FRIDAY

The Dubuque Fighting Saints opened the 2023 portion of their schedule on the road Friday night in Green Bay in an Eastern Conference battle with the Gamblers. In the second matchup between the two teams in the past month, Kirk MacDonald and the Fighting Saints were hoping for a better effort and a better result.

Green Bay, who has been steadily climbing it's way up the conference standings, capitalized on a golden opportunity out of the gate. Dubuque's Fisher Scott laid a heavy hit on Raiminds Vitolins, leading to a fight and Scott receiving a 5-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. After a strong start to the the penalty kill, Nicholas Vantassell banged home his own rebound to give the Gamblers the opening lead.

The Saints would bounce back well controlling much of the first period. In search of offense and more scoring, Kirk MacDonald jumbled all four of his forward lines. That shuffling would pay dividends with the teams first 5-on-5 goal in two games. James Reeder stole a puck along the boards and left a pass for Brayden Morrison from the top of the right-wing circle. Morrison, in just his fourth USHL game, ripped a wrist shot past Kristoffer Eberly to tie the game at 1-1 late in the first period.

To pair with the 5-on-5 marker, an early second period powerplay provided another goal for the Fighting Saints. Oliver Moberg tipped in a pass from Theo Wallberg to give the Saints a 2-1 lead. Dubuque's powerplay finished the night 1-for-6 and has goals now five consecutive games.

The Gamblers leveled the ice for much of the second period and were able to capitalize on another power play chance late in the middle frame. Vitolins, looking like Alexander Ovechkin, blistered a one-timer to beat Paxton Geisel and tie the game at 2-2 after 40 minutes.

Dubuque controlled the third period, but a transition goal from Jayden Davis and a breakaway goal from Vitolins, his second of the game, gave the Gamblers a lead and a subsequent cushion to cruise to their 16th victory on the season.

Geisel closed the game with 19 saves on 23 shots on goal, while Eberly countered with 27 saves on 29 shots for Green Bay.

SATURDAY

The Fighting Saints returned home for the first time in the 2023 calendar year in search of win to snap a three game losing skid against the Green Bay Gamblers. With familair faces Peter Kramer, Austin Oravetz, and Mikey DeAngelo back in town, the Fighting Saints delivered one of their better performances over the last month.

Special teams were once again a prominent fixture, especially early, on Saturday night. The Saints were able to turn the game in their favor in the opening period with a power play goal by Jake Sondreal. The Minnesota native buried the puck into a wide open net on a smooth passing play that started with Mikey Burchill. Burchill, who now has points in back to back games, glided across the top of the zone, found Oliver Moberg with a pass along the goal line, who then went across the ice for Sondreal's third of the year.

Minutes later, Max Burkholder dazzled once again on home ice. The third year defenseman from Chaska, MN took a pass from Shawn O'Donnell and carved up the Gambler defense en route to a short handed breakaway goal to push the lead to 2-0 at the end of the first period.

In the second, Green Bay got off to a strong start and pushed two goals past Marcus Brännman to tie the game at 2-2 in under five and a half minutes. Brännman, who was with Sweden at the World Junior Championships, was making his first appearance since blanking Cedar Rapids on December 9.

Dubuque was able to retake the momentum and reenergize the crowd of over 2700 people with a late second period goal. With time winding down, the Saints have learned to never let a second go to waste. Riley Stuart forced a turnover at center ice and sprung Will Staring into the offensive zone. Staring, playing against his former team, carried the puck in on the left side and hit a streaking Max Montes in the slot for a one-timer that fooled Green Bay netminder Adam Gajan and restored a lead for the Fighting Saints with just 2.9 seconds left in the period.

Caelum Dick added a much needed insurance marker in the third period with slap shot from the point for his first goal in the USHL. Dick became the 12th skater for the Saints to score their first USHL goal this season. The goal would stand to be the game-winning goal too after the Gamblers scored late with the goalie pulled to pull within a goal.

Burkholder sealed the game with an empty net goal with just three seconds left for his eleventh goal of the season. Burkholder now sits in sole possession of the USHL's scoring lead amongst defenders with 11 goals.

Brännman stopped 24 of 27 shots in his return from the World Juniors. Gajan, who was also making his first appearance since winning the top goaltender award the World Juniors himself, was beat a season high four times on 24 shots on goal.