DUBUQUE, IA – For the third consecutive year, the Muskegon Lumberjacks face the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the Clark Cup Playoffs. After meeting in the Eastern Conference Final in both 2024 and 2025, the rivalry shifts to the second round in 2026.
Muskegon enters the series following a two-game sweep of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the opening round. Dubuque, meanwhile, earned a first-round bye and will take the ice for the first time since closing out the regular season with a pair of games against Muskegon.
Second Round Preview: Déjà vu. Jacks and Saints Meet in the Postseason
A pair of rule changes to the USHL Clark Cup Playoffs has created an unusual dynamic in the Eastern Conference second round.
The first adjustment reshaped the playoff calendar. In previous years, the postseason began just days after the regular season concluded, with the second round following the next weekend. Now, the top two seeds in each conference receive a full two-week layoff before beginning their playoff run, dramatically altering the rhythm and momentum teams carry into the postseason.
The second change introduced reseeding, ensuring that the highest remaining seed faces the lowest remaining opponent in each round. For the Muskegon Lumberjacks, that results in a matchup with the Dubuque Fighting Saints after the sixth-seeded Madison Capitols pulled off a first-round upset over Green Bay.
As puck drop approaches on Friday night, both teams enter the series under very different circumstances. Muskegon comes in battle-tested, fresh off a physical two-game sweep of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the opening round. The Lumberjacks will look to carry that intensity and game sharpness into Dubuque, hoping to capitalize early against a team that has not seen game action since the final week of the regular season.
Dubuque, on the other hand, is banking on the benefits of rest. With nearly two weeks off, the Fighting Saints have had time to recover, reset, and prepare specifically for this matchup. The question becomes whether that time away translates into a fresh, energized performance, or early rust against an opponent already in playoff form.
That contrast, rest versus rhythm, sets the stage for a compelling second-round showdown between two familiar postseason rivals.
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, tune into the Pregame Show on Facebook Live. New for this season, the whole pregame show will be available on FloHockey before all Lumberjacks home games.
Second Round Schedule
Game One | Fri. April 17 | 8:05 am ET | ImOn Arena | Dubuque, IA
Game Two | Sat. April 18 | 8:05 pm ET | ImOn Arena | Dubuque, IA
Game Three | Fri. April 24 | 7:00 pm ET | Trinity Health Arena | Muskegon, MI
Game Four | Sat. April 25 | 6:00 pm ET | Trinity Health Arena | Muskegon, MI*
Game Five | Tue. April 28 | 8:05 pm ET | ImOn Arena | Dubuque, IA*
*If Necessary
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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, 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.
