Dubuque Fighting Saints beat Lincoln Stars 6:3 in a USAHL match on September 17, 2026. The visitors took control early and never looked back, extending their unbeaten run to eight games across all competitions. Lincoln, meanwhile, extended their winless streak and remain bottom of the table in terms of results so far.
And here's the thing — we had called this one. Our prediction backed the away side at 46 per cent confidence, and Dubuque delivered exactly what was expected. Not that the margin was guaranteed, but the quality gap showed through from the opening period.
The hosts started with something of a fight, but Dubuque's higher tempo told. They were dominant in the air from set plays, not that that means much in hockey, but the principle held — they controlled space and tempo. Lincoln never got going properly, and by then the visitors were three goals clear.
Statistically, the match told its own story. Dubuque registered 28 shots to Lincoln's 14, with expected goals figures of 3.8 to 1.2. That means they created chances at almost double the rate, and converted at a reasonable clip. Lincoln kept their side in it for a while, but the high line was picked apart repeatedly.
Substitutions told a similar tale. Dubuque made four changes, mostly to keep fresh legs in the game. Lincoln made six — more out of necessity than choice. By the final whistle, the visitors had extended their perfect start to the season.
For Lincoln, this brings their record to two losses from two games. For Dubuque, it's two wins from two. The standings show both teams on zero points, which simply reflects the early stage of the league. But the result says what matters — Dubuque are closing in on a deal for top spot, and Lincoln need to find answers fast.
