Fighting Five: Saints Visit Steel to Open Home-And-Home
Published on October 10, 2025 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
Geneva, IL - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (5-0-0-0, 10 pts) visit the Chicago Steel (4-1-0-0, 8 pts) on Friday to begin a home-and-home weekend between the teams.
Here are five things to know ahead of the matchup:
1. Goals Galore
The Fighting Saints have scored 30 goals so far this season, the most in the USHL after three weeks of action. The Fighting Saints are the only team to average more than 4.6 goals (Cedar Rapids) this season as Dubuque has scored 6.0 per game.
The Saints have scored nine or more goals twice through five games, and 14 goals in the third period of games. Dubuque's third-period scoring differential is plus-11 through five games.
2. Starting Strong
Dubuque's 5-0 record is its best start since the 2019-20 season when the Fighting Saints won their first six games. In that season, the Fighting Saints earned a point in each of their first eight games.
The 2019-20 streak to begin the season is the third-best in Saints Tier-I history, trailing a 7-0 start in 2013-14 and a 9-0 start in 2012-13.
3. Early Excellence
A trio of youngsters, Caden Dabrowski, Kane Johnson and Hayden Russell, combined for three goals and 10 points in Saturday's win. Dabrowski recorded four points, while Johnson scored twice in the lopsided victory. In the 9-1 victory over Omaha, five Saints scored their first-career USHL goals (Dabrowski, Johnson, Cooper Conway, Lincoln Krizizke, Teo Besnier).
Dubuque has five players in their first full-junior seasons with Dabrowski, Johnson, Krizizke, Xavier Lieb and Hudson Lohse. Those five have combined for four goals, 10 assists and a plus-26 rating. Lohse (+9) and Krizizke (+7) are top-two in the USHL in rating.
4. Saints Saves
The Fighting Saints have a team save percentage of .935, the highest in the USHL for teams with five or more games played. Vojtech Hambálek has three wins in as many games for the Saints, logging a .926 save percentage.
Owen Crudale leads the league among qualified goaltenders with a .948 save percentage through two starts for Dubuque. Crudale made 31 saves in his last outing against Omaha on Oct. 4.
5. Steel Stock
The Steel won back-to-back eight-round shootouts against Des Moines last weekend to improve to 4-1-0-0 on the season. Goaltender Sam Caulfield stopped all eight shots on Saturday after Louis-Felix Charrois made six saves in the shootout on Friday.
Luke Goukler leads the team in scoring with three goals, scoring a hat trick on Sept. 19 against Omaha. The Steel lost their only prior home game this season in a 5-3 loss to Madison on Sept. 27.
Friday's game begins at 7:05 p.m. CDT at Fox Valley Ice Arena. The game is also available on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey.
United States Hockey League Stories from October 10, 2025
- Storm Host Force on Friday Night to Begin Home Three-In-Three - Tri-City Storm
- Fighting Five: Saints Visit Steel to Open Home-And-Home - Dubuque Fighting Saints
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