WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — The Des Moines Buccaneers (7-5-0-1) rolled the Youngstown Phantoms (4-7-1-0) Friday night at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. Des Moines forward
Bradley Whang led the offense with three points on the night, and
Stepan Rezvyi's breakaway goal proved to be the game-winner in the middle of the second period. Bucs goaltender
Jon Kavcic (4-4-0-0) backstopped the win with 26 saves on 28 shots. The two teams face off again tomorrow night to finish out their season series.
The Phantoms started out the scoring of the game with a goal from Jesse Orlowsky 5:13 into the opening frame. The Bucs responded with a goal from
Bradley Whang at 6:48 to even the score at 1-1 after the first period. Whang's third goal on the season was assisted by forward
Mason Jenson.
The Bucs put up a four-goal second period to extend their advantage, starting with Whang's second goal of the night and fourth on the season on the power-play at 1:58. Whang sent
Riley Zupfer's rebounded shot to the top of the net for a tally that was also assisted by defenseman
Becker Wenkus. Forward
Stepan Rezvyi made it a 3-1 lead with a breakaway goal at 10:34. Rezvyi's second goal of the season also went top-shelf and came off a pass from Sam Wooten in the neutral zone. Wenkus' shot from the blue line on the power play at 13:09 off a pass from Whang found its way through bodies for his fourth goal of the season, showing a score of 4-1.
Zupfer sent home Chris Pinko's rebounded wrap-around attempt 16:02 into the second period for his seventh goal of the year. Tomas Mikel also assisted on Zupfer's goal that brought the Bucs lead to 5-1. Phantoms forward Kamden Kaiser netted a power-play goal for Youngstown at 19:51, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
Des Moines captain
Joseph Argentina capped off the scoring of the game with a short-handed empty-net goal 13:55 into the final frame to show a final score of 6-2.
Tomorrow night, the Bucs at Phantoms face off at the RecPlex again at 6:05 p.m. The Bucs will be hosting our annual Mutt Strut, presented by Tito's Handmade Vodka, and a dog costume contest! Sign your furry friend up for the Mutt Strut here. We'll also have our regular Saturday night specials, and another night of trick-or-treating at the rink. Stick around after the game on the 31st for Signature Saturday. Don't miss out! Buy your tickets here.
Purchase your new merchandise from the Bucs Galley today!
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.
