DUBUQUE, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (1-2-0-0) earned their first win of the preseason with a 5-3 win over the Chicago Steel (1-2-0-0) on Friday night in Dubuque.
For the first time in the preseason, the Fighting Saints scored the first goal on Friday night. Just 2:16 into the first period, Josh Giuliani capitalized on a feed from Nick Romeo for his first goal of the preseason. A Chicago goal on a rush leveled the game into the second period.
In the second, Dubuque took advantage of a major power play after Noah LaPointe was called for fighting and a game-misconduct. Jonathan Morello, after drawing the penalty, redirected a shot from Matthew Desiderio for Dubuque's first power-play goal of the preseason early in the period.
In the final five minutes, Desiderio and Heikki Ruohonen combined to find Cooper Dennis for his first of two goals in the win. Ruohonen logged his third assist in two games and Desiderio capped a two-point night. Dubuque took a 3-1 lead into the third period.
Two turnovers in the third by Dubuque in its own zone led to a pair of Steel goals to tie the game at 6:38 and 13:56 respectively. Dubuque, however, bounced back almost immediately. Morello found Melvin Ekman for a left-circle shot that bounced off goaltender Jack Parsons, into a Steel defenseman and into the net. It was Ekman's second tally in as many games and it put the Saints ahead 4-3 less than two minutes after Chicago tied the game.
Dennis converted on his second of the night 1:04 later to extend the lead back to two. Giuliani assisted for his second point of the night.
Dubuque limited the Steel to just 19 shots on goal in the win, while launching 32 of its own. Liam Beerman stopped eight of nine shots, while Lukas Swedin blocked eight of 10 and earned the win.
The Fighting Saints finish the preseason on Saturday night in Chicago before heading to Pennsylvania to open the regular season on Wednesday against Sioux City.
