
Preview: Storm Set for Playoff Matchup vs. Fargo
April 17, 2018 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release
Fargo, ND - The Tri-City Storm begin the opening round of the playoffs tonight in a matchup with the Fargo Force at Scheels Arena in Fargo, ND. The #6 seed Storm face the #3 seed Force in a best of three series beginning with Game 1 tonight. Tomorrow's Game 2 is set for 7:05pm with an if necessary Game 3 scheduled for Thursday at 7:05pm. Tri-City returns to the Clark Cup Playoffs after missing the post season tournament last season. Tri-City won the 2016 Clark Cup Championship and will be seeking its 2nd Championship in three seasons in this year's playoffs.
Opponent: Fargo Force
Game Time: 7:05 PM CT
Broadcast: Watch: HockeyTV Listen: The Breeze 94.5 FM or Online
Tri-City finished the regular season Sunday afternoon vs. Lincoln in a rescheduled game from the previous night. The Storm fell to the Stars by a final score of 5-0 and ended the regular season on a nine game winless streak. Tri-City completed the regular season with an overall record of 29-27-2-2. The Storm is 1-3 against the Force this season, after winning the last game of the regular season series 2-1 in overtime on February 17th. The Storm and the Force played all four regular season games in consecutive weeks in February. In the Storm's overtime win in Fargo, Hugo Blixt scored in the 2nd period and Jake Crespi picked up the overtime winner for Tri-City. The Storm's 62 regular season points was good for a 12th place finish in the league standings. Tri-City enters tonight's game with a 1-8-1 record in its last ten games and will be looking for its first victory since a 2-1 defeat of Sioux Falls on March 23rd at the Viaero Center.
Fargo enters tonight's game with a record of 9-1 in its last ten games. The Force ended the regular season with a five game winning streak and a 3-2 shootout win over Sioux Falls on Sunday night in a rescheduled game from Saturday night. Fargo boasts the league's best power play in the regular season, with a conversation rate of nearly 25% at 24.5%. Fargo is 15-9-3-3 on home ice this season and will be looking for its second home victory over the Storm this year. Fargo was the only team in the Western Conference this season to score 200 or more goals. The Force scored 208 goals during the 2017-2018 regular season and allowed the only 133 goals, the least of any team in the USHL this season.
Tonight's playoff broadcast will begin at 6:45pm CT on HockeyTV and the Breeze 94.5FM. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05pm CT. The broadcast can also be heard via the Tri-City Storm Mobile App.
United States Hockey League Stories from April 17, 2018
- Gamblers Season Comes to An End - Green Bay Gamblers
- Stars Fall in Game 1 to Stampede, 5-3 - Lincoln Stars
- Chicago Flexes Offensive Muscle to Force Wednesday Game Three - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Hawks Fans Make Sizable Humboldt Contribution - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Six Players with Stars Ties Named to NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings - Lincoln Stars
- Home Playoff Hockey this Weekend - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Youngstown Phantoms Sign Ben Schoen to Tender - USHL
- Phantoms Sign Forward Ben Schoen to USHL Tender - Youngstown Phantoms
- Preview: Storm Set for Playoff Matchup vs. Fargo - Tri-City Storm
- Muskegon Lumberjacks Sign Alex Gaffney to Tender - USHL
- Steel Rally Late But Lumberjacks Take Game 1 - Chicago Steel
- Gamblers Fall at Home in Game 1 - Green Bay Gamblers
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Other Recent Tri-City Storm Stories
- Waterloo Uses Trio of Third Period Goals to Seal Game 2 Win over Storm, Black Hawks Sweep Best-Of-Three Western Conference First Round Series
- Tri-City's Pradel, Simpson, Roed Make NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings
- Storm Face Elimination in Game Two of USHL Western Conference First Round Series Tuesday Night at Waterloo
- Dan Hoehne Named Goaltending Coach
- Kevin Clark Named Player Development Coach

