By Jordon Lawrenz
Contributing Writer
After taking game one on Monday night in the best of three playoff series, the Gamblers season came to an end Wednesday night. The Dubuque Fighting Saints didn’t let the 1-0 series deficit phase them, answering with a 5-2 win on Tuesday night, followed by a 3-2 series clinching win.
The Gamblers were slow starters in game one of the series, scoring all four goals in their 4-1 victory in the third period. Wednesday night’s game three was quite the opposite. Green Bay jumped out to a 9-1 shots on goal advantage in the first six and a half minutes, before later netting their first goal at the 9:33 mark. Aidan Park led the three on two breakaway and got the job done, allowing the Gamblers to jump out to a 1-0 lead.
Just a few minutes later, the Fighting Saints answered. Dubuque didn’t let their first powerplay go to waste as Ryan St. Louis scored at the 12:25 mark. St. Louis’s shot was only the third on goal for Dubuque.
At the end of the first period, the game was tied at one but the Gamblers were clearly dictating the pace. With 15 shots on goal compared to the seven of Dubuque, the Gamblers were looking to start the second peroid strong.
Ultimately, that wasn’t the case. Dubuque scored two goals in the first ten minutes of the second period. Caelum Dick was the first to strike eight minutes into the period, with Owen Michaels answering just two minutes later. While the Gamblers had 23 shots on goal compared to the Fighting Saints 14, Dubuque carried a 3-1 lead heading into the third period.
Fans at the Resch Center were riled up at the officials after they felt a few calls didn’t go their way. Green Bay was able to silence the officiating with a shorthanded goal 10:18 into the third from Bodie Nobes. Nobes would net the last goal of the Gamblers season after they failed to send the game into overtime.
Kristoffer Eberly was able to come to the bench with 1:45 remaining, allowing the Gamblers a six on five advantage. Jimmy Clark recorded the Gamblers final shot on goal of the season with 28.9 seconds remaining. After a timeout, the Fighting Saints controlled possession of the puck and finished their 1-0 series comeback.
Marcus Brannman completed the game for Dubuque with 34 saves. Eberly stopped 17, respectively. Including the playoffs, the Fighting Saints were 6-5 against the Gamblers this season. #5 Dubuque will now play #1 Chicago in the quarterfinals in the Eastern side of the Clark Cup Playoffs.
Even with the loss, the Gamblers made history this season. First time since 2018, Green Bay reached the Clark Cup Playoffs. The Gamblers clinched the #4 seed with their 32-23-3-4 record, putting up 70 points in the regular season.