MUSKEGON, MI – All eyes are on Trinity Health Arena this week as the top defense in the USHL, the Muskegon Lumberjacks, take on the most prolific scoring offense in junior hockey, the Dubuque Fighting Saints, face off for a pair of games on the Lakeshore.
Dubuque remains the only undefeated team in the USHL with a 7-0 record, while the Lumberjacks are just a step behind with a 7-1 record through the first full month of regular-season action.
Week 5 Preview: Familiar Faces at the Top
More often than not, the Lumberjacks and Fighting Saints see each other at the top of the USHL's Eastern Conference. In back-to-back seasons, the teams have met in the Eastern Conference Finals. In 2024, the Saints advanced to the Clark Cup Final, where they fell to the Fargo Force. Last season, the Jacks made their way past the Saints on their way to their first Clark Cup Championship in franchise history. While the stakes this week aren't as serious as win or go home, both teams know that this could be a preview for a Conference Championship matchup.
Success has come in two different ways for the teams. For the Lumberjacks, it's been all about structure. Through the first month of the season, the Jacks boast the USHL's top defensive unit with a league-best 1.88 goals against per game. The goaltending has been great, but the dedication and willingness to clog shooting lanes by players up and down the lineup have been the difference-makers for the Jacks.
On the other side of the ice, Dubuque enters the matchup with the top offense in Junior Hockey. Their 6.43 goals per game average is the highest among Junior Hockey leagues in North America (including Major Junior, Tier I, & Tier II leagues). It's also not like one guy is carrying the other 25 along with him. Ten players on the Dubuque roster are producing at a point per game rate or higher through their first seven games.
Including the postseason, the Jacks hold onto a 42-44-13 all-time record against Dubuque and have won each of the last four meetings. The two-game series in Muskegon brings games 100 and 101 between the two organizations since the 2010-2011 season and promises to be two of the most exciting games in the bunch.
Player Profile: Teddy Lechner
Joining the Lumberjacks ahead of this weekend's games is affiliate skater
Teddy Lechner (Bloomington, MN). A tall defenseman, Lechner stands 6'3 and weighs in at 170 pounds. His size is a strength that should play into the Lumberjacks' defensive structure.
While size is nice, the best defense is one that has the puck on the other end of the ice. Lechner was over a point per game last season in Minnesota High School Hockey at the Academy of Holy Angels. In 24 games played, he collected 28 points. A good chunk of the points were assists, showcasing his ability to find open teammates around the ice and create opportunities for those around him if one isn't available at the moment.
This season, Lechner has been playing in the UMHSEHL with Team APX, where he has 10 points in 15 games. A short break from Team APX saw Lechner suit up in three games for the USNTDP Under-18 Team in the USHL.
Lumberjacks On 2025-26 NCAA DI Rosters
There are plenty of #JacksAlumni sprinkled throughout the NCAA Division I level for the 2025-26 season. Eighty players who have worn the Sawblade will take to the ice for one of the 62 Division I teams.
The ECAC leads the way with 22 Lumberjacks playing in the conference this season. Harvard has the most players on one team, with five donning the Crimson. Michael Callow, Matthew Morden, Justin Solovey, and Philip Tresca are joined by 2025 Clark Cup Champion,
Chase Stefanek, for his first season of College Hockey.
Three teams have multiple players from the Lumberjacks 2024-25 roster, including UMass Amherst, where
Jack Galanek and
Vaclav Nestrasil will play this season, the University of Michigan with
Teddy Spitznagel and
Stephen Peck, and Miami (OH) with
David Deputy and
Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev.
We wish all of the Lumberjacks alumni good luck as they compete for the 2026 NCAA Division I Hockey National 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, with Voice of the Jacks,
Ezra Gennello.
Thirty minutes to puck drop every game day, the West Michigan Honda Dealers Pregame Show takes place on Facebook Live. New for this season, the whole pregame show will be available on FloHockey before all Lumberjacks home games.
Upcoming Games
Fri. October 17 | 7:00 pm ET | vs Dubuque
Sat. October 18 | 6:00 pm ET | vs Dubuque
Fri. October 24 | 8:05 pm ET | at Waterloo
Sat. October 25 | 7:05 pm ET | at Waterloo
Follow the Jacks
Be sure to follow the Muskegon Lumberjacks on social media!
Facebook - Muskegon Lumberjacks
Twitter - @MuskegonJacks
Instagram - @muskegonjacks
Tik Tok – muskegonlumberjacks
About the Muskegon Lumberjacks
The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud and dedicated members of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league and leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The club's goal is to create an environment where student-athletes develop into successful young men both on and off the ice, including playing the game the right way while maintaining their academic focus in the classroom and staying actively involved in the West Michigan community. The organization is committed to providing high-quality, affordable, and top-notch family entertainment while serving as positive role models for the youth and local community.
