Dubuque, IA – The Dubuque Fighting Saints (10-2-0-0, 20 pts) scored twice in a shootout to beat the Des Moines Buccaneers (5-3-2-3, 15 pts) 4-3 on Thursday night.

Melvin Ekman's shootout goal clinched the Saints' 10th win of the season on Thursday. It was the first game this season for Dubuque that went past regulation and it was Ekman's regulation goal that nearly held up as the difference. Ekman scored his second shorthanded goal of the season and his eighth overall in the second period during a major penalty kill for Dubuque.

It was the fourth shorthanded goal for Dubuque this season and it gave the Saints a 3-2 lead that held until Ryland Rooney scored with 2:42 remaining in regulation. Dante Josefsson-Westling forced a turnover in center and fed Ekman for the goal to put the Saints ahead.

Dubuque held three separate one-goal leads in the game and Des Moines answered each time. Masun Fleece scored twice in the first period on nearly-identical shots from the right wing. Fleece has nine goals this season and extended a career-long point streak to nine. Over the streak, Fleece has nine goals and 15 points.

His first goal came at 6:44 of the first, assisted by Hayden Russell and Ludvig Lafton. Russell leads the USHL with 13 assists this season. After a Nathan Delladonna goal for Des Moines later in the frame, Fleece scored off a feed from Cooper Conway.

Vojtech Hambálek made 27 saves on 30 shots in the victory, adding two shootout saves in the victory. It was his seventh win of the season, tying him for the league-lead with Muskegon's Carl Axelsson.

Michael Barron scored the opening goal of the shootout for the Saints before Ekman's winner. The Fighting Saints return to the ice on Saturday in Green Bay for the season's first matchup against the Gamblers.