The Anderson Cup champion Lincoln Stars led the league in points, goals for, goals against, had six 20 goal scorers, and have six players ranked by Central Scouting for this summer’s NHL draft.

The fans have come back - after not selling out the 4,200-capacity Ice Box since 2019, sellouts have become commonplace in Lincoln.

Goaltender Yan Shostak led the USHL in goals against and was second in save percentage.

In short, there’s nothing not to like about the Stars.

So why does this series feel like a toss-up?

The fourth place Musketeers finished the season as the league’s hottest team, going 7-2-1 in their last ten games.

Sioux City looked solid in a two-game sweep of defending Clark Cup Champion Fargo in the first round. They have the league’s best penalty kill at 84.2 percent, while also scoring a league-high 13 short handed goals.

But perhaps the key stat is the head-to-head record - the teams split their six games this year, each team going 3-3-0. In the last home and home, Sioux City overcame a 3-0 second period deficit in Lincoln to win 4-3, handing the Stars their first loss this season when leading after two periods.

One night later, Lincoln handed the Muskies a 7-2 loss at the Tyson Events Center.

In other words, expect the unexpected.

PREDICTION: Game one will be huge. The team that imposed their will on the other team will likely come out on with a game one win.

In short, it’s two teams that both outwork and out will their opponents when they’re at the top of their game.

This series could very well come down to a bounce or a lucky break, but just as Lincoln felt unstoppable during their 17-1-0 run from early January to early March, Sioux City has felt that way the past month or so.

Sioux City in five fiercely contested games.