Stars to Host Musketeers in Second Round of Clark Cup Playoffs
April 16, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
The Lincoln Stars have a rematch with the Sioux City Musketeers in the Clark Cup Playoffs a season after being eliminated by them last season. The Musketeers swept the Fargo Force in the first round with a 5-2 win Wednesday night.
(Best-Of-Five Series)
Game 1: Friday, Apr. 18 7:05 p.m. Ice Box
Game 2: Saturday, Apr. 19 6:05 p.m. Ice Box
Game 3: Monday, Apr. 21 7:05 p.m. Tyson Events Center
Game 4: Tuesday, Apr. 22 7:05 p.m. Tyson Events Center
Game 5: Thursday, Apr. 24 7:05 p.m. Ice Box
2024-25 IN REVIEW
The Stars received a first-round bye after going a USHL-best 44-15-3-0 in the regular season. Lincoln earned its fourth Anderson Cup and first since 2003.
Lincoln set a new single-season wins record in 2024-25, surpassing 43 wins in the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. The 2024-25 Stars tied for the 11th-most wins in a single season in USHL history. Lincoln recorded a 12-game winning streak Jan. 10 - Feb. 14 for the second-longest winning streak in franchise history. From that point on, the Stars went 25-4-1 to end the regular season.
The Stars led the USHL with 272 goals and broke their single-season record of 246 in 2000-01. Lincoln scored five-or-more goals in a game 27 times, matching 1997-98 for the team record and marking the ninth time doing it at least 20 times in franchise single-season history. This was the 12th season in team history scoring 200-or-more goals.
Jack Pechar (27), Dashel Oliver (26), Daniel Shlaine (24), Gio DiGiulian (22), Bruno Idzan (22) and Lefty Markonidis (20) all scored 20-or-more goals to give the Stars six 20-or-more goal scorers for the first time in franchise history. It was the sixth time that the Stars had at least four different 20-goal scorers in the same season and the first time since 2006-07. It is the third time that the Stars have five 20-goal scorers in the same season, joining the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.
SCOUTING THE MUSKETEERS
The Musketeers went 31-23-3-5 in the regular season to earn the fourth seed in the Western Conference and swept the Fargo Force in the first round of the Clark Cup Playoffs. Sioux City dominated Fargo Tuesday night with a 7-0 win in Game 1. Defensemen Liam Hupka and Drake Murray both scored twice and the Musketeers raced out to a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes. Their first three goals came 3:03 apart midway through the first period. Sioux City finished off the series with a 5-2 win in Game 2 Wednesday night behind two goals from Tate Pritchard.
Giacomo Martino and Landen Gunderson led the USHL with 74 and 73 points, respectively. Martino also finished third with 32 goals while Gunderson led all USHL skaters with 45 assists. The Stars limited Martino to 2 points (1+1) in six meetings but Gunderson led all Musketeer skaters with 8 points (4+4) vs. Lincoln.
Goaltender Samuel Urban has faced the Stars 16 times over the last three seasons. He has a 2.51 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage against Lincoln and made his USHL debut against the Stars Feb. 19, 2023. Urban only allowed five goals in last year's second-round sweep of the Stars and played all 182:57 of the series.
REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Nov. 6, 2024 @ Tyson Events Center: 3-1, Sioux City
Urban made 34 saves and the Musketeers overcame being outshot 36-24, including 16-4 in the second period.
Nov. 30, 2024 @ Ice Box: 4-3, Lincoln
The Stars raced out to a 2-0 lead before the Musketeers tied the game up late in the second period. Daniel Shlaine gave Lincoln its third and final necessary lead of the night at the 11:06 mark of the third.
Dec. 12, 2024 @ Ice Box: 5-2, Sioux City
Urban made 38 saves to help Sioux win despite being outshot, 40-30. Trey Jefferis scored twice and added an assist. The Musketeers were outshot, 31-16, and led 3-2 after two periods before a two-goal third period with a 14-9 advantage in shots.
Feb. 2, 2025 @ Tyson Events Center: Lincoln, 4-3
Lincoln capped a three-game road trip against three different opponents in as many days with a one-goal victory. Etienne Lessard and Bruno Idzan both scored on a five-minute power play late in the second to break a 2-2 tie and put Lincoln in the lead for good.
Mar. 6, 2025 @ Ice Box: Sioux City, 4-3
The Stars raced out to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes but were outscored the rest of the way. The Musketeers tallied three third-period goals and Landen Gunderson scored twice. Sioux City went held Lincoln scoreless on five power-play opportunities.
Mar. 7, 2025 @ Tyson Events Center: Lincoln, 7-2
Lincoln recorded its 11th and final seven-or-more-goals effort of the season behind a four-goal second period. Dashel Oliver (1+2), Caeden Herrington (1+2) and Tanner Henricks (0+3) all recorded three-point efforts.
HEAD-TO-HEAD POSTSEASON HISTORY
2024: Sioux City, three games to none, in Western Conference Semifinals.
2005: Sioux City, three games to one, in first round.
2001: Lincoln, three games to none, in first round.
2000: Lincoln three games to two, in first round.
1999: Lincoln, three games to two, in first round.
1998: Lincoln, four games to one, in first round.
United States Hockey League Stories from April 16, 2025
- Second Round of Clark Cup Playoffs Is Set - USHL
- Stars to Host Musketeers in Second Round of Clark Cup Playoffs - Lincoln Stars
- Stampede to Host Waterloo Black Hawks in Western Conference Semifinals as Playoff Hockey Returns to the PREMIER Center - Sioux Falls Stampede
- League Partners with Johns Hopkins University to Develop AI-Generated Schedule for 2025-26 Season - USHL
- Hawks Resume Clark Cup Chase on the Road this Weekend - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Jacks Fall 4-3. Riders Force Win Or Go Home Game Three - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Waterloo Uses Trio of Third Period Goals to Seal Game 2 Win over Storm, Black Hawks Sweep Best-Of-Three Western Conference First Round Series - Tri-City Storm
- Hawks Offense Sizzles in Series Clincher - Waterloo Black Hawks
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