West Des Moines, Iowa — The Des Moines Buccaneers (4-3-2-2) secured a 4-3 victory against the USA Hockey NTDP U-17s (2-8-2-0) Friday night at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. Blake Zielinski powered the Des Moines offense with three primary assists on the night. Bucs goalie Max Weilandt (4-2-2-2) stopped 25 of 28 shots in the victory, while USA goalie Nate Chizik (1-2-1-0) fought off 39 of 43 shots in the defeat. The Bucs and NTDP return to the MidAmerican Energy Company Recplex tomorrow night for a 7:05 p.m. rematch.
NTDP forward Hudson Salvador opened the scoring of the match 4:09 into the opening frame, assisted by Christian Semetsis to give USA the 1-0 lead. Bucs forward Jakeb Lynch responded with his first goal of the season on the power play at 13:49, burying a wide-angle shot off a tic-tac-toe play forwards Blake Zielinski and Riley Zupfer to tie the contest 1-1. Des Moines defenseman Ryland Randle brought the Bucs ahead with just 53 seconds remaining in the first period, forcing a shot past Chizik for his first goal of the season. Randle's goal at 19:07 was assisted by Zielinski and Ryan Seelinger and saw Des Moines with a 2-1 lead.
USA forward Rocco Pelosi tied the score just 2:18 into the middle frame, assisted by NTDP defensemen Diego Gutierrez and Carson Scott. Bucs forward Riley Zupfer notched his second goal of the season, sending a pass from Zielinski to the back of the net at 9:15. Zupfer's goal as also assisted by defenseman Jason Davenport, bringing the Bucs ahead 3-2.
Bucs defenseman Keaton Orrey tallied his first goal of the season on the power play 12:43 into the final frame, extending the Des Moines lead to 4-2. Orrey's shot from the point flew past the USA defense off a pass from forward Theo Kiss, and was also assisted by forward Nathan Hauad. USA attempted a comeback late in the third period, as defenseman Jake Boguniecki snuck a puck past Weilandt at 18:17. The Bucs were able to hold off the NTDP for the final minutes, showing a final score of 4-3.
The Buccaneers return to the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex for a rematch against the U-17s Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7:05 p.m. It is Tito's, Mug Club presented by Coors, and Signature Saturday! Saturday the Bucs will also be hosting a pre-game Scheels Floor Hockey Clinic at the RecPlex
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About the Buccaneers
Founded in 1980, the Des Moines Buccaneers are a proud member of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation's premier junior hockey league. The Bucs have a history of success in the USHL, including 4 Clark Cup Championships, 4 Anderson Cup Championships, and 54 alumni drafted to the National Hockey League, including Stanley Cup Champions Kyle Okposo, Alex Chiasson, Trevor Lewis, Davis Drewiske, and Erik Cole. The organization is committed to developing young players on and off the ice, preparing them for a future in collegiate and professional careers. Known for their passionate fan base, the Bucs play their home games at The MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex, a multi-sport complex in West Des Moines, Iowa.
To learn more, visit www.bucshockey.com or follow the Bucs on social media: @bucshockey on X and Instagram, @desmoinesbuccaneers on TikTok, and Des Moines Buccaneers on Facebook. For more information about ticket packages, including season and group outings, please contact (515) 278-2827.
