2020-21 USHL season

This is the 2020-21 United States Hockey League season.
This is the league's 44th season as a junior hockey league.
The league was planning on beginning play on November 6th.
==Membership Changes==
*On February 28, 2019 the ownership of the Central Illinois Flying Aces announced they would not be renewing the lease at the Grossinger Motors Arena and would be sitting out the 2019-20 season. The team stated it is evaluating opportunities to resume play for the 2020-21https://www.ushl.com/news_article/show/999751 and appear not to be returning for the 2020-21 season.
*On September 18, 2020 the league announced that the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and the Madison Capitols were both sitting out the 2020-21 season. Cedar Rapids was forced to sit out when their home rink, the ImOn Ice Arena, was damaged by a derecho storm on August 10th. Madison's decision was based on it not being financially feasible for the team to play with the restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic involving practice, playing games, and hosting fans at their home arena with restrictions put in place by the state of Wisconsin.https://www.ushl.com/news_article/show/1123372
*On September 14th it was announced that the Des Moines Buccaneers would be starting out the season playing out of the Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines) for at least part of the season as the Buccaneer Arena sustained damage in the same storm on August 10th that put the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders out for the 2020-21 season.https://www.ushl.com/news_article/show/1127807
==Teams==
Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference	Eastern Conference 	Eastern Conference
Team 	Founded 	Arena 	City
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders 	1983 	ImOn Ice Arena 	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Chicago Steel 	1996 	Fox Valley Ice Arena 	Geneva, Illinois
Dubuque Fighting Saints 	2010 	Mystique Ice Center 	Dubuque, Iowa
Green Bay Gamblers 	1994 	Resch Center 	Green Bay, Wisconsin
Madison Captols 	2014 	Bob Suter's Capitol Ice Arena	Middleton, Wisconsin
Muskegon Lumberjacks 	2010 	L. C. Walker Arena 	Muskegon, Michigan
US NTDP 	1996 	USA Hockey Arena 	Plymouth, Michigan
Youngstown Phantoms 	2003 	Covelli Centre 	Youngstown, Ohio
Western Conference 	Western Conference	Western Conference 	Western Conference
Team 	Founded 	Arena 	City
Des Moines Buccaneers 	1980 	Buccaneer Arena 	Urbandale, Iowa
Fargo Force 	2008 	Scheels Arena 	Fargo, North Dakota
Lincoln Stars 	1996 	Ice Box 	Lincoln, Nebraska
Omaha Lancers 	1986 	Ralston Arena 	Ralston, Nebraska
Sioux City Musketeers 	1972 	Fleet Farm Arena 	Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux Falls Stampede 	1999 	Denny Sanford PREMIER Center 	Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Tri-City Storm 	2000 	Viaero Event Center 	Kearney, Nebraska
Waterloo Black Hawks 	1962 	Young Arena 	Waterloo, Iowa
Dormant Teams 	Dormant Teams 	Dormant Teams 	Dormant Teams
Team 	Founded 	Arena 	City
Central Illinois Flying Aces	2014 	Grossinger Motors Arena 	Bloomington, Illinois
Indiana Ice 	2004 	Lyceum Pavilion 	Indianapolis, Indiana
==Standings==
===Eastern Conference===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts	%
Chicago Steel 	54	38	11	3 	2 	265	185	81 	.750
Muskegon Lumberjacks 	54	34	16	2 	2 	241	209	72 	.667
Green Bay Gamblers 	51	30	17	2 	2 	190	182	64 	.627
Dubuque Fighting Saints	52	24	23	4 	1 	199	212	53 	.510
US NTDP 	54	22	24	4 	4 	226	245	52 	.481
Youngstown Phantoms 	49	12	30	5 	2 	145	218	31 	.316
===Western Conference===
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	SL	GF 	GA 	Pts	%
Tri-City Storm 	52	30	18	3 	1 	178	137	64 	.615
Omaha Lancers 	53	30	20	2 	1 	169	156	63 	.594
Sioux City Musketeers	53	31	21	1 	0 	160	125	63 	.594
Fargo Force 	54	31	21	3 	0 	169	148	65 	.583
Des Moines Buccaneers	51	26	21	4 	0 	158	152	56 	.549
Lincoln Stars 	54	22	28	3 	1 	160	204	48 	.444
Waterloo Black Hawks 	53	22	30	1 	0 	165	202	45 	.425
Sioux Falls Stampede 	55	18	32	3 	1 	163	213	40 	.370
==Clark Cup Playoffs==
===Original Format===
The playoff format had been modified in 2020 to have the top six teams in each conference qualifying for the playoffs with the top two seeds in each conference earning a bye to the conference semifinals. The conference quarterfinals will be best of three hosted by the #3 and #4 seeds. The conference semifinals will match the #1 seed against the winner of the 4-5 series and the #2 seed against the winner of the 3-6 series in a best-of-three series. The division final and league final will be best of five with home ice advantage going to the higher seed.
==Revised Format==
Due to the pandemic and fewer teams the First Round from the regular format was removed for 2021. The Division semifinal round is reduced a best-of-three series with all games played at the higher seed. The division final and league final will be best of five with home ice advantage going to the higher seed.
===Eastern Conference Semifinals===
*Chicago Steel defeated Dubuque Fighting Saints 2 games to none
*Muskegon Lumberjacks defeated Green Bay Gamblers 2 games to none
===Western Conference Semifinals===
*Fargo Force defeated Tri-City Storm 2 games to 1
*Sioux City Musketeers defeated Omaha Lancers 2 games to none
===Eastern Conference Final===
*Chicago Steel defeated Muskegon Lumberjacks 2 games to none
===Western Conference Final===
*Fargo Force defeated Sioux City Musketeers 2 games to none
===Clark Cup Final===
*Chicago Steel defeated Fargo Force 3 games to 1
===Bracket===
;Legend
* E1, E2, E3, E4 – The teams from the Eastern Conference
* W1, W2, W3, W4 – The teams from the Midwestern Conference
==References==
Category:2021 in ice hockey
Category:USHL seasons