Cornforth Sends Saints to Playoffs with Overtime Goal

March 8, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release

DUBUQUE, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (34-14-0-2, 70 pts) beat the Muskegon Lumberjacks (28-13-4-4, 64 pts) 4-3 in overtime on Friday night.

Just after a minute into overtime, Jonathan Morello and Gavin Cornforth moved up ice on a 2-on-0 rush. Morello fed across the Muskegon slot for Cornforth on the right wing and the Saints' leading-scorer buried his 21st goal of the season. The goal clinched the win and the Fighting Saints' spot in the Clark Cup Playoffs.

Early in the second period, the Fighting Saints led the Lumberjacks 3-1 before Muskegon scored one in the second and one in the third to force overtime. The Saints built a two-goal lead early in the middle frame with a highlight-reel goal by Heikki Ruohonen. The Finnish forward scored his 10th of the season with a backhand under the bar, taking the puck all the way in from the neutral zone.

The Saints opened the scoring for the eighth-straight game with Kristian Kostadinski's fifth goal of the season just 1:10 into the first. After a centering-feed bounced off of a Saints' skate and into the net to tie the game at one, an offensive-zone draw for the Saints led to another lead.

Lucas Van Vliet won the faceoff to Michael Barron, who fed Torkel Jennersjö on the back-side to score his 12th of the season and put the Saints ahead 3-1.

Jan Špunar won his 21st game of the season with 22 saves in the victory. Dubuque stopped the only Muskegon power play, while the Saints did not score on their four chances to end a seven-game power-play goal streak.

Ruohonen led the way with a goal and an assist in the win to extend the Saints lead at the top of the Eastern Conference to three points heading into Saturday's final regular-season matchup against fourth-place Muskegon.

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United States Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2025

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• Fighting Five: Saints Host Lumberjacks to Finish Series - Dubuque Fighting Saints
• Steel Top Fargo 2-1 in Overtime Thriller - Chicago Steel
• Cornforth Sends Saints to Playoffs with Overtime Goal - Dubuque Fighting Saints
• GAMEDAY Preview - Lincoln Stars
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