Saturday, August 31, 2013

Fighting Saints win Bronze at JCWC

Press Release

 OMSK, Russia - The Dubuque Fighting Saints are bringing some hardware back to the United States. Alexx Privitera was credited with a hat trick, and Brett Boeing had three assists, as Dubuque captured the bronze medal thanks to a 4-1 win over Belarus’ Dynamo-Shinnik Saturday in their final game at the 2013 Junior Club World Cup. The Fighting Saints represented the United States, the City of Dubuque, and the United States Hockey League at the international event, and the club finished the tournament with a 3-2-0 record.

Alexx Privitera continued his stellar tournament for the Fighting Saints and opened the game’s scoring. With Dubuque cycling the puck in the offense zone, Brett Boeing wrapped the puck around the goal and dished it back to Privitera at the right point. Alexx let a slapshot go that found its way through the body of goalie Glen Ageyev at 5:45 to make it 1-0 Dubuque.

The second period saw Dubuque dominate the play and add a pair of goals to extend its lead. Dubuque outshot Dynamo-Shinnik 15-3 in the game’s second period, and got goals from Andrew Gaus and Alexx Privitera. Gaus scored first for Dubuque at 6:25, converting on a two-on-one rush. Boeing brought the puck down the left wing side, and flipped a pass across to Gaus who lifted a wrist shot up and over Ageyev’s glove to make it 2-0.

The elder Privitera would convert for his second goal of the game at the 9:50 mark of the second period. The puck was cycled back to the blueline by Boeing, and Privitera let a wrist shot go that appeared to be deflected, and went right through Ageyev’s legs to make it 3-0. Privitera said after the game that Dylan Gambrell deflected the shot, but the goal stood as Privitera’s on the scoresheet.

In the third period, Dynamo-Shinnik would have their best chances of the game, outshooting Dubuque 12-6. Arthur Brey stood tall in net, allowing only a late Denis Dranko goal, and made several key saves in the final period, including a fantastic lunging blocker save on a penalty shot. The Fighting Saints got their lone goal of the third period as Privitera completed the hat-trick, scoring on the powerplay 8:06 into the frame on a slapshot from the blueline.

Dubuque outshot Dynamo-Shinnik 36-22 in the game to claim the bronze medal. In the three-year history of the Junior Club World Cup, the United States is the only country to claim a medal twice. Last year the Waterloo Black Hawks represented the USHL and took home silver, while this year Dubuque claimed bronze.

The Fighting Saints will now travel back to the United States tomorrow. Sunday will be a long day of travel for the Fighting Saints, as the team will travel by plane from Omsk to Moscow, Moscow to Munich, Germany, and Munich to Chicago. The team will then bus back to the Mystique Community Ice Center and arrives home just before midnight.

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

No comments: