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About the USHL
The United States Hockey League and its 16 member clubs are committed to being the leading 16–20-year-old junior hockey league in the world. More than half of Division I men’s hockey roster spots are held by USHL alumni and more than 195 alumni were listed on NHL rosters at the start of the 2024-25 season.
The league’s player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel), Cole Caufield (NTDP), Adam Fantilli (Chicago Steel) and Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede).
Muskegon 4, Cedar Rapids 1
(Muskegon Wins Series 2-1, Advances to Conference Semifinal vs. Youngstown)
Box Score // Video Recap
Muskegon saw four different skaters find the back of the net in their 4-1 win over Cedar Rapids on Wednesday.
With the win, the Lumberjacks clinch the series and will face the Youngstown Phantoms in the second round.
The ‘Jacks scored all four of their goals in the first period, beginning with Teddy Spitznagel’s first tally of the playoffs at the 2:09 mark of the frame.
David Deputy made it a two-goal advantage for Muskegon less than three minutes later, redirecting Drew Stewart’s wrister from the slot.
Muskegon scored twice on their five-minute major advantage late in the first period. David Klee buried a loose puck to the left of the cage for his first goal of the postseason. Xavier Veilleux added his first less than one minute later.
The ‘Jacks carried a 21-to-5 shots-on-goal advantage and a 4-0 lead on the scoreboard into the first intermission.
The RoughRiders got one back on Grant Young’s second goal of the playoffs near the end of the second period. The Cedar Rapids forward cleaned up a loose puck in front after the initial redirection was turned aside.
That would be all that Muskegon netminder Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev would allow. The Miami commit turned aside 30-of-31 in his first start of the playoffs. AJ Reyelts made 30 saves for Cedar Rapids.
Sioux City 5, Fargo 2
(Sioux City Wins Series 2-0, Advances to Conference Semifinal vs. Lincoln)
Box Score // Video Recap
Tate Pritchard scored twice in the Sioux City Musketeers’ 5-2 win over the Fargo Force on Wednesday.
With the win, Sioux City advances to the second round and will face the Anderson Cup Trophy-winning Lincoln Stars.
After a scoreless first period, the Musketeers opened the scoring on Landen Gunderson’s first goal of the postseason less than two minutes into the frame.
Giacomo Martino made it a two-goal advantage seven minutes later after Fargo netminder Alan Lendak misplayed the puck behind his own net.
Kuzma Voronin brought the Force back within one late in the frame with a power-play goal on a sharp-angle shot from below the right dot.
Into the third period, Matthew Lansing evened the score at 2-2 early in the frame after redirecting Sam Laurila’s shot from the point.
However, Sioux City answered with three goals, including two from Pritchard, who potted the go-ahead goal on a wrister from the right circle.
Just over four minutes later, Drake Murray extended the Musketeers’ lead with his third goal of the postseason.
Pritchard found the back of the net for the second time, an empty-netter to punch Sioux City’s ticket to the second round.
Samuel Urban made 22 saves on 24 shot attempts for the Musketeers, while Lendak turned aside 12-of-16 for Fargo.
Tuesday, April 15
Cedar Rapids 4, Muskegon 3
(Series Tied 1-1)
Box Score // Video Recap
Heath Nelson scored the go-ahead goal with 59 seconds left in regulation to lift the RoughRiders to a win over Muskegon and force a decisive Game 3 on Wednesday night.
Cedar Rapids trailed 3-1 in the third period before ripping off three unanswered goals to close out regulation.
John McNelis opened the scoring at the 7:31 mark of the first period, a power-play tally for the RoughRiders.
Muskegon responded with three consecutive goals, including two from rookie forward Tynan Lawrence. The Boston University commit scored his first off a faceoff in the second period and went coast-to-coast in the third.
Chase Stefanek also found the back of the net to round out the scoring for the ‘Jacks.
Grant Young brought Cedar Rapids back within a goal at the 3:33 mark of the third period. Kole Hyles tied the game eight minutes later. Nelson gave the Riders their first lead of the game with his first goal of the postseason.
AJ Reyelts turned aside 15-of-18 shots on goal for Cedar Rapids, while Stephen Peck made 22 saves for Muskegon.
Waterloo Black Hawks 7, Tri-City Storm 3
(Waterloo Wins Series 2-0, Advances to Conference Semifinal vs. Sioux Falls)
Box Score // Video Recap
The Black Hawks saw six different skaters find the back of the net, including a pair of goals from Kaeden Hawkins in Tuesday’s 7-3 win over Tri-City.
With the win, Waterloo advances to the second round and will face the No. 2 seed, the Sioux Falls Stampede.
The Black Hawks and Storm traded goals in the first period.
Hawkins opened the scoring at the 1:55 mark of the frame to give Waterloo a 1-0 lead. Artemi Nizameyev tied the game less than two minutes later on a wrister from above the left-wing circle. Waterloo’s Brendan McMorrow scored his second goal of the playoffs one minute later. Shaun McEwen tied the game for the Storm with just over seven minutes left in the frame.
Easton Hewson and Chase Jette found the back of the net for Waterloo in the second period to give Waterloo a 4-2 lead. Dylan Nolan scored with 36 seconds left in the frame to bring Tri-City back within a goal.
However, the Black Hawks scored three times in the third period, including an empty-net goal from Teddy Mallgrave to secure Waterloo’s spot in the second round.
Carter Casey made 20 saves. Including nine in the third period for the Black Hawks. Kyle Jones made 33 saves for the Storm.
Madison Capitols 5, Green Bay Gamblers 3
(Madison Wins Series 2-0, Advances to Conference Semfiinal vs. Dubuque)
Box Score // Video Recap
The Caps scored three times in the first period and added a goal in both the second and third periods to skate past the Green Bay Gamblers 5-3 on Tuesday.
With the win, Madison advances to the second round and will play the No. 2 seed, the Dubuque Fighting Saints.
Ryker Lee opened the scoring at the 7:33 mark of the first period on a pass from Finn Brink. Egor Barabanov doubled up Madison’s lead just over one minute later on a play in transition. Mason Moe found the back of the net for the third time in the postseason late in the frame.
Madison made it a four-goal advantage with under eight minutes left in the second period on Sam Kappell’s second goal of the playoffs.
Will Zellers got Green Bay on the board late in the period, his first of the postseason.
The Gamblers closed the gap with goals from Anthony Cardilli and Egor Shilov in the third period. However, Gavin Uhlenkamp punched Madison’s ticket to the second round with an empty-net goal.
Caleb Heil turned aside 30-of-33 for Madison, while Gavin Moffatt made 16 saves for the Gamblers.
Sioux City Musketeers 7, Fargo Force 0
(Sioux City Leads Series 1-0)
Box Score // Video Recap
The Musketeers rode a four-goal first period to a Game 1 win over the Fargo Force on Tuesday.
Drake Murray opened the scoring at the 7:51 mark of the first period and added his second goal late in the frame. Trey Jefferis and Liam Hupka also found the back of the net for Sioux City.
Nikita Klepov made it a five-goal lead for the Muskies midway through the second period on a shot in front of the Fargo net.
Hupka added his second of the night early in the third period before Justin Stupka potted his first goal of the postseason less than five minutes later.
Samuel Urban stopped all 14 of Fargo’s shots on goal to pick up the shutout. Alan Lendak and Dane Callaway combined for 20 saves for the Force.
Monday, April 14
Muskegon Lumberjacks 2, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders 1
(Muskegon Leads Series, 1-0)
Box Score // Video Recap
Vaclav Nestrasil scored the go-ahead goal late in regulation to lift Muskegon over Cedar Rapids in Game 1.
The ‘Jacks took a 1-0 lead with under five minutes left in the opening frame on Jack Galanek’s first goal of the playoffs. David Klee won the faceoff for Muskegon, and Galanek immediately wired a shot into the back of the Cedar Rapids net.
Amine Hajibi tied the game up for RoughRiders early in the third period. Following a Muskegon turnover in their own zone, Hajibi wristed a shot from the right circle into the net.
Tynan Lawrence appeared to have scored the go-ahead goal with four minutes left in regulation. However, the goal was reviewed and overturned for goaltender interference.
With just over one minute left in the third period, Nestrasil buried a sharp-angle shot after forcing a turnover in Cedar Rapids’ defensive zone.
Stephen Peck turned aside 31-of-32 shots on goal for Muskegon, while AJ Reyelts made 26 saves for the RoughRiders.
Waterloo Black Hawks 2, Tri-City Storm 1
(Waterloo Leads Series, 1-0)
Box Score // Video Recap
Brendan McMorrow scored the go-ahead on a play in transition to lift the Waterloo Black Hawks over the Tri-City Storm in Game 1.
Tri-City’s Carmelo Crandell opened the scoring late in the first period on a breakaway after he was sprung free on a breakout pass in the defensive zone from Landon Fandel.
Waterloo evened the score with just over six minutes left in the second period on Bradley Walker’s first goal of the postseason. The University of Miami commit fired his shot through traffic, and the puck deflected off a Tri-City defender into the back of the net.
Waterloo held a 25-16 shots-on-goal advantage after 40 minutes of play.
The Black Hawks took the lead late in the third period on McMorrow’s wrister from the left dot. The University of Denver commit fired the puck into the back of the Tri-City net after receiving a drop pass from Waterloo forward Hunter Ramos.
Carter Casey turned aside 23-of-24 shots on goal for Waterloo including all 16 over the final two periods. Michal Pradel made 34 saves for Tri-City.
Madison Capitols 4, Green Bay Gamblers 3
(Madison Leads Series, 1-0)
Box Score // Video Recap
Mason Moe scored a pair of goals, and Madison skated to a 4-3 win over Green Bay in Game 1.
The Gamblers jumped out to a 2-0 lead midway through the opening frame, with goals from Niles Benson and Aidan Park. However, Ian Scherzer brought Madison back within a goal late in the period on a 2-on-0 breakaway.
Sam Kappell tied the game at the 8:02 mark of the second period after cleaning up a loose puck in front of the Green Bay net.
Green Bay answered two minutes later on Park’s second goal, a power-play tally, to give the visitors a 3-2 lead.
Moe got his first of the night late in the second period on a shot from the low slot before potting his second early in the third period.
Caleb Heil picked up the win in net for the Caps, turning aside 20-of-23 shots on goal, while Gavin Moffatt made 31 saves for the Gamblers.
