Four teams will clash for the Dupaco Cowbell Cup during the 2022/23 United States Hockey League season, as the Des Moines Buccaneers join the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Dubuque Fighting Saints, and Waterloo Black Hawks in competition for the trophy which has represented hockey excellence in eastern Iowa since 2011/12.
 
Des Moines' addition means a record total of 36 games will be included in the series, beginning on October 15th. That date will be the first time two Dupaco Cowbell Cup games will be played on the same evening: the Buccaneers will host the Fighting Saints, while the Black Hawks and RoughRiders meet in Cedar Rapids.  There will be eight other similar instances of double Dupaco Cowbell Cup nights during the schedule.

"Supporting community events and bringing value to our members are both important Dupaco initiatives," said Joe Hearn, President and CEO of Dupaco Community Credit Union. "As the presenting sponsor of the Dupaco Cowbell Cup series, we're supporting four of the communities in which we have a strong presence of Dupaco Credit Union members. This partnership allows us to help provide excellent family-friendly events to our members and the community at large."
 
Dupaco Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative dedicated to the financial well-being of its members and specializing in personalized financial counseling, money advice and education. It offers savings, loans, investments, insurance and wealth management products for individuals and businesses. Dupaco serves 112 counties throughout Iowa, northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin with more than 600 employees and 22 branch office locations.

"It's great to welcome Des Moines to this competition and highlight a rivalry that dates back more than 40 years between the Black Hawks and Buccaneers," said Hawks President of Business Operations Joe Greene.  "Although we are rivals on game night, each of our teams supports the message of financial literacy which is so central to Dupaco, and we thank them for supporting the Dupaco Cowbell Cup as a means to connect with our communities."

All four Dupaco Cowbell Cup competitors have deep roots in the USHL.  The Black Hawks organization was founded in 1962, while the Buccaneers and Fighting Saints can trace their histories back to 1980.  The RoughRiders took the ice in 1999 after the club was relocated from Mason City.  Together, the cities have won 13 Anderson Cup (regular season) and 11 Clark Cup (playoff) championships during the USHL's modern era, which began in 1979.

As in prior seasons, the Dupaco Cowbell Cup champion will be determined by the results of regular season USHL games played head-to-head between the contending teams.  Two points will be awarded for each win, with one point conferred for an overtime or shootout loss.

Due to a slight scheduling imbalance, the following games will not count in the Dupaco Cowbell Cup standings: September 24th – Dubuque versus Des Moines (during the USHL Fall Classic); October 1st – Waterloo at Des Moines; October 30th – Des Moines at Waterloo; December 2nd – Dubuque at Cedar Rapids; December 3rd – Cedar Rapids at Dubuque.

The Black Hawks' first 2022/23 home game is scheduled for Saturday, October 8th versus the Tri-City Storm.  Season tickets and 7-game voucher packs are currently available for the upcoming season.  Single-game tickets for all 30 Hawks games at Young Arena are also now on sale through the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office and tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com.

2022/23 Dupaco Cowbell Cup Games
Date	Matchup	Location	Time (Central)
October 15	Waterloo at Cedar Rapids	Imon Ice Arena	7:05 p.m.
	Dubuque at Des Moines	Buccaneer Arena	6:00 p.m.
October 29	Cedar Rapids at Des Moines	Buccaneer Arena	6:00 p.m.
	Dubuque at Waterloo	Young Arena	6:05 p.m.
November 4	Des Moines at Cedar Rapids	Imon Ice Arena	7:05 p.m.
November 24	Cedar Rapids at Waterloo	Young Arena	7:05 p.m.
November 26	Waterloo at Cedar Rapids	Imon Ice Arena	7:05 p.m.
	Des Moines at Dubuque	Mystique Ice Center	7:05 p.m.
December 9	Dubuque at Cedar Rapids	Imon Ice Arena	7:05 p.m.
	Des Moines at Waterloo	Young Arena	7:05 p.m.
December 10	Dubuque at Des Moines	Buccaneer Arena	6:00 p.m.
	Cedar Rapids at Waterloo	Young Arena	6:05 p.m.
December 16	Waterloo at Des Moines	Buccaneer Arena	7:00 p.m.
December 28	Dubuque at Waterloo	Young Arena	7:05 p.m.
December 31	Cedar Rapids at Dubuque	Mystique Ice Center	7:05 p.m.
January 13	Waterloo at Des Moines	Buccaneer Arena	7:00 p.m.
	Cedar Rapids at Dubuque	Mystique Ice Center	7:05 p.m.
January 14	Dubuque at Cedar Rapids	Imon Ice Arena	7:05 p.m.
	Des Moines at Waterloo	Young Arena	6:05 p.m.
January 20	Des Moines at Dubuque	Mystique Ice Center	7:05 p.m.
January 21	Waterloo at Dubuque	Mystique Ice Center	7:05 p.m.
February 2	Waterloo at Dubuque	Mystique Ice Center	7:05 p.m.
February 10	Dubuque at Cedar Rapids	Imon Ice Arena	7:05 p.m.
February11	Cedar Rapids at Dubuque	Mystique Ice Center	7:05 p.m.
February 17	Waterloo at Des Moines	Buccaneer Arena	7:00 p.m.
February 18	Waterloo at Cedar Rapids	Imon Ice Arena	7:05 p.m.
March 3	Dubuque at Des Moines	Buccaneer Arena	7:00 p.m.
March 4	Des Moines at Dubuque	Mystique Ice Center	7:05 p.m.
March 11	Cedar Rapids at Waterloo	Young Arena	6:05 p.m.
March 19	Cedar Rapids at Des Moines	Buccaneer Arena	3:00 p.m.
March 24	Des Moines at Waterloo	Young Arena	7:05 p.m.
April 2	Des Moines at Cedar Rapids	Imon Ice Arena	4:05 p.m.
April 21	Des Moines at Cedar Rapids	Imon Ice Arena	7:05 p.m.
	Waterloo at Dubuque	Mystique Ice Center	7:05 p.m.
April 22	Cedar Rapids at Des Moines	Buccaneer Arena	6:00 p.m.
	Dubuque at Waterloo	Young Arena	6:05 p.m.