Jets Set to face North Iowa in Playoffs
April 2, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Fargo-Moorhead Jets News Release
Fargo (ND) Last weekend turned out to be an appetizer for the main course, and continued what is now a three-year trend for the Fargo-Moorhead Jets Junior A hockey team. The FM Jets finished the regular season with a two-game sweep at home over the North Iowa Outlaws on March 30th and 31st, only to then learn they would be facing the same team to start the playoffs.
The #1 FM Jets (39-19-6, 80pts) and #4 North Iowa (27-29-6, 60pts) will meet in the Best-of-Five North American Hockey League Central Division semi-final series beginning this weekend at the Carlson Coliseum. A full schedule is listed below.
#1 FM Jets vs. #4 North Iowa
NAHL First Round Series
Best of Five
Game 1 Friday April 6 in Fargo 7:35pm
Game 2 Saturday April 7 in Fargo 7:05pm
Game 3 Friday April 13 in Mason City, IA 7:05pm
Game 4 Saturday April 14 in Mason City, IA 7:05pm (if necessary)
Game 5 Monday April 16 in Fargo 7:35pm (if necessary)
#2 Southern Minnesota is going up against #3 Alexandria in the other semi-final series, in a rematch of a first round match up from last year which Southern Minnesota won in five games. First round winners will meet in the division finals with a trip to the Robertson Cup Tournament in Fairbanks, Alaska on the line.
This is the third season in a row the FM Jets' have started the playoffs against the same team they ended the regular season against. In 2004-2005, the FM Jets ended the regular season with an overtime loss at the Minnesota Blizzard, only to sweep Minnesota in the ensuing playoff series. Last year, the FM Jets' split two games at Bismarck before winning the following playoff series in four games.
The FM Jets snapped a four-game winless streak on March 30th with a come-from-behind 4-2 win. North Iowa took a 2-0 lead in the first period, but it proved to be their only goals of the entire weekend. In the second period, Matt Becker (Moorhead, MN) cut the deficit in half with a goal early in the period.
Then in the third period, Andrew Harrison (Temperance, MI) tied the game three minutes in. The score remained tied until Jon Halstenson (Fargo, ND) blistered a slapper home from the right circle with just under five minutes left. It proved to be the game winner, his first of the year, and Jesse Echternach (Bemidji, MN) tossed in an empty-netter as the final buzzer sounded for the 4-2 final.
On March 31st, Austin Lee (Bloomington, MN) made 36 saves to earn his first Junior A hockey shutout with a 1-0 win over North Iowa. Brooks DeZeller (Eden Prairie, MN) scored the lone goal for the FM Jets with just under four minutes left in regulation.
For the FM Jets, it's the fourth consecutive season the team has reached the playoffs, and the second time they enter as a division's top seed. In 2004-2005, the FM Jets rode the West Division's number one seed all the way to the National Championship game.
Series Preview
The FM Jets won six of the eight meetings between the teams, including the last three. Of the four games played at the Carlson Coliseum, the FM Jets won three of them. The same breakdown occurred in the games played at the North Iowa Ice Arena.
In the last two years, the FM Jets are 13-2-0 against North Iowa with both of the Outlaws wins coming this season. The FM Jets had won 10 straight versus the Outlaws including three this season before the Outlaws won Nov. 11.
In the season series, Matt Moreland (Grand Forks, ND) leads the FM Jets' with 13 points (7 goals). Ryan Adams (Deloraine, MB) has 9 points (3 goals) in the season series.
Max Mobley paces North Iowa with 7 points (3 goals).
The FM Jets have had the better goaltending in the series as well, led by Austin Lee (Bloomington, MN) who went 4-1-0 with a 2.10 GAA and .941% save percentage. He also earned the shutout on March 31st.
North Iowa's goaltending duo of Jay Clark and Robby Moss has combined for a 3.63 GAA and .891% save percentage.
Special teams wise, the FM Jets' penalty kill has been extremely efficient, hold North Iowa's power play is only 0.1% (4/60) in the series However, North Iowa scored twice on the power play during the March 30th game.
With the exception of the March 30th game, the team that has scored first had won all six of the games in the series this season. That changed last night with the FM Jets storming back for the victory.
With no doubt, the most interesting moment in the series occurred Jan. 20th in Mason City when North Iowa goaltender Jay Clark scored into an empty net giving him a rare goalie goal.
PAST RESULTS 10/20/06 Fargo-Moorhead 4 at North Iowa 3 10/21/06 Fargo-Moorhead 5 at North Iowa 3 11/10/06 North Iowa 1 at Fargo-Moorhead 5 11/11/06 North Iowa 5 at Fargo-Moorhead 2 01/20/07 Fargo-Moorhead 4 at North Iowa 6 01/21/07 Fargo-Moorhead 4 at North Iowa 3 03/30/07 North Iowa 2 at Fargo-Moorhead 4 03/31/07 North Iowa 0 at Fargo-Moorhead 1
Blank Check
Austin Lee's (Bloomington, MN) shutout on March 31st was his first of his Junior A career, and only the second of the season for the FM Jets. The last shutout prior to Saturday was October 7th in a 3-0 win over Alexandria with Elliot Okland (Fargo, ND) making 29 saves.
The 1-0 win was the franchise's first since a 1-0 win at Minnesota January 23, 2005. In that game, Andy Stricker made 22 saves and Matt Moreland scored the only goal in the second period.
Playoff Record
The FM Jets are 13-8 in the post-season all time and of the five series the team has been in, they have won three of them. The FM Jets have never lost a playoff series that they have started at home, and the team that wins the first game has gone on to win the series each time.
At the Carlson Coliseum, the FM Jets are 5-5 in the playoffs.
Four's the Mark
The FM Jets' four goals in the March 30th win was their highest since scoring four on March 10th which was the last win prior.
The FM Jets have only scored four goals in three of their last 15 games, winning each of those games.
Their 1-0 win on March 31st to end the regular season, was the team's first victory when scoring less than three goals all season, and their first with scoring less than four since December 29th at Bismarck.
Tri-Star Hockey Event a Success
Roughly 100 kids attended the Fargo Optimist Club's 24th annual Tri-Star Hockey skills competition on Saturday morning at the Carlson Coliseum. Events ranged from shooting drills to speed skating with different age categories. Results have been tabulated and later this week members of the FM Jets and Optimist Club will be going to winners' schools to inform winners of their accomplishment and present trophies.
Last Week
Mar. 30 North Iowa Outlaws 4-2 Win
Mar. 31 North Iowa Outlaws 1-0 Win
This Week
Apr. 6 North Iowa Outlaws (Game 1) 7:35pm
Apr. 7 North Iowa Outlaws (Game 2) 7:05pm
The FM Jets Junior A Hockey Club is in its fourth season as members of the North American Hockey League. The NAHL is the nation's largest Junior A hockey league and is now in its 31st year of operation. For more information, visit fmjets.com or call (701) 235-2354.
Jets home games are played at the John E. Carlson Coliseum in Fargo, ND. All games are broadcasted on Today's Hot New Country 103.9 THE TRUCK and audiosportsonline.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from April 2, 2007
- Jets Set to face North Iowa in Playoffs - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Stadler to attend Adrian College - Alpena IceDiggers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
