him and knocked the puck away. With just over a minute left the crowd really started to leave. I've never been able to understand how people can leave while the game's still going! Chris Dube scored with 1:05 left! See, you leave and they score again! I can't help but think of the Bud Ice Penguin whenever I hear the name Dube! Dube scored this short handed goal at 19:45 (unassisted). Saves for the first period: Waterloo - 8 & Des Moines - 4. Total Saves: Waterloo - 25, Des Moines - 18. Written by Sarah Bendy.
Des Moines 7 - Waterloo 2
Sarah's Pics - Player of the Game: This is a tough decision! Who am I to pick? I guess I'd have to pick Nick Parillo!
Shut-Out Extends Streak to Seven
Bucs 3 - Lincoln 0
Des Moines, IA (11/28/97)
Jon Walker played what coach Owens called his best game of the year as he stopped 22 shots to get his first shut-out, the second of the year for the Buc's. Erik Strand scored the first goal (and game-winner) to beat Hollard, who was hot in goal for Lincoln, coming up with 34 saves. The Bucs have now won 7 in a row and lead the USHL.
Strand (Jensen, Dube), Stafford (Fregoe, Searles), and Basile (Bachet, Fregoe) scored for the Bucs.
Pre Game Rattle
Hello hockey fans, I trust all of you had a great Thanksgiving - friends, family, and food make for a great combination. The Bendy family had a good one in Des Moines, enjoying Thanksgiving with my brother-in-law and his family of Husker/Lancer fans from Omaha (Boooo - Hisssss). Sarah was also back from college and did the rant for the Waterloo game.
The Bucs looked good in warm-ups, which is a good sign.
In previous games, the laser light show has been OK, but it has lacked the polish and timing to really make it effective for the fans and players. Tonight, they got much closer... The place was packed - it was a sellout as usual, but people were standing all along the back walls and sitting on the concrete "steps" in the corners that pass for seats in a pinch. The lights went out - and the speakers blared something like this, "All right baby, are you ready for this? Are you serious?" the music started, and the Bucs skated out of the glowing red smoke onto the ice. The Buc theme song blared and the crowd was on their feet. It was good.
Maxwell announced that using "Silly String" was a no-no in the arena, and anyone caught celebrating with it faced a game ejection - cheers erupted from the crowd. Hmm, I wonder who would use Silly String?
Period 1
The Bucs came out strong and it seemed that the Bucs were on a power play at times. The crowd seemed to be into the game and were yelling the "Let's Go Bucs!, Let's Go Bucs!" chant with enthusiasm. Capouch and Stafford were controlling the puck at the blue-line, taking slap shots. Erik Strand was playing very strong, getting several good chances. It was obvious that the ref was not going to call much tonight, Lincoln getting away with several cheap shots that really should have been called. The hard work paid off at 2:44 as Chris Dube passed the puck behind the net to Erik Jensen. Jensen saw Erik Strand and fed him. Erik waited for the goalie to make his move, then stuffed it in to score his first goal of the year and put the Bucs up 1 - 0. Way to go Erik!
The first 5 minutes was all Bucs, using their speed to control the game. In fact, the Stars had the puck in the Buc zone only 2 times. It was not until the 6 minute mark that Lincoln's Spiller took a shot from the blue-line that tested Walker. Walker passed, using his glove. The Bucs came right back as Erik Strand came in along the boards with 2 Star D all over him. He still got the shot off and almost scored.
The Stars first pressure came with about 11 minutes left in the period. The used a very physical style of play to keep the pressure on. Walker was tested several times, but more than was up to the challenge. The Bucs were able to clear the zone, but Lincoln just brought it right back in. This must have torque Garrett Stafford as he did one of his "OK, I have had enough" breakouts. He took a pass from Jake Searles, skated into the Stars' zone and passed it to Pete Fregoe who was right beside him. The D let up on Stafford and Fregoe fed it back to Stafford who beat Brian Haaland and made the score 2 - 0 (9:38).
The Stars responded by stepping up the physical play - some real border-line hits were dished out, but there were no calls. I wouldn't want to name anyone in particular, but Austin Messer - you know who you are! Jason Nightingale got the puck and deked out a D but was robbed. With 6 minutes left in the period, you could see the exhaustion on the faces of the Lincoln players - they were tired. With 5 minutes left, Erik Strand came breaking down the ice with Erik Jensen and Chris Dube. He passed off to Jensen, who fed it right back to Strand and put a shot on net that should have made the score 3 - 0.
Finally, right before the end of the period, Austin Messer was called for high-sticking (the announcer said it was on Justin Shaw, but Austin went into the box). The Bucs would have a man advantage. The Bucs worked well on the power play - Noah Clarke just missing a one-timer that would have beat Haaland. The period ended with 5 saves for Walker and 7 for Haaland of Lincoln.
Period 2
The Bucs started the period with a man advantage for a minute and 19 seconds. Stafford, Nightingale, Maksimenko, Basile and Parillo were out for the power play. The Bucs were not able to do anything on the power play until the last couple of seconds when Peter Capouch ignited a rocket the Haaland stopped, but let bounce around on the goal crease - it never crossed, however.
Erik Maksimenko came right back with a nifty shot and was robbed, Lincoln decided to get in on the action and skated in on Walker only to be robbed also. With 5 minutes gone, the Stars caught the Bucs on a 2 on 1 break. Bachet played it beautifully, sprawling his French body on the ice breaking up the centering pass!
With 6 minutes gone, Nick Parillo passed to Jason Nightingale who had a wide-open net, but was not able to get wood on the puck! What a heart breaker! Richard Spiller decided to reward Jason for his work by slashing him and sitting in the box for 2 minutes. Bachet, Parillo, Jackson, and Capouch all had quality shots during the power play, and the Bucs were putting horrendous pressure on the Lincoln net. Brian Haaland was on his game, and keeping Lincoln from being devastated. After the power play, Jeremy Vokes and Nick Parillo were both robbed again.
Walker was playing very well too. He totally robbed a Lincoln player who had a break-away and tried to beat him with the back-hand. No way, baby! Both goalies were hot tonight! Lincoln had a power play for the last 2 minutes when Parillo got a 2 and 10 minute penalty for high-sticking. The Bucs handled Lincoln with ease, Noah Clarke even getting a short-handed opportunity. Gino Kourilin also had a short-handed try but was high-sticked by Chad Mazurak who took the penalty. The period ended with 8 saves for the Bucs and 14 for Lincoln.
Period 3
The period started with each team skating with 4 players for 24 seconds, then the Bucs would have a minute with the advantage. Fregoe and Nightingale teamed up as Fregoe passed to Jason who was crashing the net - he was robbed! Lincoln killed off the penalty easily. Lincoln was using their size to hold off the Bucs. Even Chris Fornier tried to check Dube - he just bounced off Dube, I don't know if Chris even felt it!
Lincoln had a 3 on 1 break, Birrenkott being the sole defender. Bill watched the eyes of the Lincoln player than broke up the pass to foil the scoring threat. This guy is good! Was he this good at Anoka?
With 12 minutes on the clock, after the Bucs had put extreme pressure on the net, a Star player was down on the ice. The Star coaching staff was complaining to the ref, which brought the "Whiner, Whiner" chant form the crowd. Joe Garvin skated off the ice holding his left arm up, and was obviously in a lot of pain. They called for Doc Breedlove to come to the Lincoln locker room - let's hope he is OK.
Shortly after the injury, Drew Omicioli stole the puck in front of the net and shot it wide. It looked as if he had Walker beat. The Stars were stepping up the play considerably, trying to avoid the shut-out. The Lincoln pressure was interuppted by a great shift by Chris Dube. He was playing like a mad-man, using his body to just skate over guys. This inspired Pete Fregoe, who skated toward the net on a breakaway - Jake Wiegand would have none of this and slashed Fregoe, taking him down and getting called for a penalty. The Bucs were not able to do much with the power play, and there was now only 4 minutes left in the game - and Walker's first shut-out.
With 2:40 left in the game Nick Parillo and Chris Dube were really mucking it up, keeping the puck in the Star zone. With a minute left, Fregoe, Bachet and Searles brought the puck into the Star zone. The Stars were looking to pull the goalie and get the extra attacker, but the Bucs would not give them the chance. Jason Basile let loose a laser-guided missile from the blue-line that stayed on the ice and streaked by Haaland to add insult to injury (Bachet, Fregoe). The Bucs celebrated and the Stars knew it was all over. The Bucs won the face-off and dumped it into the Lincoln zone. Time expired as the Lincoln D had the puck behind their own net.
The Bucs had played one of their best games ever, and were now in sole possession of first place. Walker had 9 saves for a game total of 22, Haaland had 13 for a total of 34. Written by Steve Bendy.
Lancers End Winning Streak
Lancers 4 - Bucs 1
Omaha, NE (11/29/97)
The Lancers ended the Buccaneer 7 game winning streak in a solid 4 - 1 win in Omaha Saturday night. The Lancers scored 2 quick goals with less than 3 minutes in the game to ice the game. Kourilin (Basile, Bachet) scored for the Bucs.
Pre Game Rattle
Aksarben Ice Arena brings back a flood of memories for me. The most vivid hockey memories are those of Claude Larose. Claude came to play for the Omaha Knights in the 60's, and ended up on the same line as John Ferguson and Ralph Backstrom with the Montreal Canadians in 1964. I remember how he would get a breakaway and seemingly score at will. I remember how fast he skated - overtime I saw Bobby Davis skate I was reminded of him. Then, there are the memories of taking my beautiful girlfriend (now my wife) to the games. There is a sad memory too, the time when I did not make the hockey team my senior year in high school - cutting short my NHL career dreams. I was excited to visit the arena again.
We arrived at the arena early and scoped out where we would sit. As we walked down the hall, we stopped and talked to Ellis Moose, Coach Owens, and Jay Boxer. We entered the arena proper and I noticed that it did not look as big as I remembered it. Hey, the stand on the wall where the organ player sat was gone. I noticed the chin link fence has been replaced by Plexiglas. I remember that fans would often accidentally spill beer on the opposing players.
We found our seats on the "stage" - chairs on the old stage behind the goal. Man, did these seats suck! The incline is so slight that you can not see a thing. I noticed quite a few Buc fans were sitting next to us. We were waiting to meet my brother-in-laws and their families - all Lancer fans. We had been warming up all afternoon after having our turkey lunch - We chanted: Bucs!, they responded: Lancers! over and over. We were ready for hockey!
I was wondering how the Bucs would respond after such a solid win over Lincoln. I was hoping that they would not "celebrate" too much. Remember when the Triple Crown Champs clinched the Anderson Cup and celebrated a little too much? Even Ethan Philpott was reported to have a little. The next game they got waxed...
Period 1
Walker would be in goal, Capouch and Stafford on D, Nightingale, Vokes, and Parillo up front. The Lancers came out hard, I mean real hard. The Bucs were struggling. Four minutes went by before the line of Dube, Strand, and Donnette put any pressure on the Lancer D. Walker was coming up with some great saves - robbing 16 year old Eric Skaug, for one.
Halfway through the period Nick Parillo had a semi-break but the Lancer goalie, Dennis Bassett said no. The Lancers were playing a very physical game, and the Bucs were responding in kind. The Bucs put some sustained pressure on goal for the first time with 7 minutes left in the period.
The period ended in a tie, with 9 saves for Des Moines and 10 for the Lancers.
Period 2
The period started with the Bucs putting some brief pressure on the Lancers, but Chad Theuer caught the Buc D pinching and got a break on Walker. The bad guy deked, shot, and was robbed. Walker ended up curled up in a ball with the puck under him.
About this time, we began a cheering war with our relatives. Bucs!, Lancers!, Bucs!, Lancers! This war inspired the other Buc fans and the "Let's Go Bucs!, Let's Go Bucs!" chant began. The Lancer crowd had been totally silent the whole night. The Buc fans were loud! I thought this would inspire the Lancer fans to retaliate, but they did not.
Neil Breen caught the Bucs on a line change and scored on a one-timer at the 9:26 mark (assists to Ortmeyer and Theuer). The Bucs came right back with Parillo, Strand and Dube, but were unable to score. The "Let's Go Bucs!" chant erupted again. James blew his conch shell and that attracted the security guards, but they must have thought it was OK, because they left us alone. Kourilin, Clarke, Krueger, Basile, and Bachet fought back, but the Lancers were playing tough and controlled the puck for most of the period. My wife's brother and his wife Marty and Doran Jensen) were cheering on Neil Breen, and asked to be quoted "The Bucs Suck."
The period ended with 8 saves for the Bucs and 5 for the Lancers.
Period 3
At the start of the third period, the Lancer theme song was late in playing and the fans didn't seem to care. In fact, I counted less than 50 fans standing and clapping. I guess all the real crazies were watching UNO play Union. Man, I miss Tort (Andrew Tortarella, formerly on Waterloo and Omaha's team, now on UNO's team)- he made the games interesting!
Early in the period Chris Dube went down behind the Lancer net and stayed down. He skated off in great pain, holding his left arm tight against his stomach. Let's hope this is not serious! As always, the Omaha fans showed a lot of class and applauded as Dube left the ice.
I saw a pile-up around the Lancer net and the ref's arm go up. Walker made a bee-line for the bench as the extra attacker hit the ice. Gino Kourilin picked up the puck from Jason Basile and lit the light before the penalty could be called (7:56 - assists to Basile and Bachet). Man, oh, man, does Gino have a touch! The game was tied. I honestly thought we were never going to score. A spontaneous "Let's Go Bucs!" cheer erupted from the fans. Even the security guards came over to make sure there was not going to be any trouble. There was not - we were not drunk, and it was all in good sportsmanship.
After a face-off in the Bucs zone, Jed Ortmeyer let loose a quick wrist shot that beat Walker and the score was 2 -1 (10:12 - Breen, Theuer). The Lancers kept up the pressure and if the Bucs did not change the momentum, I knew it was all over. Over it was as Pete Summerfelt scored at the 17:06 mark (Paradise, Boben) and Neil Breen scored 29 seconds later (Theuer, Ortmeyer). The Lancers had beaten the Bucs for the first time in regular season play. My in-laws were very happy, I left disappointed in the loss and that the rink was not how I remembered it. Written by Steve Bendy.
