DUBUQUE FIGHTING SAINTS: The Fighting Saints are currently in third place in the USHL's Eastern Conference, but just one point behind the division-leading Chicago Steel with a game in hand.

Dubuque is led by the league's top two scorers in forwards Stephen Halliday and Connor Kurth. Halliday has recorded a league-high 37 assists and has found the back of the net 21 times, fifth most in the league, to lead the USHL with 58 points on the season. Kurth follows right behind his teammate with 53 points (23g-30a) in 38 games for the Fighting Saints.

On the blueline, Swedish defenseman Samuel Sjolund leads all Saints d-men with eight goals and 19 points on the campaign.

In the cage, Dubuque has played just a pair of goalies all season long in Paxton Geisel and Philip Svedeback. Geisel has played the majority, appearing in 25 games and playing to a 16-6-0-2 record, 2.82 GAA and .907 SV% while Svedeback has started 14 games with a 7-4-2-1 record, 3.48 goals-against average and .894 save percentage for the Saints.

CHICAGO STEEL: After a brief dip to second place in the Eastern Conference, Chicago has regained the lead with a 23-10-6-0 record through 39 games, good for 52 total points in the standings, second most in the league.

The two games will be the third and fourth of five total between the U17s and Steel on the season. Chicago took both previous matchups with 6-2 and 5-3 wins on home ice back on October 8-9.

Jackson Blake, son of former NHLer Jason Blake, leads the Steel and is tied with Kurth for second in the league with 53 points (18g-35a) on the season. Teammate Adam Fantilli leads not only Chicago, but the USHL, with 24 goals and is second on the Steel with 43 points on the season.

Defensemen Jake Livanavage has only two points over his last six games played, but leads Chicago blueliners with an impressive 30 points (2g-28a) this year. Lukas Gustafsson, a Georgia native, follows closely behind with 26 points (7g-19a).

Gibson Homer, an NTDP alum, leads Chicago in net with a 10-4-5 record in 20 games played and has compiled a 3.42 GAA and .888 SV%. Nicholas Haas has seen a dozen games as the backup, with an 8-3-1 record, 2.97 goals-against and .900 SV% for the Steel.

The two sides will complete the season series on April 17 at USA Hockey Arena in Michigan.