West Des Moines, Iowa — The Des Moines Buccaneers (1-2-0-1) fell to the Chicago Steel (3-1-0-0) in a shootout loss Friday night at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. A three-goal middle frame for the Steel saw Chicago ahead 3-2 after two periods, but Bucs forward Nate Delladonna's goal in the final frame took the match into extra time. Steel goalie Louis-Felix Charrois (2-1-0-0) made 26 saves on the night, outdueling Bucs goalie Max Weilandt (1-2-0-1), who stopped 19 of 22 Chicago shots on goal. The Bucs return to the MidAmerican Energy RecPlex for a rematch against the Chicago Steel Saturday, October 3, at 6:05 p.m.
Bucs forward Joseph Argentina netted the lone goal of the opening frame on the power play at 8:50 off a rebounded shot by Ryland Randle. Blake Zielinski also tallied an assist on Argentina's second goal of the season that brought the Bucs up 1-0.
Three quick goals for Chicago found the Steel ahead 3-1 less than seven minutes into the middle frame. The first came on the power-play from forward Jackson Crowder at 3:56 with a hand from Ashton Schultz and Alex Calbeck. Another power-play goal at 5:40 from Schultz was assisted by Tobias Ohman and Marco Senerchia. The third Chicago goal was scored by Easton Pace from James Scantleberry and Kolin Sisson at 6:55. Bucs forward Harper Searles halved the deficit at 17:48 with his first goal of the season, assisted by forward Luke Norcross. Searles' shot from the bottom of the left-wing circle flew past Charrois to bring the score to 3-2.
Bucs forward Nate Delladonna scored the lone goal of the third period at 9:08. Delladonna's second goal of the season was assisted by forward Rhys Wallin and defenseman Ryan Kroll to send the match into overtime at 3-3.
After a scoreless overtime, the Steel took the shootout win. Weilandt fought off 5 of 8 Chicago attempts in the shootout, just shy of Charrios' 6 saves on Des Moines. After 65 minutes and eight shootout rounds, the Steel took the 4-3 victory.
The Bucs are back at home tomorrow, October 4 for a rematch against the Chicago Steel at 6:05 p.m. It's
Kids' Opening Day, with a kid-run show, a hockey stick pencil giveaway, $3 off Tito's drinks, and Mug Club Saturday. It's also our first
Signature Saturday, featuring the whole Bucs roster on the ice post-game to give autographs!
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.
