Clark Cup final shifts to Muskegon

Ice hockey men | 05/22/2026 10:48:44 AM

The Clark Cup final shifts to Muskegon as the Lumberjacks and Sioux Falls Stampede meet on Friday, May 22 at Trinity Health Arena. The Stampede has a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

SCHEDULE (SF LEAD 2-0)

Best of five series

• Game 1: Sioux Falls Stampede 3, Muskegon Lumberjacks 1
• Game 2: Sioux Falls Stampede 3, Muskegon Lumberjacks 0
• Game 3: #1 Sioux Falls at #5 Muskegon – Friday, May 22, 7:10 PM ET
• Game 4: #1 Sioux Falls at #5 Muskegon – Saturday, May 23, 6:10 PM ET*
• Game 5: #5 Muskegon at #1 Sioux Falls – Tuesday, May 26, 7:05 PM CT*

* If necessary

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

Sioux Falls Stampede

• Clark Cups: 3 (2019, 2015, 2007)
• Previous finals: 4 (2019, 2015, 2007, 2006)

Muskegon Lumberjacks

• Clark Cups: 1 (2025)
• Previous finals: 2 (2025, 2015)

ABOUT MUSKEGON

• Muskegon defeated the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the best-of-three opening round, then defeated Dubuque Fighting Saints and Madison Capitols in five games each to advance to the Clark Cup finals.
• The Lumberjacks rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 series deficits against the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the Eastern Conference semifinals to win Game 4 in Muskegon 4-2 and Game 5 in Dubuque 6-1. Similarly, the Lumberjacks rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 series deficits against the Madison Capitols in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning Game 4 in Madison 4-1 and Game 5 in Muskegon 6-2.
• Muskegon has three of the top five scorers in the Clark Cup Playoffs in Drew Stewart (Dartmouth), Melvin Novotny (BUF, UMass) and Viktor Norringer (NSH, Boston University), and is averaging 3.21 goals per game. Carl Axelsson (Minnesota Duluth) has started every postseason game, posting a 2.10 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. The Lumberjacks click on 27% on the man advantage and 92% on the penalty kill.
• The Lumberjacks earned the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference after posting a 36-24-1-1 (WL-OTL-SOL) regular season record. They were the league’s third least penalized team during the regular season and converted at 24.2% on the power play, fifth best in the USHL.
• Key offensive contributors include Drew Stewart (Dartmouth), Rudolfs Berzkalns (Boston College), Carter Sanderson (PIT, North Dakota), Melvin Novotny (BUF, UMass), Victor Norringer (NSH, Boston University) and Niles Benson (Harvard).
• Goaltender Carl Axelsson (Minnesota Duluth) went 28-14-1 with a .916 save percentage during the regular season and ranked second among USHL goaltenders in both wins and save percentage.
• General manager Jimmy McGroarty began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the River City Lancers in 2003. That team lost in the Clark Cup final to the Lincoln Stars and featured future NHL stars Paul Stastny, Matt Carle and Nathan Gerbe.

ABOUT SIOUX FALLS

• After earning a bye in the first round, Sioux Falls came from a 2-0 series deficit to defeat the Lincoln Stars in the Western Conference Semifinals and overcame a 2-1 series deficit against the Fargo Force in the Western Conference Final to advance to the Clark Cup. Final. In the 2015 Clark Cup championship season, the Stampede defeated Sioux City Musketeers in five games and the Tri-City Storm four games before defeating Muskegon in the finals.
• Sioux Falls is averaging 43.3 shots per game in the playoffs. Goaltender Linards (Merrimack) enters the Clark Cup finals with an 8-4 record, a 1.79 GAA and a .941 save percentage.
• General Manager Tony Gasparini was named USHL General Manager of the Year, and forward Cooper Soller (Western Michigan) was named USHL Rookie of the Year.
• The Stampede finished 43-16-3-0, best in the Western Conference, and led the league with 41 regular/overtime wins. Sioux Falls ranked second in the USHL in goals scored (4.31/game) and third in goals against (2.79/game), the only team in the top three in both categories. Their power play was converted at 25%.
• The Stampede went 24-6-1 on the road and finished the regular season with a 12-0-1 run away from the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. The herd has not fallen foul of road regulations since January 24.
• Key offensive contributors include Thomas Zocco (Merrimack), Logan Renkowski (Vermont), Tobias Ohman (Colgate), Brent Solomon (DET, Wisconsin) and JJ Monteiro (Providence).
• Forward Brock Schultz (North Dakota) lost in the 2025 Clark Cup final with the Waterloo Black Hawks before being acquired by Sioux Falls in November.

ABOUT THE SERIES

• Thomas Zocco, Logan Renkowski (Vermont) and Joey Macrina of Sioux Falls and Rudolfs Berzkalns (Boston College) of Muskegon each scored three points in the first two games of the series. Macrina and Renkowski each scored three goals. Berzkalns and Drew Stewart (Dartmouth) scored twice for Muskegon.
• Neither team scored on the power play. Muskegon is 6/6 on the penalty kill and Sioux Falls is 4/4.
• Both goaltenders, Carl Axelsson (Minnesota Duluth) and Linards Feldbergs (Merrimack), have played every game for their team. Axelsson is 8-4 with a 2.10 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Feldbergs is 8-4 with a 1.79 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage.
• This is the second-ever meeting in the Clark Cup Finals between the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Sioux Falls Stampede. The teams previously met in 2015, when Sioux Falls defeated Muskegon 3-0 in a best-of-five series.
• The teams shared their regular season series this year:
• • Sioux Falls won 7-4 on Jan. 9
  • Muskegon won 5-3 on Jan. 10
  • Both games were played at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
• Only six players on the Stampede and Lumberjacks rosters played in the two-game series that split the teams in Muskegon last season. Those players were Anthony Bongo, Matthew Grimes (Boston College), Rudolfs Berzkalns (Boston College), Drew Stewart (Dartmouth), Jack Christ (Minnesota State) and Danny Klaers (Notre Dame – injured)
• Players ranked by NHL Central Scouting’s latest North American skater rankings:
• • No. 30: Rudolfs Berzkalns (MUS, Boston College)
  • No. 136: Teddy Lechner (MUS, Augustana)
  • No. 140: Cooper Soller (SF, Western Michigan)
• The series features five NHL draft picks:
• • Muskegon: Carter Sanderson (PIT, North Dakota), Melvin Novotny (BUF, University of Massachusetts), Viktor Norringer (NSH, Boston University), Carter Amico (PHI, Boston University)
  • Sioux Falls: Brent Solomon (DET, Wisconsin)
• Sioux Falls forward Jake Stuart (Dartmouth) was traded from Muskegon earlier this season.
• Muskegon goalie Carl Axelsson (Minnesota Duluth) was traded from Sioux Falls after last season. He played four games with the Stampede.
• Brent Solomon (DET, Wisconsin) and Jake Prunty won the World Junior A Challenge earlier this season together with Carter Sanderson (PIT, North Dakota) and Danny Klaers (Notre Dame).
• Players committed to the same NCAA programs and facing each other in the 2026 Clark Cup Final:
• • Augustana University: Teddy Lechner (MUS) vs. Noah Mannasau (SF)
  • Boston College: Rudolfs Berzkalns (MUS) vs. Matthew Grimes (SF)
  • Colgate University: Nathan Larioza (MUS) vs. Tobias Ohman (SF)
  • University of Maine: Will Schlechtweg (MUS) vs. Wade Weil (SF)
  • University of North Dakota: Carter Sanderson (MUS) vs. Brock Schultz (SF)
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst: Melvin Novotny (MUS, BUF) vs. Jake Prunty (SF)
  • Western Michigan University: Anthony Thomas-Maroon (MUS) vs. Cooper Soller (SF)
• Carter Sanderson (PIT, North Dakota) became the first South Dakotan selected in the NHL Draft when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in 2025. He grew up in Pierre, SD, and attended Stampede games as a child.

CLARK CUP HISTORY

• The Clark Cup symbolizes supremacy in American junior hockey and is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the United States Hockey League, the nation’s only Tier I junior hockey league.
• The trophy is named in honor of Don Clark, longtime registrar of the Minnesota Amateur Hockey Association and recipient of the Lester Patrick Trophy for his contributions to hockey in the United States.
• No Clark Cup MVP has ever come from a losing team in Tier I USHL history.

BACK-TO-BACK FINAL OPENINGS OF THE CLARK CUP

• Muskegon (2025, 2026)
• Fargo (2023, 2024)
• Chicago (2019, 2021)*
• Green Bay (2010, 2011)

*Clark Cup not awarded in 2020.

About the USHL
The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams aim to be the leading junior hockey league in the world. 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 nine of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

Enhanced by 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 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).