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 2020-21 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.


 * 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.

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