Clark Cup Playoffs: Conference Semifinal Previews

Ryan Sikes

Men's Ice Hockey | 4/15/2026 9:20:51 AM

On to the Conference Semifinals.

The Madison Capitols, Muskegon Lumberacks, Lincoln Stars, and the Sioux City Musketeers moved past the opening round and will begin the Conference Semifinals on the road. The Youngstown Phantoms, Dubuque Fighting Saints, Sioux Falls Stampede, and Fargo Force will host the first two games after earning first-round byes.

Different from the first round, the Conference Semifinals shift to a best-of-five series using a 2-2-1 format. The higher seed plays host in Games 1, 2, and 5.

#6 Madison Capitols vs. #1 Youngstown Phantoms

The Capitols swept Green Bay in two road games to advance out of the first round. Madison took both matchups by a pair of 2-1 decisions, including an overtime thriller on Saturday to clinch the series. Nolen Geerdes led the team in scoring with two goals and one assist after a 29-point regular season. Caleb Heil anchored the crease, allowing only two goals on 63 shots. 

The Phantoms enter the postseason as Anderson Cup champions. Cooper Simpson leads the offense following a regular season where he racked up 34 goals and 40 assists to finish second in league scoring. In net, Tobias Trejbal had a league-leading 2.12 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and three shutouts. 

During the regular season, Madison won three of the five head-to-head meetings.

Schedule
  • Game 1: #6 Madison Capitols at #1 Youngstown Phantoms - Friday, April 17, 7:05 p.m. ET
  • Game 2: #6 Madison Capitols at #1 Youngstown Phantoms - Saturday, April 18, 6:05 p.m. ET
  • Game 3: #1 Youngstown Phantoms at #6 Madison Capitols - Friday, April 24, 7:05 p.m. CT
  • Game 4: #1 Youngstown Phantoms at #6 Madison Capitols - Saturday, April 25, 7:05 p.m. CT*
  • Game 5: #6 Madison Capitols at #1 Youngstown Phantoms  - Tuesday, April 28, 7:05 ET*
*If necessary

#5 Muskegon Lumberjacks vs. #2 Dubuque Fighting Saints

Muskegon is one step closer to defending their Clark Cup championship, having swept Cedar Rapids in two road games during the first round. Melvin Novotny had two goals and one assist and Viktor Norringer had one goal and two assists to power the Lumberjacks’ offense. Carl Axelsson was outstanding in net and finished the opening round with a 2.00 GAA.

The Fighting Saints bring an explosive offense that led the league with 272 goals during the regular season. Michael Barron and Teddy Merrill power the attack, as both players reached the 60-point mark this year. Vojtech Hambalek was strong in between the pipes throughout the season, posting a 2.75 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage over 44 starts. 

The two teams split their six head-to-head meetings during the regular season.

Schedule
  • Game 1: #5 Muskegon Lumberjacks at #2 Dubuque Fighting Saints - Friday, April 17, 7:05 p.m. CT
  • Game 2: #5 Muskegon Lumberjacks at #2 Dubuque Fighting Saints - Saturday, April 18, 7:05 p.m. CT
  • Game 3: #2 Dubuque Fighting Saints at #5 Muskegon Lumberjacks - Friday, April 24, 7:10 p.m. ET
  • Game 4: #2 Dubuque Fighting Saints at #5 Muskegon Lumberjacks - Saturday, April 25, 6:10 p.m. ET*
  • Game 5: #5 Muskegon Lumberjacks at #2 Dubuque Fighting Saints - Tuesday, April 28, 7:05 p.m. CT*
*If necessary

#5 Lincoln Stars vs. #1 Sioux Falls Stampede

The Stars dropped their opening game against Des Moines but bounced back to win the next two and take the series. Layne Loomer stayed hot in the first round, racking up three goals and seven points. Kade Kohanski contributed four points, while Alex Pelletier delivered a massive two-goal performance in the decisive Game 3. Will Prowse was in net for both of the Stars’ wins, finishing the round with an .892 save percentage.

The Stampede dominated the Western Conference during the regular season, scoring 267 goals and allowing only 173, the second-fewest in the league. Thomas Zocco, who had a 70-point regular season, and Logan Renkowski, who had 63 points, lead the charge for the Herd. Linards Feldbergs held down the fort in net with a 2.51 GAA and a .910 save percentage, posting a 35-12-2-0 (W-L-OTL-SOL) record.

Sioux Falls controlled the regular-season series against Lincoln, winning five of their six matchups.

Schedule
  • Game 1: #5 Lincoln Stars at #1 Sioux Falls Stampede - Friday, April 17, 7:05 p.m. CT
  • Game 2: #5 Lincoln Stars at #1 Sioux Falls Stampede - Sunday, April 19, 4:05 p.m. CT
  • Game 3: #1 Sioux Falls Stampede at #5 Lincoln Stars - Friday, April 24, 7:05 p.m. CT
  • Game 4: #1 Sioux Falls Stampede at #5 Lincoln Stars - Saturday, April 25, 6:05 p.m. CT*
  • Game 5: #5 Lincoln Stars at #1 Sioux Falls Stampede - Tuesday, April 28, 7:05 p.m. CT*
*If necessary

#3 Sioux City Musketeers vs. #2 Fargo Force

The Musketeers handled Tri-City in two games to complete the first-round sweep in Sioux City. Ashton Schultz led the team with two goals and two assists, including the overtime winner in the series opener. Trey Jefferis also contributed a goal and three assists. Sioux City utilized both goaltenders in the first round, as Ryder Shea stopped 25 of 27 shots in while Jack Fichthorn turned aside 29 of 33.

The Force allowed just 168 goals during the regular season, the fewest in the Western Conference. Ajay White played a massive role in that defensive success, posting a 2.48 GAA and a .905 save percentage. On offense, Kolin Sisson has made a major impact since his trade, recording 24 points in 21 games. Graham Jones and Luke McNamara also provide primary scoring, as both reached 50 points this season.

After the teams split eight head-to-head meetings during the regular season, this looks to be another evenly matched series.

Schedule
  • Game 1: #3 Sioux City Musketeers at #2 Fargo Force - Saturday, April 18, 6:05 p.m. CT
  • Game 2: #3 Sioux City Musketeers at #2 Fargo Force - Sunday, April 19, 5:05 p.m. CT
  • Game 3: #2 Fargo Force at #3 Sioux City Musketeers - Thursday, April 23, 7:05 p.m. CT
  • Game 4: #2 Fargo Force at #3 Sioux City Musketeers - Friday, April 24, 7:05 p.m. CT*
  • Game 5: #3 Sioux City Musketeers at #2 Fargo Force - Tuesday, April 28, 6:05 p.m. CT*
*If necessary

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and nine of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 90% 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 Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).