Men's Ice Hockey | 4/1/2026 9:31:42 PM

The Dubuque Fighting Saints came out flying and set the tone early, scoring twice in the opening period to take control against the Waterloo Black Hawks.

Gavin Lock opened the scoring midway through the first, finishing off a setup from Dante Josefsson-Westling and Teddy Merrill. Just 27 seconds later, Melvin Ekman doubled the lead with his 21st goal of the season, capitalizing on assists from Ludvig Lafton and Merrill to give Dubuque a 2–0 advantage.

The physicality picked up late in the period, with multiple penalties assessed to both sides, but Dubuque carried its two-goal lead into the intermission.

In the second period, the Black Hawks responded. Hayden Russell got Waterloo on the board at 5:50, finishing a play from Jimmy Rieber and Dylan Nolan to cut the deficit to 2–1.

Dubuque pulled away in the third period behind captain Teddy Merrill, who delivered a dominant performance. Merrill first scored on the power play to restore a two-goal cushion, then added his second of the night to make it 4–1.

Later in the period, Masun Fleece added another for the Fighting Saints, his 24th goal of the season, extending the lead and pushing his career-high point streak to 12 games. 

Merrill’s second tally marked his 30th goal of the season, a new USHL career high, and capped off his first four-point performance in the league, a standout night for the Fighting Saints captain.

Three Stars

1st Star: Teddy Merrill, F, Dubuque Fighting Saints
2G, 2A, 4 PTS
2nd Star: Melvin Ekman, F, Dubuque Fighting Saints
1G, 1A
3rd Star: Hayden Russell, F, Waterloo Black Hawks
1G


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 eight 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 optimSunday's action across the USHL featured strong team performances, milestone moments, and physical play from start to finish. Four games highlighted the afternoon slate, with offensive surges and steady goaltending shaping the outcomes.