The first and second-place teams in the USHL's Eastern Conference will meet for two games this weekend
The United States Hockey League’s race for the Eastern Conference number one seed is on. This upcoming weekend’s two-game set between the first-place Youngstown Phantoms and second-place Green Bay Gamblers could help give fans of the USHL more clarity on who could claim the Anderson Cup for the regular season’s leading point total.
Both games will take place at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home of the Gamblers. Coming into Friday night’s contest, the Phantoms hold an eight-point lead over the Gamblers, having posted a record of 35-11-3-1 through 50 games, good for 74 points. The Gamblers hold two games in hand on the Phantoms, after going 31-13-3-1 through their first 48 regular-season games, giving them 66 points.
The two teams split the previous two matchups in Youngstown, which took place back in October. The Phantoms took the first game by a score of 4-2, before the Gamblers struck back with a 5-1 win of their own. The two games this weekend will be the final meetings of the season between the Eastern Conference’s top two teams.
Who to watch?
The Phantoms are led by two 2025 National Hockey League Draft picks, Cooper Simpson and Ryan Rucinski. Simpson, who was selected by the Boston Bruins, in the third-round 79th overall, sits in a tie with Lincoln Stars forward Alex Pelletier for the league lead in points with 66. Cooper is committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2026-27 season.
Rucinski, who was taken in the seventh-round, 219th overall sits seventh in the league with 51 points, having recorded 23 goals and 28 assists. Rucinski is committed to Ohio State University for next season.
The Gamblers are seeing strong production out of 20-year-old forward Zach Wooten. Through 47 games, Wooten has recorded 26 goals and 21 assists, good for the team lead among all Gambler skaters in goals and points. Wooten is committed to the University of Wisconsin beginning next season.
Gamblers’ goaltender, Leo Henriquez has continued his strong 2025-26 season, posting a record of 16-6-1-1, a league-leading 2.04 goals-against average, a league-leading 0.926 save percentage and two shutouts. Henriquez also recorded a goal on Saturday, Feb. 14, in a 5-0 win against the Lincoln Stars. The Slovakian-born netminder is committed to the University of New Hampshire for the 2027-28 season and has a strong chance to represent Slovakia at the 2027 World Juniors in Edmonton.
Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. CST on Friday and 6:05 p.m. CST on Saturday.
All stats current prior to Thursday night's game.