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USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints

Weekend Primer: Fighting Saints Take on RoughRiders in Home and Home

February 22, 2019 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release


The Fighting Saints, winners of three in a row and with points in their last five, are back in action against a familiar February foe. Dubuque will match up against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders for the fourth and fifth times this month. Dubuque is currently 2-1-1-1 this season against CR. The Fighting Saints split with the RoughRiders two weekends ago.

-Dubuque is currently in the midst of one of their best streaks this season. The Fighting Saints longest win streak is four games, with a win Friday they would match that number. Dubuque's longest point streak is six games and they would match that number as well with a win or loss after regulation.

-The Fighting Saints offense, after struggling for the first month and a half after winter break, has heated up once again. Dubuque was averaging 2.12 goals per game in their first 15 games back. In their last three games they have 15 goals scored. The Saints have received points from 17 different players during the three game stretch.

-Not to be outdone, Cedar Rapids is working on a nice streak of their own. In fact, the RoughRiders have won four in a row and seven of their last 10 games. CR has allowed more than two goals once in their last eight games and that was to Dubuque. The RoughRiders have allowed a stingy 1.57 goals per game in the month of February.

-The winner of the first five games this season series has scored the first goal of the game. In both of the Fighting Saints wins, Matias Maccelli has kicked things off for Dubuque with the first tally. Both of Dubuque's wins have been the highest scoring games of the season series. If the score stays below five goals combined, CR has won.

-The RoughRiders are the second best defensive team in the league this season, with just 115 goals allowed. The RoughRiders 2.67 goals allowed per game are also second best in the league. A large reason for that is Blake Pietila and his play, especially in the second half of the season. Pietila has a 2.57 GAA and a .909 save percentage. He is 9-3-0-1 since winter break.

-At 23.3% the Fighting Saints sport the third best power play in the USHL. Dubuque is behind Youngstown and Waterloo who lead their respective conferences. The Saints have been opportunistic with their power plays. They have just 133 opportunities, the second fewest in the league. Dubuque is 6-20 in their last 8 games on the PP.

-The Fighting Saints have 18 games remaining on their schedule and just three of them are currently against teams below them in the standings. With how tight some of the standings are, that could change, but it is suffice to say that Dubuque does not have an easy schedule the rest of the way.

-Dubuque is sandwiched in between the RoughRiders and the Youngstown Phantoms in the Eastern Conference standings at the moment. Dubuque is a point back of CR with one more game played and a point above Youngstown with one more game played.

-The Saints do have multiple advantages on their side during the stretch run of this season. First, the Saints only have six road games remaining, tied for the fewest in the league. Second, the Saints have no road game longer than three hours the rest of the season.

-Dubuque will need to improve on their home record if they want to maintain their place in the standings. Dubuque has the fourth lowest winning percentage on home ice. They do have the second fewest home games played, however, so there is plenty of opportunity to improve on their record.

-CR is a decent road team, but they have been phenomenal on home ice. The RoughRiders have the best winning percentage at home in the Eastern Conference. They are 7-2-0-1 in their past 10 games at Cedar Rapids Ice Arena and they have allowed just 2.71 goals per on home ice, third lowest in the USHL.

-While the East standings are tight, so are the Dupaco Cowbell Cup standings. Waterloo still sits at the top with 10 points in eight games. However, CR has six points in six games and Dubuque has five points in six games. If either of them sweep the weekend series, the standings will be very interesting with each team holding four remaining games.

-The key for Cedar Rapids in a lot of their wins has been a quick start. The RoughRiders own the second best goal differential in the league in period one. CR is a plus-22 in the first period of play. In 12 of their 23 wins, CR has scored a goal in the first 10 minutes of the first period.

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 22, 2019


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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