Sioux Falls, S.D. — The Des Moines Buccaneers (18-19-3-4) fell 4-1 to the Sioux Falls Stampede (31-13-2-0) Saturday night at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. Bucs goalie Andrei Nikolaev (2-3-0-0) stopped 22 of 25 shots by the Stampede, outdueled by Linards Feldbergs' (24-9-1-0) 28 saves. The Bucs return home for a weeknight matchup against the Lincoln Stars next Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 6:00 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. 

Stampede forward Joseph McGraw opened the scoring of the contest 4:14 into the first period, inching the puck past Nikolaev to bring Sioux Falls the initial 1-0 lead. Bucs forward Ryan Seelinger responded at 6:25, shooting from the low slot for his 26th goal on the season. Seelinger's game-tying goal was assisted by forwards Owen Tylec and Rhys Wallin. Sioux Falls clapped back with two more goals to close out the opening frame, from forwards Ryder Betzold and Logan Renkowski. Betzold tapped the puck in at 8:40 and Renkowski found an open back door at 11:49 to bring the Stampede ahead 3-1.

After a scoreless middle frame, Stampede forward Cooper Soller capped the scoring of the game with an empty-net goal at 19:59 of the final frame to show a final score of 4-1.

The Bucs return home for a weeknight matchup against the Lincoln Stars next Tuesday, February 17, at 6 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. Don't miss out on the action! Buy your tickets here. The Bucs then head to Madison, Wis., for a pair of matchups against the Capitols next Friday and Saturday at Bob Suter's Legacy20 Arena. 

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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.