DES MOINES, IA. – The Omaha Lancers squared off with the Des Moines Buccaneers for just the second time this season and the first time at Buccaneer Arena.
The Bucs got the best of the Lancers back at Liberty First Credit Union Arena on November 16
th, 2023, in a 7-1 triumph. And with Des Moines still sitting one point out of playoff contention with eight games left in the regular season, they'll have the pedal to the floor throughout the final stretch.
The Lancers started the game red-hot, scoring on two of their first three shots on net.
Following a hectic play in the attacking zone, Christian Kocsis hacked a puck out to Noah Jones at the blue line. Jones sent a wrist shot through a handful of bodies, tipping it off the back of a Buccaneer defenseman and past Des Moines Netminder, Jonathan Reinholdt for the 1-0 Omaha lead at the 5:03 mark of the period.
The goal would hand Jones his fifth goal of the season, as he leads Lancers' blueliners in every offensive category (5G-8A-13P).
Just 1:45 later, Aleksi Kivioja would pick up the trash in the low slot and slam home a rebound for his ninth goal of the season. Jamision Sluys would pickup an assist on the play, along with David Posma on the secondary.
Lancers' Goaltender, Kam Hendrickson got his first United States Hockey League start, turning aside all nine first period shots he saw. As the Lancers went into the first break up 2-0.
The Lancers kept their foot on the gas entering the second period with Kocsis forcing a defensive zone turnover for Des Moines and tallied his second assist of the game as he found Cam VanSickle in the slot. VanSickle made the Omaha lead 3-0 just 20 seconds into the period with a one-timer goal for his fourth goal of the season.
Following the third goal, the Bucs pulled Reinholdt and put Ethan Dahlmeir between the pipes, as he stopped ten Lancers shots through his 19:40 of second period play.
The two teams entered the final period even in the shot count at 17-17.
The third period was a great one for the Buccaneers. Scoring four goals in the last frame to end up forcing overtime.
Ben Kevan, Liam Watkins, Andrew Clarke and Ilya Protas all found the back of the net over the course of 14 minutes of hockey. Along with Will Elger getting in on the scoring at the halfway mark to keep the Lancers alive.
The game headed into overtime locked at four goals apiece.
The overtime period was intense, consisting of just one stoppage of play and a phenomenal display of back-and-forth hockey. With the Bucs out shooting Omaha 3-2 in the five minute, three-on-three frame. But, Hendrickson and Dahlmeir stood strong, pushing the contest in to a shootout.
David Posma (OMA), Will Elger (OMA), Ashton Dahms (DM), and Davis Borozinskis (DM) were all shut down in the opening rounds of the shootout.
However, Aleksi Kivioja ended up beating Dahlmeir down low, putting the Lancers up 1-0 in the best-of-three shootout. Des Moines would follow up with a shooting attempt from Protas, but Hendrickson came up big with a poke check. Leading the Lancers to a 5-4 shootout victory and picking up his first USHL win in his debut game.
The Lancers will be back in action tomorrow (3/24) back on home ice for a rematch with the Buccaneers at 4:05PM CT. That game can be streamed on FloSports and Mixlr.
