Checking out the Bucs at the Tyson Events Center

Linda and I wanted to stop in at another USHL facility this year and the Tyson Events Center got the nod. The Bucs would be playing there before the snow started flying and a the trip wouldn't be too long.

The Tyson Events Center is a very modern looking facility built conjoined with the city's historic municipal auditorium. The auditorium has been converted to a family recreational center making for a pretty active hub of community activity.

The ice arena was set up and really looked quite nice. With 10,000 seats, it's more than double the size of KGGO Arena but the crowd would have fit in Des Moines.

The Bucs played a good game but fell behind early 1-3. With less than ten minutes to play, they scored two goals within a minute of one another and the intensity was up a notch. I heard a man behind me compliment the Bucs on their skill at passing the puck around, looking for the open shot. A penalty late set up the power play that lead to a Musketeer goal. Trailing 3-4 in the final minutes, the Bucs pulled their goalie and mounted a ferocious attack. When Sioux City cleared the puck out of their end and went on the attack, the Bucs put up a staunch defense, often sacrificing their bodies to block shots. Neither team scored as time ran out. As we were leaving, we heard another Musketeer fan say that they were suprised to have been able to hold on under the closing attacks. The Bucs have shown improvement but still have some work to do.