Week 30 Preview
April 20, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Fargo Force News Release
Fargo, ND - The Fargo Force are saddling up for home and home against the Sioux Falls Stampede to close out the 2022-23 regular season. The home game of the pair takes place on Friday, April 21 at Scheels Arena, with puck drop at 7:05pm CST. Friday night is also Fan Appreciation Night, where the Force will wear fan designed jerseys, an 11x17 poster giveaway and a chance for fans to paint the ice after the game. The second game of the weekend is in Sioux Falls on Saturday, April 22, starting at 6:05pm CST. The season series is 7-2 for Fargo and the last matchup against Sioux Falls was a 5-4 road win on March 11.
Weekend in Review
Fargo lost both games to the Lincoln Stars last weekend, falling on Friday, April 14 in overtime 4-3, and coming up short on Saturday, April 15, 3-0. The Force gained a 3-1 lead in the third period on a penalty shot at 16:39 and empty net goal at 19:12, both by Bret Link. Incredibly the Stars scored two goals in the final minute of regulation evening the game a three to force overtime, where Lincoln lit the lamp 27 seconds into overtime. Friday's game had a silver lining, as the overtime loss gave Fargo a point, breaking their single season record of 83 points set in 2012-13 and clinched the No. 1 seed in the western conference.
Saturday night was another very close game. Despite the Force putting a barrage of shots on net, the Stars were victorious by a score of 3-0. Lincoln scored at the 4:17 mark of the first period, and 4:53 into the second period while on the power play. Lincoln's final tally came at 18:34 of the third period while Fargo had pulled Matej Marinov for the extra attacker.
Across the Aisle
Sioux Falls is fighting with Des Moines for the 6th and final playoff spot in the western conference. The Stampede are in seventh place, just two points behind the Buccaneers with a record of 23-29-5-3 and 54 points. They excel on the power play as the third best team in the United States Hockey League with 24.7%. Sioux Falls only made one substantial trade move, acquiring Isaac Gordon from the Chicago Steel. Since his acquisition at the beginning of the season, Gordon has put up 41 points (22 goals, 19 assists) in 56 games played for the Stampede and is second on the team in goals.
Sioux Falls is also benefited by a trio of skilled forwards, Samuel Harris, Maddox Fleming and Nick Ring. Harris is the team leader in goals with 30 and points with 56 while being committed to the University of Denver. The San Diego native has nearly doubled his 35 points from last season while playing with the Stampede. Fleming has experience with not only Sioux Falls, but he also has played for the USNTDP for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, before coming to the Stampede last year. His stickhandling is a force to be reckoned with and should put Force defensemen on alert. Fleming leads Sioux Falls with 34 assists in 47 games played this season and is committed to the University of Notre Dame. Nick Ring is playing his first season in the United States Hockey League after coming up from the North American Hockey League's New Jersey Titans, where he won a Robertson Cup Championship last season. He is second on the team in both assists with 30, and points with 42.
Between the pipes, Sioux Falls has had a lot of different goalie pairs, with Xavier Medina being the constant. Medina came in after playing the past two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires. Despite Medina's record of 14-17-3-0, he is 10th in save percentage among United States Hockey League goalies with 0.902. He also has a goals allowed average of 3.19. Most recently, his backup has been rookie Caleb Heil, who made his debut on Dec. 31, 2022, a victory versus Madison. He started the year playing for the Sioux Falls Power youth program.
The Last Stretches
Fargo has 84 points (38-14-4-4), leading the western conference. If the Force win at least one game this weekend, they will break the franchise record for wins in a season set in 2012-13 (38 wins). That season, Fargo went to the Clark Cup Finals, where they lost to the Dubuque Fighting Saints in three games.
Broadcast Information
Both Friday and Saturday's games against the Sioux Falls Stampede will be streamed on Flo Hockey and 101.9 Jack FM. Friday's game starts at 7:05pm CST in while Saturday's contest begins at 6:05 pm CST with radio streaming on 740 The FAN.
United States Hockey League Stories from April 20, 2023
- Playoff Clinching Scenarios Ahead of Final Weekend of Regular Season - Dubuque Fighting Saints
- 90 Former USHL Players on NHL Rosters for 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs - USHL
- Don't Miss Fandemonium on Friday - Lincoln Stars
- Week 30 Preview - Fargo Force
- Ten Players with Ties to Storm Organization Named to Scouting List - Tri-City Storm
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