Men's Ice Hockey 1/16/2026 10:38:00 PM Joel Norman

LANCERS FALL LATE IN OVERTIME TO BUCCANEERS

The Des Moines Buccaneers scored with seven seconds left in overtime to defeat the Omaha Lancers, 4-3, on Friday night at Liberty First Credit Union Arena.

Adam Israilov scored twice and Kole Hyles recorded 3 points with a goal and a pair of assists. Omaha (10-23-2-2) held three different leads and a 3-2 advantage after the second period but could not hold on, suffering just its third loss in eight occasions when up after 40 minutes.

Ryan Seelinger netted the overtime winner in the midst of a line change by roofing a shot top-right corner from the far circle. He scored for a fourth straight game to help Des Moines (11-16-3-4) snap a three-game losing streak. Blake Zielinski scored twice a night after playing in the Chipotle All-American Game.

The two teams combined for five goals in the second period after a scoreless first. Hyles stole the puck at the blue line 19 seconds into a four-on-four sequence and scored on a breakaway 5:16 in to put the Lancers up first. It was his team-leading 13th goal of the season and his seventh time lighting the lamp in the last 15 games. Hyles has been a point-per-game player in that stretch with 8 goals and 7 assists.

Zielinski evened the game up on a one-timer from one knee in the near circle at the 8:21 mark. The Lancers quickly responded as Israilov scored on a one-timer blast of his own from the near circle, striking on the power play 1:27 later to put Omaha up, 2-1. That marked the third straight game that the Lancers scored on the man advantage and the eighth time in the last 12 games.

Joseph Argentina helped Des Moines overcome its second deficit when he struck on an odd-man rush at the 15:13 mark. Israilov scored his second goal of the period 12 seconds later when Hyles found him alone right in front of the net from behind the goal line. Israilov's two-goal effort was the Lancers' third multi-goal game of the season.

Omaha was penalized twice, eight seconds apart, just 19 seconds into the third period and surrendered the equalizer again when Zielinski's shot from the left point hit a defenseman and caromed in at the 1:15 mark. The Buccaneers dominated the period, outshooting Omaha, 12-5.

The Lancers wrap up the weekend Saturday night against the Tri-City Storm at home. It's Down Syndrome Awareness Night and the Lancers will be wearing specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off during the game. Tickets are available at bit.ly/LancersHKY

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