DUBUQUE, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (26-10-0-1, 53 pts) held off the Sioux Falls Stampede (23-9-1-1, 48 pts) in a 3-2 victory on Friday night.

The Fighting Saints trailed 1-0 shortly past the halfway-point of the first period when Torkel Jennersjö and Ritter Coombs fed Jonathan Morello into the zone. Morello made a move to his backhand and buried his fourth goal of the season. It took just 53 seconds for Gavin Lock and Cooper Dennis spring Edison Engle back into the Sioux Falls zone again.

Engle went coast to coast, past a Stampede defender, and fired a backhand for his second goal of the season. The Saints never trailed again after Engle's go-ahead goal. The defenseman now has two goals and eight points in nine games since being acquired by the Fighting Saints.

Jan Špunar was tested in the second and third periods with four penalty-kill chances for the Saints. Špunar finished the night with 28 saves in his 16th win of the season, including a highlight-reel glove save on Javon Moore in the second period.

The Saints stopped three of the four power plays for Sioux Falls, while Dubuque did not have a power-play chance in the game. 

Dubuque added an insurance goal late with an empty-net goal shot by Charlie Arend from his own blue line. Less than a minute later, the Stampede scored on the power play to make it a 3-2 game. Dubuque held on in the last 49 seconds to take the win.

The Saints return to the ice on Jan. 31 when they host the Fargo Force at ImOn Arena.