Men's Ice Hockey | 4/4/2026 10:15:00 PM

The United States Hockey League (USHL) has announced dates, times, and matchups for the first round of the 2026 Clark Cup Playoffs.

To optimize athlete recovery and provide the best possible environment for players and fans, the first round of the Clark Cup playoffs will be played the first weekend after the regular season concludes.

The Clark Cup Playoffs open with a three-game first-round series between the #3 and #6 seeds and the #4 and #5 seeds from each conference. All three games will be played at the higher seed's home location. The top two seeded teams in each conference receive a first-round bye.

Following the first round, teams will reseed within their conference. The lowest remaining seed will play the #1 seed, and the higher remaining seed will play the #2 seed. The conference semifinals, conference finals, and Clark Cup Final rounds are all best-of-five series with a 2-2-1 format, with games 1, 2, and 5 played at the higher seed. The higher seed for the Clark Cup Final is determined by which team had more points in the regular season. If the two teams have an equivalent number of regular-season points, the first tiebreaker is regulation or overtime wins.

Eastern Conference
The Youngstown Phantoms and Dubuque Fighting Saints clinched first-round byes.

Game 1: #6 Madison Capitols at #3 Green Bay Gamblers - Friday, April 10, 7:05 p.m. CT
Game 2: #6 Madison Capitols at #3 Green Bay Gamblers  - Saturday, April 11, 6:05 p.m. CT
Game 3: #6 Madison Capitols at #3 Green Bay Gamblers - Sunday, April 12, 5:05 p.m. CT*

Game 1: #5 Muskegon Lumberjacks at #4 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - Friday, April 10, 7:05 p.m. CT
Game 2: #5 Muskegon Lumberjacks at #4 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders  - Saturday, April 11, 7:05 p.m. CT
Game 3: #5 Muskegon Lumberjacks at #4 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - Sunday, April 12, 4:05 p.m. CT*

Western Conference
The Sioux Falls Stampede and Fargo Force clinched first-round byes.

Game 1: #6 Tri-City Storm at #3 Sioux City Musketeers - Friday, April 10, 7:05 p.m. CT
Game 2: #6 Tri-City Storm at #3 Sioux City Musketeers  - Saturday, April 11, 6:05 p.m. CT
Game 3: #6 Tri-City Storm at #3 Sioux City Musketeers - Sunday, April 12, 5:05 p.m. CT*
(Sioux City home games will be hosted at the IBP Ice Center.)

Game 1: #5 Lincoln Stars at #4 Des Moines Buccaneers - Thursday, April 9, 6:35 p.m. CT
Game 2: #5 Lincoln Stars at #4 Des Moines Buccaneers - Friday, April 10, 7:05 p.m. CT
Game 3: #5 Lincoln Stars at #4 Des Moines Buccaneers - Saturday, April 11, 7:05 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 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 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).