Fighting Five: Saints Host Lumberjacks to Open Weekend
March 7, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
DUBUQUE, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (33-14-0-2, 68 pts) host the Muskegon Lumberjacks (28-13-3-4, 63 pts) to open a two-game series on Friday night.
Here are five things to know ahead of the matchup:
1. Conference Collision
The Saints finish the season series against the Muskegon Lumberjacks, another top-contender in the Eastern Conference this weekend. The teams are separated by just five points as they meet for the last two times of the regular season.
The Saints and Lumberjacks split their two previous meetings in November in Muskegon with the Saints taking a 3-1 win to open the series before Muskegon took the finale 4-3 on Nov. 30.
2. Power Push
The Saints have scored a power-play goal in seven-straight games entering the weekend and are fifth in the USHL at 24.8% this season.
Gavin Cornforth has 16-career power-play goals for the Fighting Saints and is tied with Noah Powell for the all-time franchise lead since 2010. Cornforth has eight power-play tallies this season, including one last weekend against Chicago.
3. Producing Points
Josh Giuliani has points in five-straight games and eight total in that span, while Jonathan Morello recorded a career-high four points last Friday and five total in the weekend sweep against the Steel.
Morello's new-look line with wingers Colin Frank and Cornforth produced 14 combined points in the pair of victories last weekend against Chicago.
4. Busy Bunch
Dubuque begins a stretch with two three-game weekends in a span of three weeks, playing eight games over a 16-day stretch. Following this weekend, the Fighting Saints will have just 10 games remaining in the regular season.
Dubuque has a 5-1-0-0 record in the six games played in its previous two three-in-three weekends.
5. Loaded Lumberjacks
The Lumberjacks have allowed the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference and have scored at a higher rate since the teams last met.
Muskegon averaged 3.0 goals per game in its first 19 games played leading into the series with the Saints in late November. With the additions of David Deputy and Ivan Ryabkin after that series, the Lumberjacks have scored 3.67 per game in the last 27 contests.
Friday's game begins at 7:05 p.m. CST at ImOn Arena and tickets can be purchased here. The game can also be found on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey.
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