SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Sioux Falls Fighting Wiener Dogs scrapped out a 5-2 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center Saturday night. Five different players scored in the contest and Jaxson Stauber grabbed his twelfth victory in net on the season, stopping 23 of 25 shots.
For the second-straight season the Sioux Falls Stampede, dubbed the Fighting Wiener Dogs for one night of the season, took to the ice to celebrate the 13th Annual Sioux Nation Pet Clinic Wiener Dog Races.
The Wiener Dogs were off to the races with a goal by Jakub Lewandowski at the 10:51 mark of the first period. Lewandowski was able to take a Luke Weilandt puck up the ice, dancing around Buccaneer defends to put a bar-down goal over goaltender James Durham. Three minutes later Jared Westcott made a heads-up play by chasing down a puck on a line change as Durham banked it off the end wall not noticing the forward coming behind him. Westcott was able to easily take the puck and slide it into the back of the net for the 2-0 lead.
Austin Heidemann scored his seventh of the season with :42 seconds remaining in the first period to give the roaring, sold-out crowd of 10,678 a three-goal advantage heading into the first intermission.
Goaltender Durham was replaced by Cameron Rowe to begin the second period. The Buccaneers tallied the next two goals, once in the second period from Manuel Alberg on the power play and again 1:16 into the third period. Two minutes later defenseman Cameron Boudreau took a puck himself into the offensive zone and put a perfectly timed goal over an outstretched Rowe. Garrett Pinoniemi and Timo Bakos assisted on the play.
Brenden Olson sealed the game with an empty-net goal with :40 seconds remaining in regulation. The Herd finished 0-for-2 on the power play and 2-of-3 on the penalty kill. Captain Ryan Sullivan made his 100th career appearance in the United States Hockey League and goaltender Jaxson Stauber took sole possession of fifth in career wins in a Stampede sweater.
Between the game wiener dog Letty won her first career wiener dog race in the final race during the second intermission.
The Sioux Falls Fighting Wiener Dogs return to the ice tomorrow night against the surging Omaha Lancers with a 5:05 p.m. puck drop. Fans can catch the game streaming live at HockeyTV.com or listen live on KELO Radio 107.9 FM, 1320 AM or Kelo.com.
(Jasen Robbennolt contributed to this report)
