KEARNEY, Neb. –  Riley Zupfer, Jakub Dubravik, and Blake Zielinski each logged multiple points and Alan Lendak halted 18 of 19 Tri-City shots as the Des Moines Buccaneers defeated the Tri-City Storm 3-1 on Sunday afternoon at Viaero Center. 

The loss ended Tri-City's season-long nine-game point streak and season-long five-game winning streak. The point streak was the second longest by a USHL team this season (Green Bay, 14 games). Tri-City's winning streak tied with Madison for the longest active in the league entering Sunday. Each streak was Tri-City's lengthiest since 2023.  

The Storm (20-18-5, 45 pts) suffered their first home regulation loss since November 22. Des Moines (15-18-7, 37 pts) has won four of its past five contests. 

The Buccaneers struck first just 1:07 into regulation. Following a Zupfer feed in front of the Storm net, the puck pinballed to the stick of Dubravik, who swept a shot past Storm netminder Michal Pradel from just beyond the left wing of the Storm crease. The goal was Dubravik's third with the Buccaneers. 

Des Moines doubled its lead late in the first. At the 19:40 mark of the frame, Zielinski retrieved a puck behind the Storm net and quickly fed Zupfer between the circles. The Notre Dame commit one-timed a rapid point blank shot into the net for his ninth marker of the campaign. 

Neither team scored in the second period, where the Buccaneers outshot the Storm 11-7. 

Down two goals with about five minutes remaining in the third, Tri-City pulled Pradel for an extra attacker. Ashton Dahms found the vacant net with just over four minutes remaining. As each team scrambled for a rebound following a Drew Anastasio shot, Dahms grabbed the loose puck and swiped a backhand shot beyond the right pad of Des Moines goaltender Alan Lendak for his team-leading 13th marker of the year. The former Buccaneer has scored in four of his past seven games. 

After reinserting Pradel to his net, the Storm re-pulled their netminder with just over two minutes left. Des Moines found the vacant cage at the 18:08 mark of the third, concluding the day's scoring. Zielinski gathered the puck on the right halfwall of his defensive zone then flung it to the open Storm goal for his 14th marker of the season. 

Pradel stopped 32 of 34 shots in the game. The Colorado College commit suffered his first regulation loss since December 4 at the USHL American Cup against Youngstown. Lendak picked up his fifth victory with Des Moines, improving his record to 5-3-0 with the Buccaneers. 

Notes: Several Tri-City personal streaks were snapped Sunday…Carson Pilgrim's career-long ten-game point streak came to an end, which was the longest active among USHL players…Brecken Smith's career-long six-game point streak also concluded, which was second-longest active among USHL skaters…Cam Springer's career-high five-game point streak additionally ended, which tied for third-longest in the league.

Up next: Tri-City visits Madison for a two-game series across Friday (7:05 pm CT puckdrop) and Saturday (7:05 pm CT puckdrop) next weekend. Each matchup at LEGACY20 Arena will be broadcast on FloHockey and Storm Radio.