USHL Fall Festival (Formerly the Buc Bowl)

The USHL's new & improved Buc Bowl began yesterday. Here's a look at how Wisconsin players and UW recruits fared:

Omaha thrashed Green Bay 6-1. Omaha had 41 shots to Green Bay's 23. Matt Thurber had two assists for the Lancers and finished +1, while teammate Jake Hauswirth also finished +1. Thurber's helpers were on a power play and shorthanded, showing again how valuable he may be to UW on special teams.

Des Moines edged Indiana 2-1. Brent Gwidt was -1 for the Ice.

Ohio got the best of Lincoln by a score of 3-2. Travis Erstad finished even and put four shots on net including an even strength goal. Ross Henry finished even for the Stars as well. On the other bench, Justin Cseter finished +1 for Ohio.

Waterloo outshot Sioux Falls, yet Sioux Falls prevailed 3-1. Wisconsinite Blake Kessel had an assist for Waterloo while fellow Wisconsinite Eric Springer had an assist for Sioux Falls. Keegan Meuer got 7 shots on net in the game but did not manage to score. For Waterloo, Kessel, Brett Olson, Brock Montpetit and Scott Pavelski were even, while Craig Smith and Keegan Meuer were -1. Josh Nelson did not play in the game for Waterloo. Eric Springer and Jake Drewiske finished +1 for Sioux Falls while teammate Sam Zabkowicz finished even.

Tri-City needed a shootout to defeat Chicago 5-4. Defenseman Aaron Schmit finished even for Chicago. Defenseman Kyle Ensign is back playing for Tri-City after sitting out most of last season with an injury. He had an assist in the game, but finished -1. UW recruit Chris Hickey was named First Star of the Game. He had an assist, finished -1, and scored as the fifth and final shooter in the shootout.

Cedar Rapids squeaked past Sioux City 3-2. Forward Kyle Lundey had two shots on net but couldn't dent the scoresheet, and finished even for Sioux City.