The 2020–21 USHL season was the 42nd season of the United States Hockey League as an all-junior league.
Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the previous season was curtailed on March 12, 2020, without holding a playoff or awarding a Clark Cup champion. As pandemic-related restrictions were still in effect, the start of the 2020–21 season was delayed to November 2020.
During the offseason, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders' home arena was damaged during the August 10 derecho, forcing the team to suspend operations for at least the 2020–21 season. The Madison Capitols chose to not participate due to pandemic restrictions in Madison, Wisconsin.
The regular season ran from November 6, 2020, to April 24, 2021, with a 54-game schedule for each team. Due to pandemic safety protocols, several games were postponed or cancelled, with six of the fourteen teams completing all 54 games. For the second consecutive season, the Chicago Steel were awarded the Anderson Cup for accumulating 81 points in 54 games for a 0.750 points percentage. The Steel also won the Clark Cup playoff championship.
Regular season Due to the unbalanced schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic, the league ranked teams on points percentage.
Final standings:
Eastern Conference Team z – Chicago Steel 54381132810.750265185 x – Muskegon Lumberjacks 54341622720.667241209 x – Green Bay Gamblers 51301722640.627190182 x – Dubuque Fighting Saints 52242341530.510199212 Team USA 54222444520.481226245 Youngstown Phantoms 49123052310.316145218
Western Conference Team y – Tri-City Storm 52301831640.615178137 x – Omaha Lancers 53302021630.594169156 x – Sioux City Musketeers 53312110630.594160125 x – Fargo Force 54312130630.583169148 Des Moines Buccaneers 51262140560.549158152 Lincoln Stars 54222831480.444160204 Waterloo Black Hawks 53223010450.425165202 Sioux Falls Stampede 54183231400.370163213
x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched conference title; z = clinched regular season title
Statistical leaders
Scoring leaders
Players are listed by points, then goals.
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts. = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Sean Farrell Chicago Steel 53 29 72 101 54 Matt Coronato Chicago Steel 51 48 37 85 57 Josh Doan Chicago Steel 53 31 39 70 45 Erik Middendorf Chicago Steel 53 32 36 68 19 Danil Gushchin Muskegon Lumberjacks 46 32 32 64 42 Mason Lohrei Green Bay Gamblers 48 19 40 59 74 Cameron Berg Muskegon Lumberjacks 51 27 31 58 18 Ayrton Martino Omaha Lancers 38 18 38 56 12 Cristophe Tellier Muskegon Lumberjacks 53 22 32 54 34 Robert Cronin Dubuque Fighting Saints 48 28 25 53 54 Jake Schmaltz Green Bay Gamblers 51 19 34 53 16
Leading goaltenders
Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SOL = Shootout losses; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage
Player Team GP Mins W L OTL SOL SO GAA SV% Akira Schmid Sioux City Musketeers 36 2147 22 13 1 0 3 2.01 0.921 Todd Scott Tri-City Storm 39 2181 22 10 2 1 2 2.37 0.910 Brennan Boynton Fargo Force 46 2540 26 16 1 0 3 2.43 0.901 Jakub Dobeš Omaha Lancers 47 2588 26 16 2 1 2 2.48 0.908 Remington Keopple Des Moines Buccaneers 25 1350 11 9 3 0 1 2.76 0.900
Clark Cup playoffs Final results:
Conference Semifinals
Eastern Conference
(E1) Chicago Steel vs. (E4) Dubuque Fighting Saints
(E2) Muskegon Lumberjacks vs. (E3) Green Bay Gamblers
Western Conference
(W1) Tri-City Storm vs. (W4) Fargo Force
(W2) Omaha Lancers vs. (W3) Sioux City Musketeers
Conference Finals
Eastern Conference
(E1) Chicago Steel vs. (E2) Muskegon Lumberjacks
Western Conference
(W3) Sioux City Musketeers vs. (W4) Fargo Force
Clark Cup Finals
(E1) Chicago Steel vs. (W4) Fargo Force
Playoff scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIMMatt Coronato Chicago Steel 894134Tristan Broz Fargo Force 9381116Sean Farrell Chicago Steel 828102Mackie Samoskevich Chicago Steel 819104Adam Fantilli Chicago Steel 88192Cody Monds Fargo Force 75382Aaron Huglen Fargo Force 93584Jake Peart Fargo Force 92572Ryan Ufko Chicago Steel 81674Erik Middendorf Chicago Steel 84154Jacob Braccini Fargo Force 93252Josh Doan Chicago Steel 82354
Playoff leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team GP Mins W L GA SO SV% GAASimon Latkoczy Chicago Steel 8 486 7 1 14 0 .938 1.73Andrew Miller Fargo Force 6 302 2 2 9 2 .941 1.79Jakub Dobeš Omaha Lancers 2 114 0 2 4 0 .923 2.10Akira Schmid Sioux City Musketeers 4 237 2 2 9 1 .920 2.28Matt Davis Green Bay Gamblers 2 118 0 2 5 0 .922 2.53
Postseason awards USHL awards
Award Name Team Player of the Year Sean Farrell Chicago Steel Forward of the Year Matthew Coronato Chicago Steel Defenseman of the Year Mason Lohrei Green Bay Gamblers Rookie of the Year Cole Sillinger Sioux Falls Stampede Goaltender of the Year Akira Schmid Sioux City Musketeers Coach of the Year Mike Hamilton Muskegon Lumberjacks Scholar-Athlete Connor Kurth Dubuque Fighting Saints Curt Hammer Will Dineen Sioux Falls Stampede General Manager of the Year Ryan Hardy Chicago Steel Executive of the Year Jeff Mitchell Green Bay Gamblers Organization of the Year All member organizations
All-USHL First Team Name Team G Akira Schmid Sioux City D Mason Lohrei Green Bay D Ryan Ufko Chicago F Matt Coronato Chicago F Sean Farrell Chicago F Danil Gushchin Muskegon Source
All-USHL Second Team Pos Name Team G Jakub Dobeš Omaha D Brent Johnson Sioux Falls D Cole McWard Tri-City F Josh Doan Chicago F Ayrton Martino Omaha F Cole Sillinger Sioux Falls Source
All-USHL Third Team Pos Name Team G Brennan Boynton Fargo D Alex Gagne Muskegon D Henry Thrun Dubuque F Cameron Berg Muskegon F Robert Cronin Dubuque F Jake Schmaltz Green Bay Source
USHL All-Rookie Team Pos Name Team G Jack Stark Chicago D Jacob Guevin Muskegon D Brent Johnson Sioux Falls F Ayrton Martino Omaha F Matthew Savoie Dubuque F Cole Sillinger Sioux Falls Source
All-Rookie Second Team Pos Name Team G Emmett Croteau Waterloo D Shai Buium Sioux City D Jack Peart Fargo F Gavin Brindley Tri-City F Adam Fantilli Chicago F Connor Kurth Dubuque Source
References
External links Official website of the United States Hockey League