Fargo Falls to Lincoln After Jumping in Front Early
Published on May 5, 2023 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Fargo Force News Release
Fargo, ND - The Fargo Force lost to the Lincoln Stars Friday night 4-3, evening the Western Conference Finals at one game each. Fargo was leading the game 2-0 to start the second period, but Lincoln scored four unanswered goals to win Game 2. Matej Marinov stopped 26 of 30 shots on goal in the loss, while the Stars' Cameron Whitehead rejected 22 of 25 shots.
Mac Swanson started out the scoring for Fargo at 3:13 in the first period, potting a rebound and giving the Force a 1-0 lead. Cole Knuble and Lincoln's DJ Hart received offsetting minor penalties at 4:51 resulting in a 4 on 4. Neither team had many chances with the extra ice, as rushes ensued for both sides. Immediately following the penalties, Fargo doubled their lead to 2-0 at 7:37, on a pretty passing play ending on the stick of Boris Skalos. The Stars couldn't get much sustained zone time, but had some quality breakouts and a few drives that were turned aide by Marinov. After a lull in the action, Charlie Russell was called for a 4 minute double minor at 15:25. The penalty kill was excellent for the Force, even resulting in a number of shorthanded chances, including one by Bret Link that he put high. Fargo went back to full strength with 35 seconds remaining in the period, coasting into the intermission.
Lincoln responded beginning the second period with chippy play, finishing their checks and starting up some offense. This edge led to a Stars power play, coming off the heels of a JP Turner hooking call at 1:59. It took all of 20 seconds for Lincoln to split the lead to 2-1 at 2:19. Then, at 2:33, former Fargo player German Yavash tapped the puck past Marinov, evening the contest 2-2. The Force responded as Girts Silkalns drove in a feed from Owen Mehlenbacher at 4:55 retaking the Fargo lead 3-2. Fargo got their first power play opportunity as Leo Gruba drew a slashing call at 6:31. The cycle on the man advantage was well executed, but a missed open net opportunity allowed Lincoln to clear. Despite, the offensive chances, the Stars scored shorthanded at 8:26 off a giveaway tying the game again, this time 3-3. Lincoln energized themselves off the second equalizer establishing pressure of their own. The momentum came to a halt at 16:56, with Fargo's second power play coming from a high sticking penalty. After a shaky start to the special teams opportunity, the Force played hide and seek with the puck but couldn't beat Whitehead this round to end the second.
Fargo immediately tried to take back the lead in the third period, with a Link chance at the mouth of the blue paint that wouldn't go. Marinov made an impressive save right afterwards, nabbing a bouncing puck into his glove. Once more, the Force went to the power play at 2:36 on a hooking call. Mehlenbacher tried to go top corner early on, but Whitehead made a windmill save. Besides the start, Fargo didn't get many other good looks and Lincoln went back to five a side. After killing off the penalty, the Stars brought some heat, but couldn't convert as Marinov came up big again. The next stretch was back and forth play, which lasted until 10:56 when the Stars recovered a rebound, giving them their first lead of the night, 4-3. The Force went back to the penalty kill at 12:40 as Russell was called for elbowing, where they bottlenecked the shooting lanes for the Stars, leveling things out. Russell went back to the box, this time with Lincoln's Keaton Peters for unsportsmanlike conduct and holding respectively at 15:06. Link came streaking in but was stonewalled by Whitehead. Head Coach Nick Oliver pulled Marinov at 18:43, and the extra attacker gave Fargo a flurry of chances that fell short. The Stars took a holding call with 7 seconds remaining but it did little to change the outcome of the night.
Fargo travels to Lincoln Sunday night for Game 3 against the Stars with puck drop at 5:05pm CST. Streaming is on Flo Hockey and airing on 740 AM The FAN. Tickets can purchased online under the 'Tickets' tab on the Fargo Force website.
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