Lumberjacks Return to Clark Cup Final. Take on Stampede for USHL Title
USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Lumberjacks Return to Clark Cup Final. Take on Stampede for USHL Title

Published on May 13, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


MUSKEGON, MI - After an exciting Conference Finals round in the USHL Clark Cup Playoffs, the stage is set for the Eastern Conference Champion Muskegon Lumberjacks and Western Conference Champion Sioux Falls Stampede to battle for the Clark Cup in a best-of-five championship series.

The Lumberjacks and Stampede last met in the Clark Cup Final in 2015, when the Herd captured the second championship in franchise history. Sioux Falls enters the series chasing their fourth Clark Cup title, while Muskegon looks to repeat as champions after winning the Clark Cup for the first time last season.

Series Preview: This Ones for All the Marbles

The 2026 Clark Cup Final brings together two teams with plenty of history as the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Sioux Falls Stampede battle for the USHL's top prize. While both clubs reached the championship series, they took very different paths to get there.

Muskegon entered the holiday break in first place before sliding down the standings late in the season, ultimately beginning the playoffs as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Sioux Falls, meanwhile, controlled the Western Conference throughout the regular season and secured the top seed with a comfortable lead.

The playoff journeys, however, were remarkably similar. After sweeping Cedar Rapids in the opening round, the Lumberjacks were pushed to the limit in back-to-back five-game series against Dubuque and Madison. Sioux Falls earned a first-round bye as the top seed but also survived a pair of five-game battles, defeating Lincoln and Fargo in rounds two and three.

The interconference matchup featured only two regular-season meetings between Muskegon and Sioux Falls, both played during a weekend series in Sioux Falls, with each team earning a victory.

The Stampede claimed the opener on Friday, January 9, by a 7-4 score. Cooper Soller and Brock Schultz each scored twice, while Joey Macrina added a goal and two assists as part of a balanced Sioux Falls attack. For Muskegon, Chuck Blanchard (West Hartford, CT) scored two goals in the loss.

The following night, the Lumberjacks responded with a 5-3 victory. Blanchard again scored twice, while Drew Stewart (Minnetonka, MN) posted a three-point performance with two goals and an assist. Goaltender Carl Axelsson (Danderyd, SWE) was outstanding, stopping 54 of 57 shots to earn the win.

With only two meetings between the teams, both coming months ago, preparation and pre-scouting will play a major role heading into the series. Establishing a strong start and quickly adapting to each opponent's systems could prove to be the difference in deciding the 2026 Clark Cup champion.

Keys to the Series

Act like you've been there, because you have

The memory of the 2025 Clark Cup Championship is still fresh throughout the Lumberjacks organization. While the focus remains on the task at hand, that experience provides a valuable advantage, understanding the pressure, the atmosphere, and what it takes to win on this stage.

Protect Your Goalie

Both Muskegon and Sioux Falls made life difficult on opposing goaltenders during the Conference Finals by creating heavy traffic and constant pressure around the net. Limiting second chances, clearing rebounds, and reducing shot volume will be key to giving your goalie the best opportunity to succeed.

Enjoy the Moment

Playing for the Clark Cup is an experience few players ever get the chance to have. Enjoy the atmosphere, feed off the crowd's energy, and use the excitement of the moment as motivation in the pursuit of a championship.

Over the Airwaves

FloHockey is the official live stream partner of the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Follow along all season long on FloHockey, or with a free internet radio feed available on Mixlr and the Lumberjacks Hockey Network presented by Gray Supply Corp, with Voice of the Jacks, Ezra Gennello.

Thirty minutes to puck drop every game day, tune into the Pregame Show on Facebook Live. New for this season, the whole pregame show will be available on FloHockey before all Lumberjacks home games.

Eastern Conference Finals Schedule

Game One | Fri. May 15 | 8:05 pm ET | Denny Sanford PREMIER Center | Sioux falls, SD

Game Two | Sat. May 16 | 7:05 pm ET | Denny Sanford PREMIER Center | Sioux falls, SD

Game Three | Fri. May 22 | 7:00 pm ET | Trinity Health Arena | Muskegon, MI

Game Four | Sat. May 23 | 6:00 pm ET | Trinity Health Arena | Muskegon, MI*

Game Five | Tue. May 26 | 8:05 pm ET | Denny Sanford PREMIER Center | Sioux falls, SD*

*If Necessary

Check out the Muskegon Lumberjacks Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from May 13, 2026


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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