Dubuque Fighting Saints Renew Reputation

After leaving Dubuque ten years ago, the Fighting Saints Hockey team is back and surprising fans with their success.

For months now, fans have been filling the seats at the new Mystique Community Ice Center.

In the debut season, the Fighting Saints are currently in first place in the United State's Hockey League's Western Conference.

But they're using more than just good hockey to draw in fans.

On this cold and snowy night, the Dubuque Fighting Saints are squaring off against each other.

Player Brooks Bertsch said, "this is what you did when you were a kid growing up."

And also like the kids did, they're outside at a park rink, braving the elements.

Fighting Saints President, Matt Strelo said, "the Iowa Winter games took over our home a the Mystique Community Ice Center for the last couple of days, so we decided to have an open practice, bring it to the people."

Managers say they've made it their mission to make the Fighting Saints a community-minded team.

From fund-raisers to an aggressive marketing campaign.

Stelo said, "Dubuque has a sustainability challenge. We are getting active with that. Kind of like we did with the pink game for cancer. We're going to do a green game where we play in green jerseys. "

And so far, managers say, it seems to be working.

Stelo said, "we've been averaging about 80 percent capacity in our building. Our sponsorships are amongst the highest in the league. We sold out our suites. By and large we are doing very very well. "

The team is renewing its rivalry with the Waterloo Black Hawks and created a new rivalry with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders. On Saturday, The Fighting Saints lost in an over-time shoot out against the Rough Riders.

Strelo said, "it creates a nice little buzz. You get the fans cheering, which gets our fans more excited because nobody likes to be out-cheered in their own barn."

While Strelo says there is still work to be done, the Fighting Saints want Dubuque to know they are back.

Back in November, the Fighting Saints raised money for an injured Dubuque Marine.

Marine Lance Corporal Christopher Billmyer lost his legs while serving in Afghanistan.

The team held a benefit and raised nearly 45-thousand dollars.