- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Youngstown Today
By the People, for the People
Youngstown Phantoms Clinch USHL's Anderson Cup
Phantoms secure top playoff seed, earn first-round bye
Apr. 1, 2026 at 3:03am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The Youngstown Phantoms have clinched at least a share of the Anderson Cup, the United States Hockey League's regular-season championship, after the Sioux Falls Stampede lost on Tuesday night. The Phantoms, who currently sit at 42-13-3-2 on the season, will start their 2026 playoff run in the conference semifinals with home games on April 17 and 18 at the Covelli Centre.
Why it matters
Winning the Anderson Cup is a significant accomplishment for the Phantoms, as it guarantees them the top playoff seed and a first-round bye in the upcoming Clark Cup playoffs. This will give the team extra rest and home-ice advantage as they look to capture their second Clark Cup championship.
The details
The Phantoms clinched at least a share of the Anderson Cup after the Sioux Falls Stampede lost 4-3 to the Des Moines Buccaneers on Tuesday night. With the Stampede loss, the Phantoms (89 points) officially clinched a piece of the Anderson Cup before playing their final two regular-season games this weekend. The Stampede would need to gain four points this weekend without the Phantoms earning a point to earn their share of the cup with Youngstown.
- The Phantoms clinched the Anderson Cup on April 1, 2026.
- The Phantoms will start their 2026 playoff run in the conference semifinals with home games on April 17 and 18.
The players
Youngstown Phantoms
The Youngstown Phantoms are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the United States Hockey League (USHL).
Sioux Falls Stampede
The Sioux Falls Stampede are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the USHL and were in contention for a share of the Anderson Cup.
Des Moines Buccaneers
The Des Moines Buccaneers are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the USHL and defeated the Sioux Falls Stampede 4-3, helping the Youngstown Phantoms clinch the Anderson Cup.
What’s next
The Phantoms will start their 2026 playoff run in the conference semifinals with home games on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18 at the Covelli Centre.
The takeaway
The Youngstown Phantoms have secured the top seed in the upcoming USHL playoffs by clinching the Anderson Cup, the league's regular-season championship. This gives the Phantoms a first-round bye and home-ice advantage as they look to capture their second Clark Cup title.
