West Des Moines, Iowa — The Des Moines Buccaneers (21-23-3-4) fell 5-1 to the Dubuque Fighting Saints (33-15-3-0) Friday night at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex. Dubuque goaltender Vojtech Hambalek (24-11-0-0) stopped 30 of 31 shots by Des Moines in the win. Forward Harper Searles tallied the lone goal for the Buccaneers in the final frame. The Bucs return for another home matchup against the Sioux City Musketeers tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.

Dubuque forward Masun Fleece opened the scoring of the match, deflecting the puck back-door off a pass from Lincoln Krizizke at 12:15 to give the Saints the initial 1-0 lead. Dante Josefsson-Westling doubled the Dubuque lead, sending his shot from the right-wing circle top-shelf at 16:28 to bring the score to 2-0.

At 13:35 of the middle frame, Josefsson-Westling found the back of the net on an unassisted short-handed breakaway chance to bring the Saints lead to 3-0.

Saints forward Colin Frank netted his first of the night on the power play 3:07 into the final period to extend the advantage to 4-0. Bucs forward Harper Searles tallied a short-handed breakaway goal at 7:10, assisted by Joseph Argentina to put the Bucs on the board at 4-1. Frank capped off the scoring of the night with another power-play goal at 10:21 to bring the final score to 5-1.

The Bucs return for another home matchup Saturday night, as they host the Sioux City Musketeers at 7:05 p.m. for Faith & Family night, presented by Thrivent. The Bucs will host guest speakers as we celebrate what matters most. Saturday is also $1 dog night, Coors mug club 1/2 off beverages, and Tito's Saturday. Don't miss out on the action! Buy your tickets here. 

2026-27 season tickets available now! More information here.

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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.