Thunder sink Buccaneers

Posted on February 7, 2015

(WJBC file photo)

By Brian Tosti

DES MOINES – A physical hockey game ended in the favor of the Bloomington Thunder 5-2 over the Des Moines Buccaneers from the Buccaneer Arena Friday night. Over 106 penalty minutes were handed out in the game as the Thunder continue to roll, going 5-0-2 in their last seven games. They move up a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference with the Madison Capitols with 41 points at 17-16-7. Four players picked up multi-point games and nine finished the night with a point.

The Buccaneers opened the scoring in the first period when the USHL’s leading defensive scorer Corey Schueneman (Western Michigan University) ripped one upstairs to take the lead. Bloomington would answer back at 10:19 when Pat Curry’s heads up play gave him a one-on-one chance with the goaltender. Curry potted his fifth of the season to tie the game at one. Bucs leading scorer Tanner Karty would be tossed from the game for instigating a fight with Jake Slaker at 12:35 as the Thunder would go on to out shoot Des Moines 11-9 to end the first.

The Thunder would be on the wrong end of some penalties in the second but were strong on the penalty kill in the second. They were 5-5 on the kill in the game and also picked up two goals in the second period. Butrus Ghafari (Western Michigan University) scored his second of the season and then headed to the dressing room for fight with Nicky Wolff (University of Minnesota-Duluth). With just over two to play the Bucs would tie the game but Slaker grabbed a goal at 18:29 to make it 3-2. Logan Lambdin and Blake Gober grabbed assists on the eventual game-winning goal.

The third period moved quickly with chances in the first half, but slowed to a crawl due to physical play and frustration from both teams. Bloomington would see a stellar finish from goaltender Hayden Lavigne (University of Michigan) who was 25 of 27 in the game and earned his fourth straight win. Shane Bednard (Bowling Green State University) put the game out of reach for the Bucs with his 10th goal at 16:33. Then captain Ryan Siroky (Miami University) potted the empty netter for the Thunder to close out the game.

Bloomington moves on to take on the Lincoln Stars Saturday night, completing their six game road trip. The Thunder fell to the Stars in their first meeting but the team is 4-0-1 in five games on the road.

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