Cranberry Twp, PA – The Dubuque Fighting Saints (1-0-0-0, 2 pts) erupted to tie a franchise record in goals in a 10-2 win over the Sioux City Musketeers (0-1-0-0, 0 pts) in the season-opener on Wednesday night.

The Saints' offensive outburst began in the opening frame with a three-goal barrage in just 3:10 of game time. Colin Frank's first of two goals started the run before Eetu Orpana and Melvin Ekman finished it. Captain Teddy Merrill scored a highlight-reel goal just a few minutes later with a 'Forsberg' move to make it a 4-0 game.

After a Sioux City goal after that, the Saints converted on the power play in the second period with Merrill's second of the night. Merrill, Orpana and Frank each scored multiple goals in the victory.

In the third period, Dubuque scored five more goals to sandwich a second Musketeers goal in the period. Orpana and Frank scored their second goals in the final frame, while Dante Josefsson-Westling, Gavin Lock and Jáchym Prušek each scored their first.

Dubuque opened the Fall Classic with a convincing win, scoring 10 goals to match three other 10-2 victories for a franchise high since 2010. Before Tuesday, the Saints scored 10 against Cedar Rapids on April 1, 2016; Team USA on March 26, 2021 and Madison on Nov. 4, 2022. It is the first time Dubuque accomplished the feat away from ImOn Arena in Dubuque.

The Fighting Saints finished the night with 34 shots on goal and scored twice on four power-play chances. Dubuque's penalty kill stopped all four Sioux City chances in the contest as well.

Vojtech Hambálek made 18 saves on 20 shots in his USHL debut, earning a victory for the Fighting Saints.

The Saints had 14 of 19 skaters record a point in the win over Sioux City, with 11 multi-point efforts out of those 14. Masun Fleece, Orpana and Ekman all led the way with three points each as the Saints rolled to a record-setting win.

Dubuque returns to the ice to finish the Fall Classic on Thursday night to take on the Waterloo Black Hawks.