The USHL playoffs have hit the conference finals stage and four Alaskans are still alive, all getting ready for the Western Conference finals.

The Lincoln Stars, who feature three Alaskans, will play a best-of-5 series against the Waterloo Black Hawks, who have an Alaskan goaltender.

The Stars include defenseman Dax Lauwers of Anchorage (1-0--1, +2 in four playoff games), Colorado College-bound forward Jared Hanson of Palmer (2-1--3, +4 in four games) and UAF-bound forward Matt Friese of Wasilla (0-2--2, +2 in four games).

The Black Hawks have Minnesota State-Mankato-bound goalie Stephon Williams of Fairbanks (5-1-0, 2.34, .914), who Saturday night got his club to the conference finals with a 31-save effort on his 19th birthday for a 5-1 win over Omaha.

The winner of the Lincoln-Waterloo series, which opens Wednesday, will play the winner of the Eastern Conference finals between the Green Bay Gamblers and Indiana Ice for the Clark Cup.