Muskegon, MI – The No. 2 Dubuque Fighting Saints visit the No. 5 Muskegon Lumberjacks for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal with Dubuque leading the series 2-1.
Here are five things to know ahead of the matchup:
1. Series Status
The Fighting Saints enter Saturday's Game 4 with a two games to one series lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Dubuque is a win away from clinching the series and moving onto the Eastern Conference final for a third-straight season.
In a third-straight season meeting in the playoffs, Dubuque and Muskegon will play a Game 4 for the first time in that span. In a sweep for each team over the last two seasons, both series ended in Muskegon.
2. Fourth-Line Fix
The Saints fourth line scored twice in Friday's Game 3 win, including Gavin Lock's late-second period game-winner. Lock scored his first of the playoffs for Dubuque after a 20-goal regular season.
Early in the third of Game 3, Xavier Lieb scored his second goal of the series. Lock and Lieb each assisted on the other's goal as the fourth line with Lock, Lieb and Trevor Theuer made a big impact in Game 3.
3. Bounce Back
Goaltender Vojtech Hambálek bounced back from a Game 2 loss with a 35-save performance in Game 3 to help the Saints retake the series lead. Hambálek made 30 saves on 36 shots in Game 2, allowing more than four goals for the first time since Feb. 20.
Hambálek has a .909 save percentage through the first three games of the Eastern Conference Semifinal series. The goaltender made 25 saves on 26 shots in Game 1, before back-to-back 30-save performances in Games 2 and 3.
4. Saints Starts
The Fighting Saints have scored the first goal in all three games in the series thus far, continuing their trend of strong starts from the regular season. Dubuque scored first in 41 of 62 regular-season games.
The Saints never trailed in their Game 1 or Game 3 victories. Michael Barron has opened the scoring in the first five minutes of each of the last two games.
5. Muskegon Mix
The Lumberjacks have allowed the first goal in all five of their playoff games. Muskegon allowed more than 20 shots for the first time in the series in Friday's Game 3, allowing 28 Saints shots on net. Carl Axelsson made 23 saves on 27 shots in Game 3 after facing just 36 shots over the first two games.
Viktor Norringer scored and assisted in Game 3 and has four points in the series against the Saints. Second leading regular-season point scorer Melvin Novotny (57) has not recorded a point through the first three games of the series.
Saturday's game begins at 5:10 CDT at Trinity Health Arena. The game will be available on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey.
