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66-692: The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders are a Tier I junior ice hockey team playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL). Before moving to Cedar Rapids, Iowa , in 1999, the team was based in Mason City , where they were known as the North Iowa Huskies. The RoughRiders' home ice is the ImOn Ice Arena also known as The Stable. The North Iowa Huskies relocated to Cedar Rapids in 1999. The RoughRiders' new name

132-656: A 33–23–4 regular season record, finishing third in the Eastern Conference and qualifying for the postseason for the fourth time in four years. Prior to the start of the season, the USHL reduced the number of playoff teams from each conference from 6 to 4, eliminating the opening qualifying round. In the playoffs, the Saints would face-off in the quarterfinals against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders for

198-740: A 37–18–5 record. They defeated the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets in a four-game sweep bin the first round but lost both their round-robin games and were eliminated from the playoffs. In 2007–08, the Roughriders finished in third place in the East Division with a 33–22–5 record and were led in net with Brady Hjelle . The Roughriders were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Waterloo Black Hawks three-games-to-none. The Roughriders would continue to lose in

264-667: A 9–2 playoff record, defeating the Fargo Force 3-games-to-0 in the quarterfinals, Sioux Falls Stampede 3-games-to-1 in the semifinals, and defeating the defending Clark Cup Champion Green Bay Gamblers 3-games-to-1 in the best-of-five USHL Clark Cup championship series. Saints LW Rookie Johnny Gaudreau was recognized as the USHL Rookie of the Year and Jim Montgomery was recognized as the USHL General Manager of

330-631: A decisive fifth game in the Clark Cup semifinals, with the Saints advancing with the win. In the Clark Cup finals, the Saints would seal the championship with a win on the road, taking down the Fargo Force 3-games-to-0. Dan Lehv was recognized as the USHL Executive of the Year and Jim Montgomery was once again recognized as the USHL General Manager of the Year. Montgomery had served as the team's head coach and general manager from 2010 through

396-608: A director with the Czech Ice Hockey Association , felt that Junior-aged players were enticed to play in North America before maturation, with a negative effect on the development of the player and the European system. He stated that of the 527 Czech Republic players who went to North American Junior hockey, only 22 of them played more than 400 NHL games. He sought to establish a European system that

462-495: A finalist for the 2013 Hobey Baker Award, and the winner of the 2014 Hobey Baker Award as the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's hockey player. He made his NHL debut with the Flames in the final game of the 2013–14 NHL season , scoring a goal in his first game. Selected as a rookie to play in the 2015 NHL All Star Game where he registered an assist. Johnny was a 2015 Calder Memorial Trophy finalist, finishing 3rd for

528-534: A guaranteed home-ice advantage in the finals. In the quarterfinals, the Saints would close out a 3-games-to-1 series win against the second seeded Green Bay Gamblers . In the Eastern Conference finals, Dubuque took the first of a back and forth series against the Bloomington Thunder and took the series to game five at home in Dubuque, prevailing in a 3–0 shutout to earn a spot and home-ice advantage in

594-720: A professional team, and are used by professional teams to develop their own prospects. One example of this is the J20 SuperElit league in Sweden or the Minor Hockey League in Russia . The lack of an amateur draft in Europe means that the onus is on the teams to sign the most talented young players they can get, and the presence of an affiliated junior team provides a place for young players who are not yet ready for

660-469: A secondary color silver. Their main logo is a Gothic style D with a fleur-de-lis-hilted sword piercing the D and a halo on the top. Started in 2011–12 season and sponsored by Prairie Farms , the Cowbell Cup is awarded to the highest finisher in the "Cowbell Cup Regular Season Series" between the eastern Iowa USHL rivals; Cedar Rapids RoughRiders , Dubuque Fighting Saints, and Waterloo Blackhawks . At

726-428: A shootout. For the postseason, the USHL returned to an expanded playoff format with the top six teams in each conference qualifying for the Clark Cup playoffs, up from four in the previous seasons, allowing the Saints to earn a playoff berth for the eighth straight year, continuing the longest active streak. The best-of-three first round series had the Saints facing the fourth-seeded Green Bay Gamblers . The Saints swept

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792-653: A significant concentration of teams in the central and southwestern parts of the United States, although the league began to expand to east coast as of 2015. In October 2016, the Tier III United States Premier Hockey League , a league predominately located on the east coast, applied to USA Hockey for approval of a Tier II league to begin in the 2017–18 season, however, the league was denied that December and decided to operate its Tier II league independently. The NAHL, like

858-486: A spot in the Clark Cup playoffs a seventh straight year continuing the longest active playoff streak in the league. In the quarterfinals, the Saints faced the third seeded Muskegon Lumberjacks in a series with both teams almost statistically identical. Dubuque would skate to a 3-games-to-1 series win. The Saints faced off against top seeded Chicago in the Conference Finals. After splitting the first two games on

924-766: Is currently the only Tier I league in the country, consisting of teams in the central and midwestern United States. The USHL provides an alternative to the Canadian Hockey League, which pays its major junior hockey players a stipend, for players who wish to maintain NCAA eligibility for later in their career. While playing in the USHL, all player expenses are paid for by the team; no membership or equipment fees are charged. Unlike major junior teams, free-college stipend does not exist. Historically, professional leagues have drafted less directly from USHL teams, although this trend has shifted in recent years, coinciding with

990-560: The 2012 NHL Entry Draft . He made his NHL debut with the Sabres during the 2013–14 NHL season , scoring a goal in his first game and becoming the first former Saint to play in the NHL since its return as a franchise. Zemgus was a member of Latvia's 2014 Olympic Men's Hockey Team held in Sochi, Russia. Zemgus was the first place vote-getter for the 2015 NHL All Star Game. Bought a minority stake in

1056-959: The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) : The championship teams from each league, as well as a pre-selected host team, compete for the Memorial Cup in a round-robin tournament to determine a national champion. Major Junior players were historically deemed ineligible to play college hockey in the United States , because they were considered to be professionals by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Major Junior players retain their eligibility for Canadian universities however, and all three leagues have scholarship programs for players. The NCAA changed its position and decided that CHL players were no longer ineligible as of

1122-616: The Clarence Schmalz Cup which was first awarded in 1938. The Ontario Junior C playoffs are played for between six of the Province's seven different regional leagues. In Quebec and West of Manitoba, Junior C hockey tends to be an extension of the local minor hockey system and is sometimes called Juvenile or House League. In Ontario, Manitoba, and the Maritimes, Junior C is run independently of minor hockey systems, though with

1188-823: The Coupe Dodge in Quebec , the Don Johnson Cup in the Atlantic Provinces , and the Keystone Cup that represents all of Western Canada, from British Columbia to Northwestern Ontario . Junior C (Junior A in Québec ) generally consists of local competitions, but is considered competitive in some regions, and serve as seeding or farm-teams for Junior B teams. Ontario Junior C Hockey has six rounds of best-of-seven playoffs (up to 42 games per team) for

1254-694: The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League has operated as an independent league in Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. The league widely recruits players from outside of North America. In late 2016, the United States Premier Hockey League , an organization composed of several USA Hockey Tier III Junior as well as many youth hockey leagues, applied for a Tier II league. The Tier II status was denied in December 2016 but

1320-485: The ImOn Arena (capacity: 3,079). The original Dubuque Fighting Saints played at the multi-purpose Dubuque Five Flags Center arena situated in downtown Dubuque from 1980 to 2001. In the early years of the franchise the Saints enjoyed much success with a number of championship seasons. In later years, the team struggled on the ice and crowds in the stands decreased putting the team into some financial trouble. During

1386-505: The North American 3 Hockey League Some Junior ice hockey leagues operate outside the framework of governing bodies such as Hockey Canada and USA Hockey , typically due to disagreements with governing bodies over player recruitment policies and finances. These leagues are sometimes referred to as 'unsanctioned', 'rogue' or 'outlaw' leagues due to their lack of sanctioning or oversight from an outside governing body. Since 2006,

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1452-619: The US . In 2023, the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) withdrew from the Hockey Canada framework, and thus became an independent league. In response, BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its Junior framework, which included an opportunity for some Junior B teams (styled "Junior A Tier 2" by BC Hockey) to be promoted to Junior A (styled "Junior A Tier 1" by BC Hockey) and eventually seek membership with

1518-663: The 2000–01 season, team owner/GM/coach Brain Gallagher announced plans to relocate the team following the season to Tulsa, Oklahoma to play as the Tulsa Crude . In their first and only season in Tulsa, Gallagher's team would finish last in the league (12–43–6) and failed to generate the necessary fan support, and the franchise ceased operations. To replace the hockey void in Dubuque, the Fighting Saints were replaced in

1584-898: The 2001–02 season by the Dubuque Thunderbirds in the Tier III Minnesota Junior Hockey League and later the Central States Hockey League . The Thunderbirds would prove to be a success and would win league championships in 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009 while setting league attendance records along the way. In the fall of 2009, construction began on the new Mystique Community Ice Center . Around that same time several former hockey teammates from Harvard formed Northern Lights Hockey, LLC. which included former team captain, Brad Kwong; Philip Falcone (part owner of NHL's Minnesota Wild ); Peter Chiarelli (a general manager for

1650-511: The 2012–13 season with a 45–11–8 record, finishing first in the Eastern Conference and the overall league leaders, securing their first Anderson Cup regular season championship since the former Saints in the 1982–83 season, and repeat as Cowbell Cup champions. After securing a bye for the qualifying round, the Saints skated to a 3-games-to-0 quarterfinals win over the Muskegon Lumberjacks . The Youngstown Phantoms took Dubuque to

1716-474: The 2015–16 regular season in third place in the Eastern Conference. For the sixth straight year, the Saints qualified for a spot in the Clark Cup playoffs, further extending the longest active playoff streak in the league. Each of the four Eastern Conference playoff teams finished the season with better records than all teams in the Western Conference, gaining the eventual Eastern Conference champions

1782-434: The 2015–16 season, the Roughriders finished in first place in the league with a 40–15–5 record for a total of 85 points and capturing the franchise's third Anderson Cup. The Roughriders continued to struggle in the playoffs and lost to the Bloomington Thunder three-games-to-two in the first round. The Roughriders failed to qualify in the following 2016–17 season after a last place finish in the Eastern Conference. In 2020 and

1848-466: The 2025–26 season. The decision was made after a class action was filed on behalf of a player who was declared ineligible after having played two exhibition games in the OHL when he was 16 years old. The CHL places a cap of three 20-year-old players per team, and allows up to four 16-year-olds on each roster. While 15-year-old players were formerly permitted to play a limited number of games per season at

1914-806: The Boston Bruins in the sixth-round, 175th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft . After four seasons at Northeastern University, the defenseman signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers and made his NHL debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 1, 2016. Riley Barber (2010–11) - Selected by the Washington Capitals in the sixth-round, 167th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft . Barber played three seasons at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, garnering

1980-585: The CHL level, they are now permitted to play only if they are deemed exceptional by Hockey Canada . As of 2024 , nine players have qualified under this rule: centre John Tavares in 2005, defenceman Aaron Ekblad in 2011, centre Connor McDavid in 2012, defenceman Sean Day in 2013, centre Joe Veleno in 2015, centre Shane Wright in 2019, forward Connor Bedard in 2020, forward Michael Misa in 2022, and defenceman Landon DuPont in 2024. CHL teams are currently permitted two "imports" (players from outside Canada and

2046-772: The CJHL. The league expected the evaluations to be completed during the 2024—25 season. Junior B (Junior AA in Québec ; Tier 2 in British Columbia ) was created in 1933, to differentiate between teams eligible for Memorial Cup competition and those who were not. The major championships across Canada are the Sutherland Cup in Southern Ontario , the Barkley Cup in the Ottawa District ,

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2112-595: The Clark Cup finals. Even with the home-ice advantage, the Fighting Saints would be swept in three games in the finals by the Tri-City Storm . Following the season, Saints net-minder Hunter Miska was recognized by USA Hockey as the Dave Peterson Goalie of the Year . The Saints finished the 2016–17 regular season in second place in the Eastern Conference with forward Zach Solow garnering the USHL regular season scoring title. The Saints qualified for

2178-560: The Fighting Saints' ownership group in 2018. Mike Matheson (2011–12) - Selected as the Florida Panthers ' first-round selection, 23rd overall, in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft . After three seasons at Boston College, Matheson, a defenseman and team captain, signed with the Panthers and played with their AHL affiliate before making his NHL debut on February 20 of the 2015–16 NHL season . Matt Benning (2012–13) - Selected by

2244-605: The Junior A British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) withdrew its membership with Hockey Canada and became an independent league. In 2024, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) announced that it would also withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and become an independent farm league for the BCHL beginning in the 2024-25 season. In Europe, Junior teams are usually associated with

2310-591: The Muskegon Lumberjacks. In a back and forth five-game series with neither team notching back-to-back wins, Muskegon would prevail in game 5 by holding off a late game rally for the 3–4 win and take the series. Following the season, head coach Matt Shaw announced that he would be leaving the Saints after accepting a position as an assistant coach at the University of North Dakota . The Saints under direction of first year coach Jason Lammers, finished

2376-466: The NHL rookie of the year award. Johnny has been selected as an NHL All Star on Team Pacific in 2016 and 2017. Bought a minority stake in the Fighting Saints' ownership group in 2018. On August 29, 2024; Johnny and his brother Matthew were tragically killed in a cycling accident. Zemgus Girgensons (2010–11, 2011–12) - Selected as the Buffalo Sabres ' first-round selection, 14th overall, in

2442-457: The NHL's Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers ); and former University of Denver player Mark Falcone (board member of the NHL's Minnesota Wild). The purpose of their group was to assemble and develop plans to obtain ownership of an USHL expansion team, announcing in late 2009 their intentions to bring USHL hockey back to Dubuque. The new team replaced the successful Dubuque Thunderbirds in 2010. After completion of voting from local hockey fans, it

2508-839: The Roughriders faced the Sioux City Musketeers winning game one of the Clark Cup finals 5–0, but lost game two, 1–2. After splitting games in Sioux City, the Roughriders finally defeated the Musketeers at home 4–1, to win their first Clark Cup championship. Goaltender Alex Stalock took most valuable player honors for the series. Future NHL players who played on this championship team included: Teddy Purcell , Justin Abdelkader , Alec Martinez , and Alex Stalock . In postseason awards, Roughriders' coach Mark Carlson

2574-663: The Roughriders lost in the quarterfinals to the Danville Wings . In the 2004–05 season, the Roughriders finished first in the East Division with a record of 42 wins, 13 losses, and 5 overtime losses, for 89 points in the standings. They tied the West Division champions Omaha Lancers for the regular season overall title, the Anderson Cup . After three-game sweeps against the Indiana Ice and Chicago Steel ,

2640-420: The Roughriders won the division semifinals against the Indiana Ice, 3-games-to-2, before bowing to eventual Clark Cup champion Des Moines in a three-game sweep. Roughriders' player Chad Costello finished on top of the league scoring race with 76 points, and teammate Teddy Purcell finished on top of the assists list with 52. The 2006–07 season had the Roughriders finish in second place in the East Division with

2706-520: The Tier III level pay a fee or tuition, commonly ranging from $ 4,000 to $ 9,500. This is for all accounts and purposes an amateur level, although some players go directly to NCAA Division I schools. Most Tier III players are looking to increase their skills in hopes to move up to Tier II or I, while other players go directly to NCAA Division III , ACHA and CHF schools. Prior to July 2011, USA Hockey split Tier III into Junior A and B divisions. USA Hockey currently has one sanctioned Tier III league,

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2772-433: The US) each. Up until 1970, the leagues that were classified as Major Junior and "Junior A" today were both part of Junior A. In 1970 they were divided into "Tier I Junior A" or "Major Junior A" and "Tier II Junior A". In 1980, the three Major Junior A leagues opted for self-control over being controlled by the branches of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) and became Major Junior hockey, Tier II Junior A became

2838-449: The USHL, provides young players an alternative to major junior hockey, although the skill level is considered significantly lower than major junior hockey and typically filled with those who would not or did not make the roster of a Tier I team. Unlike Tier I, the NAHL does not pay for all players' expenses, such as room and board, but there is no tuition cost to the player as in Tier III. In addition to paying for room and board, players at

2904-412: The USNTDP moving to the USHL in 2009-10. In the 2019 NHL Entry Draft , 17 of the 44 players drafted out of the USHL played for the USNTDP. Those 44 draft picks were 16 more than any of the three leagues in the Canadian Hockey League, and included 9 first round picks (8 of which came from the USNTDP) and 7 second round picks. For most of its existence the USHL was considered inferior in quality of play to

2970-422: The USPHL moved forward with the new league anyway, creating the National Collegiate Development Conference. In response, the USPHL has removed all their junior level leagues (the NCDC and the Tier III-level Premier and Elite Divisions) from USA Hockey sanctioning since the 2017–18 season. In 2022, the Eastern Hockey League , which was operating two Tier III leagues, also left USA Hockey sanctioning. In 2023,

3036-436: The Year. In the 2011–12 season, the Saints were moved to the Eastern Conference. The defending champions would finish in third place with a 36–20–4 record and claim the inaugural "Cowbell Cup". They would go on to win the opening best-of-three qualifying round of the playoffs 2-games-to-0 over Team USA . The Saints were then swept in the best-of-five quarterfinals by the Indiana Ice . The Fighting Saints would roll through

3102-484: The departure of its only Junior A league . Its three Junior B leagues ( PJHL , KIJHL and VIJHL ) were re-styled as "Junior A Tier 2", with plans to promote some to "Junior A Tier 1" following an independent evaluation. It was expected that those teams promoted to "Junior A Tier 1" would eventually apply for membership in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), an association of Junior A leagues governed by Hockey Canada and its regional branches . BC Hockey expected

3168-407: The end of the 2012–13 season. In May 2013, Matt Shaw was hired as head coach and GM to replace Montgomery who was hired as head coach of the University of Denver Pioneers . Prior to the start of the 2013–14 season, first-year coach Shaw and the Saints were invited to play in the Junior Club World Cup in Omsk, Russia, finishing with the bronze medal. Returning home, the defending champions skated to

3234-427: The evaluations to be completed during the 2024-25 season. Before the process was completed, the VIJHL announced that it would also withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and become an independent farm league for the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) beginning in the 2024-25 season. Major Junior is the highest level of Junior ice hockey in Canada. There are three Major Junior leagues that collectively make up

3300-424: The first round of the playoffs over the next two seasons. The Roughriders would again finish in first place in the Eastern Conference and capturing their second Anderson Cup during the 2010–11 season. In the playoffs, the Roughriders beat Muskegon in the quarterfinals 3-games-to-1, but lost in the conference semifinals to Green Bay in four games. After the 2012–13 season, the Roughriders failed to qualify for

3366-428: The first time and would win the series 3-games-to-1. The Saints were then swept out of the semifinals by the eventual Clark Cup Champion Indiana Ice , 3-games-to-0. The Saints finished the 2014–15 regular season in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 36–19–5 record. For the fifth straight year since returning to the USHL, they qualified for the Clark Cup playoffs, extending the longest active playoff streak in

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3432-418: The honor. In an injury-plagued 2017–18 regular season, the Saints finished in fifth place with 33 of 60 games being decided by a single point where they held a 14–19 record. Of the 33 single point games, 18 advanced to overtime, earning the Saints 18 bonus points in the standings, contributing to their fifth-place finish for the season. The Saints were 4–10 in games ending in overtime and 1–3 in games ending in

3498-434: The league. The Saints also claimed their third "Cowbell Cup" in the Prairie Farms Cowbell Cup Series over Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. The playoff quarterfinals pitted the Saints in a 2014 quarterfinals rematch against rival Cedar Rapids, a team that Dubuque had a 6–2 regular season record against. Dubuque would sweep Cedar Rapids 3-games-to-0 in the best-of-five series to move on. The best-of-five semifinals pitted Dubuque against

3564-413: The major junior levels. But it continued to improve and as of 2019 about 21 percent of NHL players had played USHL in their career. Between 80 and 90 percent of USHL players continued into NCAA hockey. Currently, the North American Hockey League is the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II league in the United States. The NAHL consists of teams spread across the western two thirds of the United States with

3630-673: The midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that curtailed the 2019–20 USHL season, the RoughRiders' home arena was damaged during the August 10 derecho , forcing the team to suspend operations for at least the 2020–21 season. Junior ice hockey#Tier I There are four levels of Junior hockey in the Canadian Club System: 1. Major Junior, 2. Junior A, 3. Junior B, and 4. Junior C. Not all teams playing in Canadian Junior leagues are based in Canada . As of 2024 , there were approximately twelve US-based teams playing in various Major Junior and Junior A leagues in Canada. In 2023, BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its Junior framework following

3696-424: The playoffs for the first time since their inaugural 1999–2000 season in Cedar Rapids. They finished in sixth place in the East Division with a 25–30–9 record for a total of 59 points. The Roughriders would bounce back, finishing in second place in the Eastern Conference in both the 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons. However, they lost in the first round in the playoffs against the Dubuque Fighting Saints both seasons. In

3762-465: The rigours of the professional game to develop. However, not all players on a European junior team are necessarily property of their professional club, and may elect to sign elsewhere. At the World Hockey Summit in 2010, nations in Europe expressed concern about the number of junior players leaving to play in North America, despite the improved talent level and the increasing popularity of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championships . Slavomir Lener,

3828-492: The road series 2-games-to-none for their eighth consecutive year with a playoff series win, but were eliminated in the following round. Prior to 2018–19 season, Philip Falcone sold his interest in Northern Lights Hockey to another group under the name Saints4Life Acquisitions, LLC. Saints4Life's investors were made up of many other individuals including Dan Bylsma , Johnny Gaudreau , Zemgus Girgensons , and Peter Luukko . The Fighting Saints team colors are red and white and

3894-413: The road, the Saints would be stopped in both games at home, dropping the series 3-games-to-1. Second year coach Jason Lammers announced that he would be accepting the head coaching position at Niagara University at the conclusion of the season. After leading the league in scoring, Saints forward Zach Solow was bestowed the Dave Tyler National Junior Player of the Year , the first Dubuque player to receive

3960-462: The same mostly recreational purpose. Junior ice hockey in the United States is sanctioned by USA Hockey . The top level is Tier I, represented by the United States Hockey League . Tier II is represented by the North American Hockey League . There are several Tier III and independently sanctioned leagues throughout the country. Some US-based teams play in Canadian leagues outside of the USA Hockey framework. The United States Hockey League (USHL)

4026-453: The start of the 2015–16 season, Dupaco Community Credit Union became the primary sponsor of the renamed "Dupaco Cowbell Cup". The Fighting Saints have won the Cowbell Cup in the following seasons: Dubuque Fighting Saints alumni Johnny Gaudreau (2010–11) - Selected as the Calgary Flames ' fourth-round, 104th overall, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft . "Johnny Hockey" was a member of the Boston College Eagles 2012 NCAA National Championship team,

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4092-502: The top tier of hockey in the CAHA and became Junior A hockey. Junior A (Junior AAA in Québec ; Tier 1 in British Columbia ) hockey is one level below Major Junior. It is governed by the respective regional branches of Hockey Canada . The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of nine Junior A leagues: The national championship is the Centennial Cup . Unlike Major Junior players, Junior A players retain their NCAA eligibility and may go on to play college hockey in

4158-442: Was chosen in a name-the-team contest won by a local teacher at Roosevelt Middle School in Cedar Rapids as it was the school's mascot. In the 2002–03 season, the Roughriders finished in second place in the East Division with a 27–26–7 record. In the quarterfinals of the playoffs, the Roughriders beat the Topeka ScareCrows 3-games-to-1 before being swept 3–0 by the Lincoln Stars . After another second place division finish in 2003–04,

4224-406: Was competitive enough to deter players from entering into the CHL Import Draft . Dubuque Fighting Saints The Dubuque Fighting Saints are a Tier I junior ice hockey team playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and are based in the city of Dubuque, Iowa , on the banks of the Mississippi River at the intersection of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Home games are played at

4290-409: Was named Coach of the Year, and two Roughriders were named to the All-USHL second team. The following season, the Roughriders won the Eastern Division regular season top playoff position based on goal differential against the Des Moines Buccaneers when both compiled 33 wins, 21 losses, and 6 overtime losses. The Roughriders also won the Corridor Cup against the Waterloo Black Hawks . In the playoffs,

4356-444: Was revealed that the "Fighting Saints" moniker would once again represent Dubuque in the USHL. In their first year back in the USHL for the 2010–11 season, the Saints would inaugurate the brand new Mystique Community Ice Center with Dubuque native Brooks Bertsch scoring the first goal. The expansion Fighting Saints had a successful season compiling a 37–14–9 record and taking first place in the Western Conference. The Saints would earn

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