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USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Fighting Five: Saints Start Weekend with Final Trip to Chicago

April 5, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


GENEVA, IL - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (39-12-3-4, 85 pts) travel to take on the Chicago Steel (26-25-3-4, 59 pts) to open a home-and-home on Friday night.

Here are five things to know ahead of the matchup:

1. Conference Clinch

With a shutout-win on Tuesday night in Waterloo, the Fighting Saints clinched home-ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs for just the third time in their history. This season will be the first since 2012-13 that Dubuque has home-ice advantage throughout the conference playoffs.

The Fighting Saints are also one victory away from just their third 40-win season in Tier-I Franchise history. Only the 2012-13 and 2021-22 Saints squads were able to cross the 40-win threshold.

2. Hendy's Hammer

Beckett Hendrickson has seven points in the last three games for the Saints, including a goal and an assist in Tuesday's win. Hendrickson has three goals and seven points in his last three games for Dubuque.

The future University of Minnesota Golden Gopher has six goals and 14 points in 12 games since joining the Fighting Saints. Dubuque has found a spark with Hendrickson's future Gopher teammate Erik Påhlsson and Juraj Pekarcik on a line alongside the newest Saint. In eight games as a line, the trio has combined for 33 points.

3. Steel Stained

Pekarcik has been a dominant playmaker throughout the course of the season, sitting second in the USHL with 45 assists. Of his 45 helpers, 20 have come on the power play for the second most power-play dishes in the league.

The St. Louis Blues' draft pick has a goal and seven assists for eight points over two matchups with Chicago so far this season.

4. Top Stops

Kevin Reidler logged his third shutout of the season with 29 saves on Tuesday. Reidler's .903 save percentage is the fourth-best among qualified goaltenders in the USHL.

Reidler's three shutouts are the second-most in the USHL and he has won 13 of his last 15 appearances. Reidler is tied for the league-lead with 26 victories this season.

5. Steel Stock

The Saints have launched 97 shots on goal in two games against Chicago this season, winning both previous matchups. In those two contests, Dubuque has scored 11 total goals to lead to the pair of wins. Chicago is two points away from clinching the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

In the previous matchup on March 24, the Saints held the Steel's top-scoring trio of Michael Hage, Charlie Major and Mick Thompson scoreless. Those three have combined for 86 goals and 204 points this season. The rest of the Steel roster has combined for 288 points.

Friday's game begins at 7:05 p.m. CDT at Fox Valley Ice Arena and can be found on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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