GREEN BAY, Wis -The Clark Cup final series between the Green Bay Gamblers and the Dubuque Fighting Saints is tied 1-1 after the two teams split the two opening games played Friday and Saturday nights. In two hard hitting games at the Resh Center Green Bay blanked Dubuque Friday night 3-0 and then bowed 2-1 in Saturday’s match-up.
On Friday night, 3,377 saw Gamblers’ goal tender Ryan McKay sweep aside 23 shots as he and his team’s defensive effort shut out the Fighting Saints in a physical but well played game. There was only one penalty assessment, a check from behind call in the third period against the host team that drew a minor and misconduct assessment. It wasn’t so much a case of the officials letting the teams play as a case of two disciplined teams that played both hard and smart.
The teams skated a hard hitting back and forth scoreless game until forward Jean-Paul LaFontaine got the game winner two minutes into the second stanza. LaFontaine was able to split three defenders to beat Matt Morris in goal for Dubuque on assists from forward William Kessel and Austin Czamik.
The Gamblers then picked up two insurance goals in period three as McKay picked up his sixth win of the playoffs. Robert Francis and Alex Broadhurst picked up two late third period goals in a 52 second span to seal the Green Bay win.
On Saturday night another nice crowd of 4,317 in Resh Center witnessed a replay of the two squads’ teams Friday night effort with a different end result. This time Dubuque picked up a 2-1 win and again despite the intensity the two squads picked up only three minor penalties plus coincidental fighting majors in the game. Both teams failed to score on their power play opportunities. It was the first home ice loss for Green Bay in this season’s playoff action.
The Fighting Saints jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Vinny Saponari captured his own rebound to beat McKay at the 4:11 mark of the first period with an unassisted strike.
Meanwhile Dubuque’ net minder Morris who allowed just one goal on 24 Green Bay shots was particularly tested in both periods one and two as the Gamblers launched 19 shots at him in the first forty minutes. He blocked 23 of 24 shots overall to bounce back from his loss on Friday night.
The turning point in this game may have been the stop Morris made on Green Bay’s ‘Kessel who appeared to have Morris beat from point blank range in the second stanza. The stop protected the 1-0 Dubuque lead going into the second intermission.
Dubuque got what turned out to be the game winner as Shane Sooth extended the lead to 2-0 at 9:58 of in the final period. It was a strange off angle goal from the side of the goal that eluded McKay high over his shoulder. Shane Walsh got the lone assist on the marker. Dubuque’s comfort did not last long however.
Just nine seconds later Green Bay’s Broadhurst (Sam Herr, Nolan LaPorte) got his second goal in two nights at 10:07 to bring the big crowd alive and set up an intense final 9:53 of action. The Fighting Saints held on however withstanding the pressure including the extra attacker Green Bay Coach Eric Rudd used when he pulled McKay in the last minute of the game. The Saints grabbed a 2-1 win as they held on to even the series.
Green Bay is looking to become the first back to back winner of the Clark Cup in over 15 seasons after beating Fargo in last season’s finals. To do so they must now wrest away what is now home ice advantage for the Fighting Saints.
The series resumes in Dubuque next Friday May 20 followed by game four on Saturday. If needed the series will then shift back to Green Bay for a game five on Tuesday May 24.
PHN will be on hand to cover all of the remaining USHL series.
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
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