Cranberry Twp, PA – The Dubuque Fighting Saints (0-0-0-0) begin the 2025-26 regular season on Wednesday against the Sioux City Musketeers (0-0-0-0) at the Dick's Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic.
Here are five things to know ahead of the matchup:
1. Saints Start
The Fighting Saints begin the 62-game 2025-26 regular season at the USHL Dick's Sporting Goods Fall Classic this week, taking on the Sioux City Musketeers in the season-opener on Wednesday afternoon.
Wednesday's game will mark the second-straight season Dubuque opens the campaign at the Fall Classic against Sioux City, falling 5-1 in the first game a season ago.
2. Leading Letters
The Fighting Saints named Teddy Merrill as their captain and Charlie Arend, Michael Barron and Colin Frank as assistants ahead of training camp this season.
Each leader is a third-year Fighting Saint and the group has combined for 356 games played for the organization. The quad has also combined for 56 playoff games played, including a trip to the Clark Cup Final in 2024.
3. Always Attacking
Dubuque scored 21 goals during four preseason games to lead the league after finishing fifth with 226 goals last season.
Eetu Orpana scored four times in two preseason matchups, totaling five points during the preseason. Fellow newcomer Cooper Conway led the team with seven points in the preseason.
4. Dubuque Defense
The Saints defense corps and goaltending tandem are all new players from last season's squad. All 10 defensemen on the active roster are new to the USHL on a full-time basis, but Teo Besnier (QMJHL), Luke Brierley (NAHL), Brandt Dubey (NAHL), Jack O'Brien (OHL) and James Russell (BCHL) all have junior experience.
Vojtech Hambálek and Owen Crudale form the goaltending duo for the team. Hambálek logged a .935 in 32 games in the Czechia U20 league last season, while Crudale posted a .924 in 44 games for the NAHL's Philadelphia Rebels.
5. Musketeer Mix
Sioux City featured the top-two point scorers in the league last season in Giacomo Martino (74) and Landen Gunderson (73), but both have moved on to college this season. Gavin Garry leads returners from last season, scoring 11 goals and 34 points.
Trey Jefferis also returns 33 points and was second in the USHL with five short-handed goals for the league's best penalty kill (82.4%) last season.
Wednesday's game begins at 3:30 p.m. CDT at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. The game is also available on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey.
