Dubuque, IA – The Dubuque Fighting Saints (5-0-0-0, 10 pts) scored nine goals in a 9-1 win over the Omaha Lancers (1-5-0-0, 2 pts) on Saturday night.
Dubuque extended its win streak to five to begin the season with five Saints scoring their first-career goals in the victory. Teo Besnier, Cooper Conway, Caden Dabrowski, Kane Johnson and Lincoln Krizizke all secured their first goals in the USHL. Dabrowski and his linemates Johnson and Hayden Russell combined for 10 points in the victory, with each of them logging at least three points. Dabrowski scored and assisted three times, while Johnson scored his first two goals in his USHL career.
The Saints finished the night with 13 players who recorded a point, and eight who recorded multiple points. It was the second time in five games the Saints have scored nine goals or more this season after scoring 10 on opening night against Sioux City. Johnson was the only multi-goal scorer in the game, with his first goal to open the scoring at 8:25 of the first. The Saints have scored first in all five games so far this season.
Owen Crudale stopped 31 shots in his second win of the season, helping the Saints to another perfect night on the penalty kill. They stopped all four Omaha power plays, including a five-minute major penalty in the third period.
Dubuque only had one power-play chance in the game, but it was less than 45 seconds long and the Saints could not convert.
After Johnson's opening tally, Melvin Ekman scored his fourth of the season early in the second. Charlie Arend assisted, and later scored in the second period, for a multi-point night. Arend has points in all five games for the Saints and has seven total points. Michael Barron assisted on both of those goals in the second period and Besnier's third-period tally to set a career-high with three assists.
Krizizke and Masun Fleece finished the scoring with goals in the third period to give the Saints an eight-goal lead. Dubuque scored four times in the second and four times in the third to finish the convincing victory.
The Saints have won all five games this season and visit the Steel on Friday to begin a home-and-home weekend.
