USHL Conference titles on the line

The United States Hockey League ‘Final Four’ will battle it out for East and West Conference titles beginning this weekend.

The top two seeds have been vanquished in east as the Bloomington Thunder completed a five-game upset of the Anderson Cup Champion Cedar Rapids RoughRiders while the Dubuque Fighting Saints got by the Green Bay Gamblers in four games.

In the Western Conference, it will be top seeded Tri-City Storm who knocked off the defending Clark Cup Champion Sioux Falls Stampede squaring off with the Waterloo Blackhawks who got by the Lincoln Stars in four hard fought contests.

EASTERN CONFERENCE 

Dubuque Fighting Saints (39-19-1-1 — 80 points) vs. Bloomington Thunder (36-18-5-1 — 78 points)

While technically classed as upsets due to final regular season positioning, there was only seven points separating first from fourth in this division and these two clubs had just two points between them.

The two teams met four times during the season beginning with a 4-3 edge in overtime for the Fighting Saints at Bloomington back on Halloween 2015. Dubuque also won the other game at Bloomington 4-2 Feb. 21 and grabbed a 5-2 win at home March 7, the Thunder capturing a 5-3 win in the final meeting of the season at Mystique Ice Center in Dubuque March 25.

In the opening round, the Thunder went toe-to-toe with the regular season champs, dropping the opener at Cedar Rapids 7-3 April 15 but bouncing back with a 7-2 win the following night the even the series. The RoughRiders grabbed home ice advantage right back with a 3-1 on April 22 but the Thunder avoided elimination with a 1-0 overtime win the following night, sending the series to its limit back in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday (April 26).

A late goal to break a 2-2 draw, followed by two more into an empty net sent the Thunder to the next round.

In the other series, the Fighting Saints also started out with a loss, dropping a 3-2 decision April 17 at the Resch Center in Green Bay, but rebounding with a 3-2 overtime win the following night to even the series. Back in Dubuque on April 22 the Fighting Saints grabbed a lopsided 6-1 and the home team finished it off the following night with a 2-1 edge.

Because of the deep run, Bloomington has several shooters among the top in the league so far, led by Jake Slaker, a 19-year-old center from Chicago who has picked up three goals and seven assists in five games so far. He will take his act to St. Lawrence University next season.

Also among the leaders is Logan Lambdin (Michigan State), 20, from Careton, MI with four goals and three assists while Brogan Rafferty, (Quinnipiac), 20, from West Dundee, IL has two goals and four helpers.

Fighting Saints’ top shooter so far is Keegan Ford, (Michigan Tech), 19, from Waunakee, WI and Nathan Sucese, (Penn State), 19, from New York has two goals and an assist.

Hunter Miska (Minnesota Duluth), 20, from North Branch, MN has put up some solid numbers in goal for the Fighting Saints, handling 122 of 129 for a Goals Against Average of 1.56 and a Save Percentage of .946. Hayden Lavigne, (Michigan), has played all five games for the Thunder so far, the 20-year-old Ontario native stopping 115 of 125 for a 2.80 GAA and a .916 SP.

The Best-of-Five East Conference Championship Series begins Friday night at Dubuque. Listed below is the schedule for the series — all games times are CST

Game 1 — Friday April 29 at Dubuque Mystique Ice Arena — 7:35 p.m.

Game 2 — Saturday April 30 at Dubuque Mystique Ice Arena — 7:05 p.m.

Game 3 — Friday May 6 at Bloomington US Cellular Coliseum — 7 p.m.

Game 4 (If Necessary) — Saturday May 7 at Bloomington US Cellular Coliseum — 7 p.m.

Game 5 (If Necessary) — Tuesday May 10 at Dubuque Mystique Ice Arena — 7:05 p.m.

WESTERN CONFERENCE 

Tri-city Storm (28-15-10-7 — 73 points) vs. Waterloo BlackHawks (31-24-2-3 –67 points)

While technically classed as upsets due to final regular season positioning, there was only seven points separating first from fourth in this division and these two clubs had just two points between them.

The two teams squared off four times during the regular season and it was Waterloo taking wins of three of them, including both at Tri-City. Those were back in late October 2015 — a 3-2 win in overtime followed by a 4-1 win the following night. The two squared off again in Waterloo Jan. 8-9 with the first game a 6-3 decision for the Storm and Waterloo capturing a 4-3 win in overtime the following night.

In the opening round of the post season, the Storm went up against the Sioux Falls Stampede, defending Clark Cup champs. The Storm grabbed control with a 4-0 win in the opening contest April 14 and a 4-2 victory the following night. Sioux Falls hosted the third game, but home ice couldn’t help them, the Storm making it a sweep with a 4-1 win.

The BlackHawks opened its series with the Stars at Lincoln and took the opener on the road with a 2-1 edge on April 15, only to have the Stars bounce back with a 5-0 shutout the following night. BlackHawks grabbed control on home ice with a 4-3 win April 22 and wrapped up the series in double overtime the following night — again with a 4-3 edge.

Dan Labosky (Wisconsin), a 20-year-old left winger from Edina, MN led the way offensively so far for the Storm with a goal and five assists in three games while four others — Wade Allison, (Western Michigan), 18, from Manitoba; Alex Limoges, (Cornell), 18, from Virginia, Carson Meyer, (Miami), 18, from Powell, OH and Nico Sturm, (Clarkson), 20, from Germany; each collected two goals and two assists.

For the BlackHawks, Ronnie Hein, (Ferris State) 19, from Chelsea, MI and Sam McCormick, (Ohio State) 19, from De Pere, WI both collected two goals and two assists against Lincoln while Ryan Lohin, (Mass-Lowell) 19, from Pennsylvania picked up a goal and three helpers and Mikey Anderson, (Minnesota-Duluth), 16, collected two goals and an assist.

In goal, Jake Kielly, (Clarkson) 19, from Eden Prairie, MN turned aside 82 of 85 in three games and led all keepers in both GAA (1.00) and SP (.965). In goal for the BlackHawks in all four games so far has been Cale Morris, (Notre Dame) 19, from Colorado. He has stopped 129 of 140 shots for a 2.36 GAA and a .921 SP.

The Best-of-Five Western Conference Championship series will begin Friday (April 29) in Nebraska. Listed below is the schedule for the series — all games are CST.

Game 1 — Friday April 29 at Tri-City Viaero Center — 7:05 p.m.

Game 2 — Saturday April 30 at Tri-City Viaero Center — 7:05 p.m.

Game 3 — Friday May 6 at Waterloo Young Arena — 7:05 p.m.

Game 4 (If Necessary) — Saturday May 7 at Waterloo Young Arena — 7:05 p.m.

Game 5 (If Necessary) — Tuesday May 10 at Tri-City Viaero Center — 7:05 p.m.