# 2022–23 USHL season

The 2022–23 USHL season was the 44th season of the United States Hockey League as an all-junior league. The regular season ran from September 22, 2022, to April 22, 2023, with a 62-game schedule for each team. The Western Conference champions Fargo Force were awarded the Anderson Cup for accumulating 88 points. The Eastern Conference runners-up Youngstown Phantoms won the Clark Cup playoff championship.

## Regular season

The league standings at the end of the regular season were as follows:
Note: x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched conference title; z = clinched regular season title

### Eastern Conference

| Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y – Chicago Steel | 62 | 39 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 83 | 275 | 227 |
| x – Youngstown Phantoms | 62 | 38 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 81 | 225 | 173 |
| x – Team USA | 62 | 36 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 77 | 271 | 238 |
| x – Green Bay Gamblers | 62 | 32 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 71 | 204 | 204 |
| x – Dubuque Fighting Saints | 62 | 32 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 70 | 206 | 217 |
| x – Cedar Rapids RoughRiders | 62 | 30 | 23 | 4 | 5 | 69 | 206 | 188 |
| Muskegon Lumberjacks | 62 | 27 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 57 | 219 | 266 |
| Madison Capitols | 62 | 17 | 41 | 2 | 2 | 38 | 185 | 290 |

### Western Conference

| Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA |
| z – Fargo Force | 62 | 40 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 88 | 230 | 159 |
| x – Waterloo Black Hawks | 62 | 40 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 81 | 230 | 181 |
| x – Lincoln Stars | 62 | 37 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 78 | 214 | 185 |
| x – Tri-City Storm | 62 | 34 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 76 | 213 | 204 |
| x – Sioux City Musketeers | 62 | 29 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 63 | 200 | 200 |
| x – Des Moines Buccaneers | 62 | 25 | 28 | 5 | 4 | 59 | 167 | 194 |
| Sioux Falls Stampede | 62 | 23 | 31 | 5 | 3 | 54 | 181 | 225 |
| Omaha Lancers | 62 | 17 | 36 | 5 | 4 | 43 | 140 | 215 |

## 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 |
| Macklin Celebrini | Chicago Steel | 50 | 46 | 40 | 86 | 62 |
| Ryan Walsh | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders | 61 | 30 | 49 | 79 | 29 |
| Nicholas Moldenhauer | Chicago Steel | 55 | 30 | 45 | 75 | 18 |
| Jack Harvey | Chicago Steel | 62 | 40 | 34 | 74 | 24 |
| Ryan St. Louis | Dubuque Fighting Saints | 58 | 30 | 42 | 72 | 20 |
| Jayden Perron | Chicago Steel | 61 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 20 |
| Mason Marcellus | Lincoln Stars | 58 | 19 | 49 | 68 | 42 |
| Tanner Ludtke | Lincoln Stars | 57 | 32 | 34 | 66 | 32 |
| Cole Knuble | Fargo Force | 57 | 30 | 36 | 66 | 46 |
| Dylan Hryckowian | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders | 61 | 26 | 39 | 65 | 37 |

### 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% |
| Jacob Fowler | Youngstown Phantoms | 40 | 2318 | 27 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2.28 | 0.921 |
| Matej Marinov | Fargo Force | 30 | 1782 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2.36 | 0.917 |
| Anton Castro | Fargo Force | 33 | 1948 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2.40 | 0.914 |
| Emmett Croteau | Waterloo Black Hawks | 28 | 1658 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.46 | 0.917 |
| Cameron Korpi | Tri-City Storm | 21 | 1766 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2.52 | 0.911 |

## Clark Cup playoffs

Final results:
| First Round (Best-of-3) | First Round (Best-of-3) | First Round (Best-of-3) | Conference Semifinals (Best-of-3) | Conference Semifinals (Best-of-3) | Conference Semifinals (Best-of-3) | Conference Finals (Best-of-5) | Conference Finals (Best-of-5) | Conference Finals (Best-of-5) | Clark Cup Championship (Best-of-5) | Clark Cup Championship (Best-of-5) | Clark Cup Championship (Best-of-5) |
| | | | E1 | Chicago | 2 | | | | | | |
| E4 | Green Bay | 1 | E5 | Dubuque | 0 | | | | | | |
| E5 | Dubuque | 2 | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E1 | Chicago | 1 | | | |
| | | | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E2 | Youngstown | 3 | | | |
| | | | E2 | Youngstown | 2 | | | | | | |
| E3 | Team USA | 1 | E6 | Cedar Rapids | 0 | | | | | | |
| E6 | Cedar Rapids | 2 | | | | | | | E2 | Youngstown | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | W1 | Fargo | 0 |
| | | | W1 | Fargo | 2 | | | | | | |
| W4 | Tri-City | 2 | W4 | Tri-City | 0 | | | | | | |
| W5 | Sioux City | 0 | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W1 | Fargo | 3 | | | |
| | | | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W3 | Lincoln | 1 | | | |
| | | | W2 | Waterloo | 1 | | | | | | |
| W3 | Lincoln | 2 | W3 | Lincoln | 2 | | | | | | |
| W6 | Des Moines | 0 | | | | | | | | | |

## First Round
### Eastern Conference
#### (E4) Green Bay Gamblers vs. (E5) Dubuque Fighting Saints

* Dubuque wins series 2 – 1

#### (E3) Team USA vs. (E6) Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

* Cedar Rapids wins series 2 – 1

### Western Conference
#### (W4) Tri-City Storm vs. (W5) Sioux City Musketeers

* Tri-City wins series 2 – 0

#### (W3) Lincoln Stars vs. (W6) Des Moines Buccaneers

* Lincoln wins series 2 – 0

## Conference Semifinals
### Eastern Conference
#### (E1) Chicago Steel vs. (E5) Dubuque Fighting Saints

* Chicago wins series 2 – 0

#### (E2) Youngstown Phantoms vs. (E6) Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

* Youngstown wins series 2 – 0

### Western Conference
#### (W1) Fargo Force vs. (W4) Tri-City Storm

* Fargo wins series 2 – 0

#### (W2) Waterloo Black Hawks vs. (W3) Lincoln Stars

* Lincoln wins series 2 – 1

## Conference Finals
### Eastern Conference
#### (E1) Chicago Steel vs. (E2) Youngstown Phantoms

* Youngstown wins series 3 – 1

### Western Conference
#### (W1) Fargo Force vs. (W3) Lincoln Stars

* Fargo wins series 3 – 1

## Clark Cup Finals
### (W1) Fargo Force vs. (E2) Youngstown Phantoms

* Youngstown wins series 3 – 0

## Playoff Statistics

Statistics reflect games played through May 19, 2023

### Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; PTS = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
| Mason Marcellus | Lincoln Stars | 9 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 14 |
| Mac Swanson | Fargo Force | 9 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 2 |
| Martin Mišiak | Youngstown Phantoms | 9 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
| Cole Knuble | Fargo Force | 9 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 16 |
| Andon Cerbone | Youngstown Phantoms | 9 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| William Whitelaw | Youngstown Phantoms | 9 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 18 |
| Doug Grimes | Lincoln Stars | 8 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 14 |
| Owen Michaels | Dubuque Fighting Saints | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| Boston Buckberger | Lincoln Stars | 9 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 0 |
| Tanner Ludtke | Lincoln Stars | 9 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 |

### Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts; GA = Goals Allowed; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage
| Player | Team | GP | MIN | W | L | SO | GA | GAA | SV% |
| Jacob Fowler | Youngstown Phantoms | 9 | 575 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 1.36 | 0.952 |
| Anton Castro | Fargo Force | 3 | 159 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1.88 | 0.938 |
| Matej Marinov | Fargo Force | 7 | 384 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 2.34 | 0.906 |
| Bruno Brūveris | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders | 5 | 316 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2.46 | 0.929 |
| Christian Manz | Chicago Steel | 6 | 366 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 2.63 | 0.930 |

## Postseason awards
### USHL awards

| Award | Name | Team |
| Player of the Year | Macklin Celebrini | Chicago Steel |
| Forward of the Year | Macklin Celebrini | Chicago Steel |
| Defenseman of the Year | Eric Pohlkamp | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders |
| Rookie of the Year | Macklin Celebrini | Chicago Steel |
| Goaltender of the Year | Jacob Fowler | Youngstown Phantoms |
| Coach of the Year | Nick Oliver | Fargo Force |
| Scholar-Athlete of the Year | Lucas St. Louis | Dubuque Fighting Saints |
| Curt Hammer Award | Cole Knuble | Fargo Force |
| General Manager of the Year | Bryn Chyzyk | Waterloo Black Hawks |

### All-USHL First Team

| Position | Name | Team |
| Goalie | Jacob Fowler | Youngstown Phantoms |
| Defenseman | Eric Pohlkamp | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders |
| Defenseman | Joe Palodichuk | Fargo Force |
| Forward | Macklin Celebrini | Chicago Steel |
| Forward | Ryan Walsh | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders |
| Forward | Cole Knuble | Fargo Force |
Source

### All-USHL Second Team

| Position | Name | Team |
| Goalie | Matej Marinov | Fargo Force |
| Defenseman | Max Burkholder | Dubuque Fighting Saints |
| Defenseman | Aaron Pionk | Waterloo Black Hawks |
| Forward | Jack Harvey | Chicago Steel |
| Forward | Ryan St. Louis | Dubuque Fighting Saints |
| Forward | Mason Marcellus | Lincoln Stars |
Source

### All-USHL Third Team

| Position | Name | Team |
| Goalie | Cameron Whitehead | Lincoln Stars |
| Defenseman | Artyom Levshunov | Green Bay Gamblers |
| Defenseman | Boston Buckberger | Lincoln Stars |
| Forward | Ryan Conmy | Sioux City Musketeers |
| Forward | Garrett Schifsky | Waterloo Black Hawks |
| Forward | Nick Moldenhauer | Chicago Steel |
Source

### USHL All-Rookie Team

| Position | Name | Team |
| Goalie | Michael Hrabal | Omaha Lancers |
| Defenseman | Artyom Levshunov | Green Bay Gamblers |
| Defenseman | Will Felicio | Madison Capitols |
| Forward | Macklin Celebrini | Chicago Steel |
| Forward | Mac Swanson | Fargo Force |
| Forward | Ryan Conmy | Sioux City Musketeers |
Source

### All-Rookie Second Team

| Position | Name | Team |
| Defenseman | Ty Hanson | Sioux City Musketeers |
| Defenseman | Michael Hagens | Chicago Steel |
| Forward | Sacha Boisvert | Muskegon Lumberjacks |
| Forward | Trevor Connelly | Tri-City Storm |
| Forward | William Whitelaw | Youngstown Phantoms |
Source