Dubuque Fighting Saints Open USHL Playoff Run Against Familiar Foe Muskegon

It’s playoff time in Dubuque, and if it feels a little familiar... That’s because it most certainly is.

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For the third straight year, the Fighting Saints will meet Muskegon in the postseason, and as Josh Starr put it during our latest conversation, “it’s a pretty good rivalry at this point.” This time, Dubuque has the edge: home ice advantage and a team that looks like it’s hitting its stride at exactly the right moment. Overall, they've been quite dominant in the USHL when it comes to scoring this year.

The Saints (40-18-4) closed the regular season in style, sweeping Muskegon with commanding 5-1 and 7-3 wins. That momentum matters, but Starr was quick to point out that the playoffs are a different animal entirely. “It gets a lot harder to score, and everything tightens up.”

That’s where Dubuque’s identity starts to shine, especially when it comes to their Penalty Kill. The Saints finished the regular season killing penalties at an 81.5% clip while also tying for the league lead with 10 shorthanded goals. For the Saints, it’s not just about surviving penalties, it’s about flipping the ice and creating serious momentum when under pressure. By the way, the Saints Power Play finished the regular season ranked #1 overall and cashed in on 64 goals.

And then there’s our goaltending. Netminder Vojtech Hambalek has been red-hot down the stretch, posting a .933 save percentage over his last 10 games. According to Starr, that could be the X-factor. If he stays in that range, “the Saints are going to win these hockey games.” Simple as that.

Offensively, Dubuque is anything but short on firepower, too. With playmakers like Michael Barron, Teddy Merrill, and leading goal-scorer Colin Frank, the Saints proved all season they can strike fast, scoring first in 41 of 62 games. As a team, the Saints managed to score a whopping 272 goals during regular season play, most of any team in the USHL. That fast-start mentality becomes even more critical in a best-of-five series. “You run out of real estate,” Starr said. “You’ve got to start well.”

Obviously Muskegon isn't going to make it easy on the Saints. With a strong presence on defense and a reliable goaltender in Axelsson, the Lumberjacks bring both size and playoff experience, especially considering they are the defending USHL champions. More importantly though, Dubuque knows what’s coming and believes in their game.

And then, there's the atmosphere factor in Dubuque's ImOn Arena. A “red out” is planned for Games 1 (Friday, April 17) and 2 (Saturday, April 18), and if the regular season was any indication, it’s going to get LOUD (so bring those cowbells and join in). The Saints tied for the most home wins in the league this year (21), and that energy could make all the difference for our on-ice Saints.

In Dubuque, we're all excited, and it's our right to be. This team is confident, prepared, and never gets "too high or too low" according to Starr. That's just the way you want to be heading into the postseason: steady and ready. Grab your tickets here for Saints playoff hockey action!

Let’s be honest, Dubuque has got the pieces to lift another Clarke Cup, this year. If you want to hear the full interview with Josh Starr, tune in to Eagle 102.3 during the 4 PM hour on Wednesday, April 15th, 2026. As for me, I'll be hanging out at the Arena on Saturday night for Game 2! As for the rest of the games, you can catch them all on Eagle 102.3 and streaming on our website or mobile app.

Now… let’s go Saints.