Men's Ice Hockey | 9/17/2026 7:59:28 PM

Four new teams played on the second day of the USHL Fall Classic in Chicago as the Des Moines Buccaneers and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders left the Windy City with a pair of wins to open the 2026-27 campaign.

By the Numbers

11 - Combined goals for the Des Moines Buccaneers as they started their season with back-to-back wins. After defeating the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Wednesday, the Buccaneers toppled the Youngstown Phantoms with a commanding 7-3 win fueled by a hat trick from Mason Jenson. Joseph Argentina had a four-point game with one goal and three assists to complete his six-point weekend.

1:53 - Into overtime, Muskegon tender Zaac Charbonneau found the back of the net for his first USHL goal and the Lumberjacks' first win of the 2026-27 campaign. Muskegon overcame two one-goal deficits in its win.

35 - Shots for the Dubuque Fighting Saints, an offensive output that reflected on the scoresheet where they won 6-3 in their first game of the season. The Fighting Saints scored twice in each period. Kane Johnson had two goals, while Travis Lefere had a goal and two helpers.

3 - Points for Nathan Chorlton, who had a goal and two assists in Cedar Rapids’ 4-2 win against the Sioux City Musketeers.

2 - Power-play goals for the Fargo Force. They struck twice on the man advantage in the second period as they topped the Green Bay Gamblers, 2-1.

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 315 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).