Date: August 30, 1997
Opponent: Waterloo Blackhawks
Returning Buccaneer Erik Strand scored with 2 minutes remaining to beat a physical Waterloo team in the pre-season opener at Waterloo. Erik, who had been injured during the Buc Evaluation Camp in June, seems to have recovered nicely.
Pre-game
Greetings hockey fans and welcome back! Oh, what a long summer it has been without hockey. The Evaluation camp gave a much needed boost, but there is just something about going to a game when it is 90 degrees outside that just isn't right...
Waterloo is always a great road trip. As we entered the arena, we noticed the "Good Luck Steve McCall" signs. Steve (Waterloo marketing director) is off to Nashville - we are happy for him and will miss him; he is first class all the way.
First
A good crowd was on hand, and a fair amount of Buc fans were present. As they announced the Bucs, the usual cat-calls were heard from the Blackhawk faithful. The Buc starters were: Pete Fregoe (C), Fred Seagrave (F), Troy Linna (F), Peter Capouch (D), Garret Stafford (D), and Jon Walker in goal.
The puck dropped and Waterloo began playing a very physical game. Bodies were flying all over the place. Some were from big hits by Waterloo and some from skaters losing their balance in the young season. It was good to see Erik Strand in on the second shift. His dis-located hip must have healed nicely - he was skating smooth and hard.
At 15:10 Searles and #3 (I apologize for giving only numbers for Waterloo players, I do not have a roster yet) got into a scuffle. Number 3 was holding Searles, so he elbowed him to break loose. Both got 2 minute penalties.
At 11:36 Waterloo's #9 took a centering pass and slammed it home for a 1 - 0 lead. Walker had strayed and was stuck behind the net, leaving it open. The hitting continued and at the 7:47 mark Stafford finally laid a guy out, sending his helmet flying . Shortly after that (7:10), the Bucs executed a tic-tac-toe to perfection to tie the game at 1 each. Jason Nightingale, a 6 foot, 200 pound, Cheboygan, Michigan native slammed the puck in with assists from Fred Seagrave and Chris Dube.
Waterloo answered less than 2 minutes later from a slap shot from the top of the circle - the player's numbers were 12 (8,4).
The rough stuff continued and at 5:17 Antzoulatos and a Waterloo player went for roughing. At 3:12 Jim Jackson put a monster hit on a Waterloo player that started a ruckus that landed Eric Makismenko (#8) and #9 from Waterloo in the box for 2 minutes.
Shots on goal, Bucs: 24, Waterloo: 11
Second
Before the puck was even dropped, Jason Nightingale (#19) and Waterloo's #11 went 2 minutes for un-sportsmanlike conduct (they were jabbing at each other). Vincent Bachet (#6) from Dammaire, France went for tripping at 19:13. In the resulting power play, Waterloo's number 7 scored, making it 3 - 1 in favor of the bad guys.
Less than two minutes later, Seagrave (#16) went in from the left and deked the goalie out of his shorts to give the Buc's their second goal (Fregoe (#13) with the assist). Oh, baby, keep your eyes on this guy.
The Buc's had a two man advantage for 49 seconds several minutes later, but the Blackhawks hung tough. At 8:43, Waterloo replaced their #10 goalie with #8. Number 10 looked good, real good.
At 7:11 Eric Makismenko put in a sweet looking backhander to tie the game at 3 each, with the assists to Nightingale and Vokes. With one second left, Waterloo's #10 got 2 minutes for cross-checking.
Shots on goal, Bucs: 7, Waterloo: 2
Third
The Bucs started the third period with a power play, but were not able to convert. Waterloo was again very physical; especially #2, who seemed to take every opportunity to hit somebody.
At 15:17 Jake Searles (#17) deflected Vincent Bachet's slap shot into the twine to give the Bucs their first lead, 4-3. Waterloo quickly retaliated when Waterloo's #4 picked up a bad clearing pass and went 5-hole to tie the game at 4 each.
Pete Fregoe missed a golden opportunity when he went in all alone and hit the post at 10:37. Erik Strand (#14) scored the winning goal when he skated in all alone and trickled the puck in on the glove side with just 2 minutes left in the game. The Buc fans cheered extra loud for Erik.
Waterloo called a time out and put an extra attacker on the ice. Troy Linna (#22) who had been working hard all night scored on a tough angle shot only to have it called back. Waterloo was fighting hard and there were several pile-ups in front of the net. With 5 seconds left, their was a face off in the Bucs zone. Oh, what a scramble in front of the net! There was a pile-up as the horn signaled the end of the game. Then a fight. Fregoe and # 11 began duking it out but soon stopped to watch Searles and #4 go at it. The refs separated them and made them both sit in the box for a couple of minutes to cool down. The Bucs had won it, 5-4. Written by Steve Bendy.
Shots on goal, Bucs: 13 (44), Waterloo: 6 (19)
Des Moines 5 - Waterloo 4
Rochester Goes Home Early
Date: 9/6/97
Opponent: Rochester Mustangs
Period 1
We drove to the game early because I craved one of those hickory-smoked combos at Burger King. I had just seen Chris Antzoulatos, Pete Fregoe, and Matt Vashaw Friday at Burger King and tried the new Big King. I should have had a chicken sandwich like Chris did.
After enjoying the hickory burger, I knew it would just be a matter of time before I paid the price for eating at Burger King two days in a row - little did I know the events I was about to witness would overshadow any stomach pains caused by BK.
The game started out innocently. I noticed the Buc's were in their away uniforms and that there wasn't as big of a crowd as there should be. The starting line was Jon Walker in goal, Peter Capouch and Jim Jackson on D. Nick Parillo and Fred Seagrave on wing and Pete Fregoe in center. The Buc's came out strong and all the action was in Rochester's zone.
With less than a minute and a half gone Jason Nightingale went to the box for roughing. The Buc's kept the pressure up and almost scored when they caught Weasler out of the position, forcing Rochester to take a penalty for cross-checking. Nick Parillo went behind the net and scored on a wrap-around (assist to Seagrave). At 6:45 Garrett Stafford and a Rochester's Mike Stuart exchanged punches landing them both in the box for roughing.
Jon Walker, who had not seen much action robbed Rochester's B.J. Abel when he put on a couple of moves to get by the D. Seagrave then returned the favor (and great moves), but the #4 D took a tripping penalty rather than let him get by. Parillo then took a boarding penalty and Weasler, yes, the goalie, was called. The Buc's put pressure on big time, but were unable to score.
Rochester had 13 saves, Des Moines 5
Period 2
Rochester game out hard, and Walker had to come up with some key saves. Rochester's #5, Brett Kallias, was playing a very physical game - he is especially found of giving facials. Rochester made a goalie change early in the period, #33 Marc Ranfranz taking Weasler's place between the pipes.
Rochester continued putting the pressure on, and finally Jon Otterstad scored at the 11 minute mark, assisted by #18, Rob Downs. It was a physical game, but it didn't seem that there were any cheap shots being given or taken.
Rochester had 8 saves, Des Moines 10
Period 3
The puck was dropped and it might as well have been the bell signaling the start of the round as Fregoe, Parillo, and Seagrave began fighting their counterparts. Fregoe was wailing on Tim Turner, Parillo had Zach Hallett's sweater over his face and was firing at will, and Seagrave was adjusting Nick Christensen's attitude. I do not know what caused this unfortunate event, I have talked to several fans in the crowd and no one noticed any cheap play by either team. I guess only the players know and I'll leave it at that.
Penalties were dished out and players ejected from the game. Seagrave was charged with instigation. The Buc's had 7 minutes of penalties showing on the scoreboard. Maksimenko soon went out for roughing putting the Buc's down by two skaters.
Rochester was not even able to put a shot on net for 3 minutes, and only got 2 shots during the whole power play. Finally at the 3:52 mark Rochester scored on a 5 on 3 (Mike Stuart assisted by Ryan Wetterberg). The score was 2-1 in favor of Rochester.
The Buc's evened the score at 2-2 at 7:09, when Jim Jackson took a pass in front of the net and put in a back-hand high to the stick side that looked so pretty it should have been on film. Assists to Searles and Clarke.
With 4 minutes left, Rochester called a time-out to discuss strategy. Maybe that is when they plotted their strategy if the game ended in a tie?
The Buc's again put pressure on Rochester and almost won the game with shots by Jim Jackson and Jeremy Vokes - Ranfranz was up to the challenge and the game ended in a tie.
The Rochester team and staff left the ice with their sticks and coach Owens began discussing the situation with the officials. The crowd soon realized that Rochester was not coming back. The officials went to the Rochester locker room, but Rochester would not come out and play.
I guess it was past their bedtime.
The Buc's skated to the center of the ice and saluted the crowd by raising their sticks and the game was over. A 2 - 2 tie or did Rochester forfeit? Written by Steve Bendy.
Des Moines 2 - Rochester 2
