Dubuque, IA – The Dubuque Fighting Saints (34-17-4-0, 72 pts) host the Green Bay Gamblers (33-17-3-2, 71 pts) on Friday night to begin a weekend series in Dubuque.
Here are five things to know ahead of the matchup:
1. Saints Stretch
The Fighting Saints continue a final month of the regular season in which they face four of the top-six teams in the USHL. The Saints host Green Bay this weekend with a one-point lead over the Gamblers in the standings for the second bye in the East.
Dubuque will play five of its final seven games at home over the last few weeks, starting with this weekend's series against Green Bay. Dubuque visits Fargo next week, before home matchups with Waterloo and Muskegon to finish the regular season.
2. Common Clinch
With a win on Tuesday in Waterloo, the Fighting Saints clinched a 15th-consecutive berth into the Clark Cup Playoffs. The Fighting Saints have never missed out on the USHL's postseason since returning to the league in 2010-11.
The 15-year streak of qualifying for the postseason is the longest active streak in the USHL. In each of the last two seasons, Dubuque has earned a bye as one of the top-two seeds in the Eastern Conference.
3. Point Parade
Seven Saints recorded multiple points in Tuesday's win against Waterloo, including Caden Dabrowski's four points to tie a career high. Dabrowski scored once and added three assists in the win, while linemates Eetu Orpana and Michael Barron each recorded multiple points.
Colin Frank scored twice, extending his team-lead to 29 goals and becoming the eighth player in Fighting Saints Tier-I history to reach 50-career goals.
4. Defend Dubuque
Goaltender Vojtech Hambálek has a .930 save percentage over his last five games and has allowed two goals, or less, in five of his last seven games.
Last Friday in Youngstown, Hambálek made 33 saves to help the Saints earn a point. In the Saints' lone win against Green Bay this season on Jan. 31, Hambálek made 22 saves on 24 shots.
5. Gambler Gaps
The Gamblers enter with four-straight losses, but have won five of six against Dubuque and all three matchups in Dubuque.
Goaltender Leo Henriquez leads the USHL with a .921 save percentage this season, but his save percentage in three games against the Saints is .897.
Friday's game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT at ImOn Arena and tickets can be purchased here. The game is also available on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey.
