Fargo, Waterloo and Cedar Rapids Tie for USHL Lead at 24 Points

Three Teams Share the Summit at 24 Points

The United States Hockey League reached a crowded crossroad Saturday night as Fargo, Waterloo, and Cedar Rapids all secured victories to stay deadlocked atop the league standings with 24 points apiece, the USHL reported.

Waterloo currently owns the league’s best points percentage at .800 with an 11-2-2-0 record and holds a game in hand over its rivals at the summit. Behind them, the race shifted across the map with weekend sweeps and dramatic third-period surges that reshaped the conference standings.

Dubuque and Sioux City Spark Third-Period Surges

Dubuque climbed into second place in the Eastern Conference by orchestrating a stunning six-goal unanswered run after trailing Muskegon 2–1. Olle Darth sparked the comeback with a tying goal 18 seconds left in the first period, eventually finishing the night with three points (2-1). The Fighting Saints now sit at 17 points, overtaking Muskegon in the conference hierarchy.

In Sioux City, the Musketeers manufactured a third-period barrage to erase a 3–1 deficit against Omaha, rattling off five unanswered goals to claim a 6–3 victory and their second straight win. Daniil Butin spearheaded the effort with three points, contributing one goal and two helpers.

Aerial view of cedar rapids iowa downtown

Madison Dominates Youngstown in Weekend Sweep

Madison completed a dominant weekend sweep against Youngstown by outscoring the Phantoms 15–9, punctuated by an 8–4 blowout where eight different Capitols players found the back of the net.

Special Teams and Late-Clock Heroics Decide Tightly Contested Games

Special teams and late-clock heroics defined several tightly contested matchups across the league. Cedar Rapids’ Ruben Westerling broke a 1–1 tie against Green Bay with one second remaining in the second period, securing the game-winner in a 3–1 triumph while teammate Henry Lechner extended his league lead to 25 points with an assist. Braiden Scuderi chipped in two goals as the RoughRiders won their fourth straight.

Des Moines needed extra time to complete its weekend sweep at USG Arena after Chicago struck twice on the power play in the final 4:38 of regulation. Buccaneers defenseman Kalib Capecci answered at 3:38 of overtime, and teammate Riley Zupfer had four points (2-2) for the Buccaneers.

Fargo and Waterloo Protect the Lead on the Road

Fargo extended its road winning streak to seven games behind Lauri Kouhia, who scored on the power play 25 seconds into the third period to stretch his active goal streak to seven games. Kouhia leads the USHL with 14 goals, 10 of which have come during this current streak. Meanwhile, teammate AJ Francisco added an assist to reach 20 points (5-15–20), solidifying his lead in scoring among league defensemen.

Waterloo rookie Miles Jinman picked up his 10th assist on Cody Sokol’s opening goal against Lincoln, paving the way for defenseman Caleb Deanovich to net the game-winner in a 2–1 final.

The USHL continues to function as a premier developmental pipeline for elite hockey talent, boasting that 45 percent of NCAA Division I men’s hockey players and 25 percent of NHL players hold league experience. Since 2020, the organization has developed more than 315 direct NHL Draft picks.

Earlier coverage: Fargo Force Lead USHL Standings as Tri-City and Waterloo Chase Top Spot