Muskegon, MI – The No. 2 Dubuque Fighting Saints visit the No. 5 Muskegon Lumberjacks for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal with the series tied at one.
Here are five things to know ahead of the matchup:
1. Split Series
The Fighting Saints and Lumberjacks continue their best-of-five Eastern Conference Semifinal series in Muskegon tied at one game apiece.
Dubuque took Game 1 at home 2-1 before the Lumberjacks won Game 2 in Dubuque 6-2 last Saturday. The series shifts to Muskegon for Games 3 and 4 this weekend.
2. Rookies Ready
Rookie forward Xavier Lieb scored the game-winning goal in Game 1, assisted by USHL All-Rookie First Team defenseman Lincoln Krizizke as both players made an impact in their first USHL Clark Cup Playoff games.
Lieb scored eight goals during the regular season over 52 games for the Fighting Saints. Krizizke added 18 points from the Dubuque blue line over 51 games.
3. Road Runners
The Fighting Saints finished the regular season with eight wins in their final 12 road games, recording points in 10 of those 12 matchups. Dubuque's overall road record was 17-10-3-0 in the regular season.
Seven of the final 12 road games for the Saints came against teams that qualified for the Clark Cup Playoffs. The Saints earned points in five of those seven contests.
4. Saints Stopper
Goaltender Vojtech Hambálek made 25 saves in the Game 1 win over the Lumberjacks and played three of the four regular season matchups in Muskegon. In Game 2, Hambálek allowed six goals on 36 shots.
The Game 2 loss was the first time Hambálek allowed more than four goals since Feb. 20. Prior to Game 2, the Saints netminder allowed three goals or less in nine of his last 11 appearances.
5. Muskegon Minute
The Lumberjacks had six different goal scorers in their Game 2 win on Saturday in Dubuque. Leading regular-season scorer Drew Stewart logged his first points of the series with a goal and an assist. Stewart had 61 points in the regular season and is tied for the team lead with four in the postseason.
Melvin Novotny, who had 57 points to trail only Stewart in the regular season and had three in the first round against Cedar Rapids, has been held off the scoresheet in the first two games of the series.
Friday's game begins at 6:10 CDT at Trinity Health Arena. The game will be available on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey.
