The gifts have been opened, the leftovers put in the fridge, and now it’s time to get back in the hockey routine. The USHL will resume play this weekend with several intriguing matchups and some potential debuts for players in new uniforms. All 16 USHL clubs are in action Saturday to get the season going again in full swing. Let’s take a look at the can’t miss games on the final weekend slate of 2025:
Saturday, December 27th: Fargo @ Sioux Falls
Perhaps the most interesting contest of the weekend is being held at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Arena featuring the top two teams in the Western Conference. First place Sioux Falls (18-9-1) will host second place Fargo (15-10-2) for their fifth match up of the young season. Fargo will be looking to extend their impressive 3-1 series lead against the Stampede this year, with the latest result coming in the form of a 4-0 home win just two weeks ago. The Force will also be looking to generate a little more offense through their newly acquired forward, Nate Delladonna. They’ll have to shut down the league’s third highest scoring offense though, lead by forward Thomas Zocco with 8 goals and 24 assists.
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Saturday, December 27th: Green Bay @ Dubuque
No team in the league is hotter than the Green Bay Gamblers (19-7-3). Going into the break, Green Bay was riding 11 consecutive victories on their way to the top of the Eastern Conference. The Fighting Saints (18-8-1) will need to slow down some of the league’s top scorers in Zach Wooten (19G, 12A) and Elliott Gulley (14G, 17A) to have a chance at snapping the streak. Dubuque has a dynamic offense of their own, leading the league in goals scored with 126. The second highest scoring team? Green Bay with 113. It could be a high scoring affair at the ImOn Arena Saturday night.
Saturday, December 27th & Sunday, December 28th: Youngstown @ Chicago
In the Eastern Conference, playoff outsiders Chicago (12-12-3) are hosting Cooper Simpson and third place Youngstown (19-7-2) for a pair of games at the Fox Valley Ice Arena. Youngstown will also be looking to get minutes for their newest member, Matej Teply. The 6’1 defenseman from Stamford, Connecticut has 2 goals and 10 assists through 27 games in his first USHL campaign. The teams split a pair of games in Ohio earlier this year, with 5 more contests to go including this weekend. Youngstown was on a heater before the holiday break, going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
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Cooper Simpson was selected in the third round by the Boston Bruins at the 2025 draft
Sunday, December 28th: Cedar Rapids @ Madison
The two teams looking to keep Chicago out of the playoff places square off in Wisconsin’s capitol on Sunday. Cedar Rapids (15-7-3) has been hitting their stride of late, carrying a 6-2-2 record in their last 10 games. Meanwhile Madison (13-10-2) will be without starting goaltender Caleb Heil, who was in net for Team USA’s 6-3 opening round victory over Germany in the World Junior Championship Friday night. The teams have split 4 games so far this season, with the RoughRiders winning the last contest 4-2 in early December.
Sunday, December 28th: Lincoln @ Sioux Falls
On Sunday, two Western Conference heavyweights square off in South Dakota as third place Lincoln (15-12-0) travels to first place Sioux Falls. The Stars and the league’s top scorer Alex Pelletier head into the weekend 6-4-0 in their last 10 games. Special teams will likely play a factor in this one as Sioux Falls currently sits third in the league in penalty minutes (507), with Lincoln not far behind in fifth (473).
Stay tuned to The Hockey News for the latest on these contests and the World Juniors, which got underway on Friday.
Which matchup are you most interested in?
