Dubuque, IA – The Dubuque Fighting Saints (2-3-0-0, 4 pts) host the Youngstown Phantoms (0-4-0-0, 0 pts) on Friday night to open a weekend series on Pink the Rink Night presented by MercyOne.
Here are five things to know ahead of the matchup:
1. Familiar Foe
The Saints host the Phantoms for the first two of four meetings in Dubuque and six meetings overall this season. This is the first time Dubuque and Youngstown will meet more than four times since the 2022-23 season.
The Phantoms took all four matchups last season with two games finishing in overtime. In the two years prior, the Saints won six of eight games and both losses came in shootouts.
2. Captain Converts
Melvin Ekman has scored in four of the Saints' five games entering the weekend against the Phantoms and leads the team with four goals. The captain is also the team leader with a pair of power-play goals.
Ekman scored 23 times in 62 games last year for the Fighting Saints and has 30 career goals over 111 games played.
3. Lefere Leads
Newcomer Travis Lefere leads the Fighting Saints, along with Joe Wahlund, with seven points this season on two goals and five assists. Lefere has recorded a point in all five games, the longest streak of his career.
Lefere's third junior season is off to his best start after 15 points in 56 games for Waterloo last season. In 2024-25, his first junior season, Lefere skated for Watertown (NAHL) and recorded 32 points in 58 games.
4. Helping Hand
Defenseman Joe Wahlund has seven assists in his last four games, including three multi-assist games for Dubuque. Wahlund recorded two assists in each of the team's games last weekend.
Overall, Wahlund leads all USHL defensemen in points with seven. The defenseman has a plus-three rating for Dubuque as well through five games.
5. Phantom Files
The Phantoms enter the weekend seeking their first win of the season led by new head coach Nathan Paetsch. Youngstown has struggled to score in its first four games with just nine goals so far this season.
Captain Malachi McKinnon returns for the Phantoms after 50 points last season and is the only returner from the Phantoms' top-seven producers from last season's Anderson Cup champion squad. McKinnon has four assists through four games this season.
Friday's game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and tickets are available here. The game can also be found on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey.
