Stars Fall to Force in Game 4
Published on May 9, 2023 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
The Lincoln Stars' 2022-23 season came to an end with an 8-4 loss to the Fargo Force in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night at the Ice Box.
Doug Grimes scored twice and added two assists while Mason Marcellus also recorded a four-point game with four assists. Lincoln led 4-3 after two periods but Cole Knuble scored three-of-his-four goals in the final 20 minutes as Fargo exploded for five goals in the third period.
"It's been my privilege to be able to coach them. I'm a better coach because I had the opportunity to spend a season with them," head coach Rocky Russo said. "I've been doing this for 18 years and it's really hard to win a championship. There's only one team that gets to win their last game of the year. This team exceeded expectations. This team battled and competed. The love they have for each other is something I will always cherish. This is one of my top teams that I was ever fortunate enough to be part of."
The two teams combined for seven goals in the first period. Owen Mehlenbacher scored 52 seconds in but Grimes responded 23 seconds later. Knuble cut through the defense and scored his first of the night at the 2:48 mark. Grimes one-times a feed straightaway off a feed from Marcellus from the near boards to tie it up again at the 11:41 mark. Charlie Russell gave Fargo the lead for the final time in the first period on the power play from atop the right circle at the 13:28 mark.
Lincoln responded with two big goals before the buzzer sounded on the opening 20 minutes thanks to two power-play goals. Tanner Ludtke, whose 12 tallies on the man advantage were fourth-most in the USHL in the regular season, cashed in at the 15:37 mark before Antonio Fernandez capitalized at the 19:24 mark to give Lincoln its first lead of the game.
Neither team scored in the second period but the Force evened the game up 5:58 into the third period when Knuble cashed in again to tie the game up before a Mehlenbacher tap in on the power play at 8:22 mark put the Force ahead for good. Knuble added insurance on the power play at the 9:41 mark before he and Swanson added empty-net goals to wrap up the scoring.
The Force move on to the Clark Cup Final to face the winner of the Youngstown-Chicago series in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Stars' longest postseason run in a decade comes to an end. Stay tuned to lincolnstars.com as well as the team's social media pages for updates on the 2023-24 schedule.
United States Hockey League Stories from May 9, 2023
- Steel Fall 2-1 in Overtime as Youngstown Advances - Chicago Steel
- Force and Phantoms Advance to 2023 Clark Cup Final - USHL
- Future Considerations Announced - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Tom Gilbert and Dominic Zombo to Remain on Coaching Staff - Madison Capitols
- Bucs Futures Camp Dates Announced - Des Moines Buccaneers
- Stars Fall to Force in Game 4 - Lincoln Stars
- Phantoms Down Chicago 4-1 - Youngstown Phantoms
- Force Eliminate Stars, Head Back to the Clark Cup Finals - Fargo Force
- Youngstown Takes Series Lead with 4-1 Game 3 Victory - Chicago Steel
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