Saints Start 2026 with a Win over the Steel
Published on January 2, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
Dubuque, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (20-9-2-0, 42 pts) opened 2026 with a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Steel (12-13-4-1, 29 pts) on Friday night.
The Saints scored once in each period, including Dante Josefsson-Westling's game-winner in the final minute of the second period. The Swedish forward passed a puck all the way down the ice and Chicago goaltender Veeti Louhivaara bobbled it into the Chicago net. Josefsson-Westling's seventh goal put Dubuque ahead 2-0 into the third period.
The Saints started the scoring for the eight-straight game as Eetu Orpana scored the ice breaker at 14:15 of the first. Luke Brierley and Brandt Dubey started the play from the blue line and Orpana redirected his sixth goal into the top of the net to start the scoring.
Through the first 40 minutes, the Fighting Saints outshot the Steel 25-7 to take their lead into the third. Vojtěch Hambálek stopped all seven, but faced a Chicago push in the final frame. The Steel launched 11 shots on the Saints' netminder in the third, scoring once on a power-play goal by Wyatt Herres. That goal made it 3-1 Saints with 7:24 left in the third and Dubuque shut down Chicago the rest of the way.
Dubuque's third goal came from Michael Barron at 7:14 of the third, a power-play tally set up by Teo Besnier and Colin Frank. The goal extended the Saints' season-long streak to seven-straight games with a power-play goal. Barron's ninth of the season extended a career-high point streak to seven games.
Dubuque finished the game with 31 shots on goal and one power-play goal on five chances. The Saints began regulation on a power-play due to a Chicago delay of game penalty from warmups, but Dubuque could not score on that chance or two more in the first. The Saints killed two of three Chicago power plays.
The Saints reached the official halfway-point in the season with their 20th win of the year and head to Geneva tomorrow to finish the weekend series against the Steel.
United States Hockey League Stories from January 2, 2026
- Fighting Five: Saints Visit Steel to Begin Official Second Half - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Benson Buries Shootout Winner. Jacks Edge Riders, 3-2 (SO) - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Dubuque Defensive Effort Stops Steel - Chicago Steel
- Solomon Walks It off as Herd Earn Two Points in OT Thriller in Des Moines - Sioux Falls Stampede
- Saints Start 2026 with a Win over the Steel - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Bucs Battle to OT, Fall, 5-4, to Stampede - Des Moines Buccaneers
- Chambre Shines in Relief - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Stars Fall to Black Hawks - Lincoln Stars
- Fargo Opens Series with 4-2 Friday Night Defeat of Tri-City - Tri-City Storm
- Tri-City, Fargo Begin Two-Game Set Friday Night in North Dakota - Tri-City Storm
- Alumni Set to Lead U.S. at Winter Olympics - USHL
- Fighting Five: Saints Host Steel to Begin 2026 - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- Jacks Open 2026 against RoughRiders - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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