The Dubuque Fighting Saints skated to a 3-1 win in Game 3 of the USHL Clark Cup Finals against the Fargo Force on Friday.
The Dubuque Fighting Saints staved off elimination in Game 3 of the USHL Clark Cup Finals on Friday night, scoring a goal in each period en route to a 3-1 win over the Fargo Force. Three different skaters found the back of the net for the Saints, while goaltender Kevin Reidler stopped 23 of 24 shots on goal.
Gavin Cornforth, Seamus Powell, and Jake Sondreal all scored for Dubuque, while Beckett Hendrickson, Juraj Pekarcik, Noah Powell, and Lucas St. Louis were credited for assists.
"Lived to fight another day," Dubuque head coach Kirk MacDonald said following the game. "Great job by the guys. We talked about showing up today and just giving ourselves a chance to come to the rink tomorrow. We'll enjoy this for the next few minutes and then we'll start focusing on tomorrow. It's one step. (Fargo is) still winning, but we took a little bite out of (the series)."
In a first period that looked destined to remain scoreless, Cornforth opened the scoring on the power play with 11 seconds left in the frame to give the Fighting Saints a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes. The Dubuque forward cashed in a rebound off to the side of the net after Fargo netminder Hampton Slukynsky turned aside Noah Powell's initial shot. The goal marked Cornforth's third of the playoffs and first in the Clark Cup Finals.
"(Cornforth) has been great in the playoffs, and you're happy to see a guy get rewarded in that situation," MacDonald said. "You need your special teams to step up in games like this, and they did a great job tonight. It was a big goal in a big moment in the game. I think it propelled us for the next 40 minutes."
Approaching the midway point of the second period, Dubuque doubled up its lead on Seamus Powell's second goal of the playoffs. The Fighting Saints' forecheck in Fargo's defensive zone forced a turnover. Pekarcik corralled the loose puck and carried it up the half-wall before finding Powell entering the offensive zone. The Dubuque blueliner then wired a shot past Slukynsky.
Less than five minutes later, Fargo ended Reidler's shutout bid on Reid Daavettila's second goal of the playoffs on a 2-on-1 play in transition. Daavettila led the effort into the offensive zone before dishing the puck to defenseman Leo Gruba, who wristed a shot on goal. Reidler turned aside the initial chance. However, Daavettila was there to bury the rebound to bring the Force back within a goal.
Lucas St. Louis went to the box for interference at the 5:30 mark of the third period, and Reidler made a fantastic save on the penalty kill to hold Dubuque's lead. Just past the midway point of the frame, Sondreal put the Saints back up by two goals after chipping the puck over Slukynsky in front of the net.
"As we've seen all series, (Fargo is) really good in getting traffic in front of net and have some skilled D," Reidler said of the penalty kill in the third period. "It's a challenge, but I think we executed pretty well today, so that was key for us."
Fargo emptied its net late in regulation, but Dubuque held firm to preserve the Game 3 victory. The Fighting Saints will look to even the series on Saturday in Game 4.