The Fighting Saints and head coach Evan Dixon are aiming for playoff success by leaning on the process that got them to the postseason.
"We are really excited to extend our season," Dixon said. "At the end of the day we are looking to maximize our development in pursuit of a championship. Now, we need to shift our focus to win that championship."
Dubuque solidified a first-round bye after sweeping the Muskegon Lumberjacks by scores of 5-1 and 7-3 in front of the home crowd in the regular-season finale.
Dixon's squad opens up against the same Muskegon team that holds the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and defeated the No. 4 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the opening round of the playoffs.
Dixon feels the group's dedication to working hard all season has led to continued progress heading into the playoffs.
"The way that the group has competed has been prevalent, the way that this group has competed consistently throughout the year has brought them together. I would summarize this regular season as a year with good energy and growth."
The success the Saints have had this season has been driven through captain Teddy Merrill, his motivation throughout practice and his vocal leadership in the locker room.
"He is one of the most competitive players I have been around," Dixon said. "He has been one of our best offensive drivers. He is somebody that holds each guy accountable as a leader and has had a great season for us."
As the playoffs begin, both Merrill and assistant captain Charlie Arend are in the final stretch of their last season of junior hockey. The pair of forwards will look to leave Dubuque as a champion before Merrill heads to Arizona State and Arend joins the Cornell Big Red.
Both players have the experience of playing in a Clark Cup Final and a pair of Eastern Conference Finals. Merrill and Arend each glow when discussing the Fighting Saints organization, and they each had career years this season.
Merrill finished the regular season second on the Dubuque roster in points (30g/30a) and recorded his first four-point night of his USHL career in a 5-1 victory over the Waterloo Black Hawks in the final week of the regular season.
"I am thankful that this team took a chance on me, " Merrill said. "This organization has given me an opportunity to develop for the next level. Dubuque has meant everything to me the past three years, and it has gotten me a scholarship to my dream school."
Arend scored 43 points (18g/25a) and finished seventh on the Dubuque roster in points during the regular season over 52 games.
"It's meant the world to me, it has given me a home for the last three years," Arend said. "I wouldn't change a single thing. I feel that I am a truly better person going through both the negatives and the positives. We have a great group of guys."
For Dixon, the keys to success for a long run in the playoffs will be leadership, a strong work ethic and relentlessness.
"We will need to feel the alignment from our leadership group at any big moment," Dixon said "Throughout the season, I knew that we had something unique. At the beginning of the year we had a nice run through 10 or 12 games, we want to continue our momentum and winning ways this postseason."
The Fighting Saints' finished the regular season with a record of 40-18-4-0, winning 40 games for the fifth time in team history, and for the third-straight season. Dixon became the first Dubuque head coach to accomplish a 40-win season twice, doing so in back-to-back seasons.
Dubuque will look to carry over the success it has had throughout the regular season into a fast playoff start as a "new season" begins.
Game 1 against the Muskegon Lumberjacks is slated for Friday with puck drop set for 7:05 p.m. for a 'Red Out' at ImOn Arena. Tickets are available here.
