Gamblers force decisive Game 5

For the fourth time in four Clark Cup Finals games the away team won as the Green Bay Gamblers jumped to a big lead early and hung on to defeat the Fargo Force 5-3 at the Urban Plains Center tonight.  The Gamblers jumped on the Force with three quick goals to start the first period with a 3-0 lead only 3:31 into the game.

Garrett Allen would jump start the Force on a goal midway through the first period on a feed from Matt Leitner and Johnnie Searfoss to make it 3-1.  Reed Seckel would regain the three goal lead a little more than a minute later on the power play for the Gamblers' fourth goal.  Less than a minute later, the Force answered with a goal by Joe Rehkamp assisted by Chad Demers to make it 4-2.  With 4:27 left in the first, Johnnie Searfoss would add a goal to close within one goal of the Gamblers.  Matt Leitner assisted on the Searfoss goal.  The 4-3 score after the first 20:00 was identical to the score of the previous night's score of 4-3 after 101:38 minutes of play.

The Force and the Gamblers both picked up their defensive game following the 7-goal first period as neither the Force or the Gamblers were able to score a goal until the Gamblers added an empty net tally to finish off the game with a 5-3 win over the Fargo Force.

The good news for the Force is that if the trend continues with the away team winning every game of the Clark Cup Finals, they will come out of Green Bay with their first ever Clark Cup championship.  The bad news for the Force is that they will have to do it without their captain, Chase Grant (according to Steve Johnson on his radio interview with Dan Hammer on 740 The Fan) .  That makes two of the Fargo Force captains out for Game Five as Corey Leivermann also won't play as he is still feeling the effects of the concussion along with a shoulder injury sustained in Game Two of the West Division Finals against Omaha.

I will be doing a live blog for Game Five in Green Bay.  I will be watching the game on the B2 Network and providing updates on the blog.  The blog will go unmoderated as long as we keep it PG-13 : ) - Hope to see everyone there as Force fans can come together on the blog to follow the Force to their Clark Cup victory!

...if anyone is going to Green Bay for Game Five, have fun and represent Fargo and the Force proudly!

Photo by RJ Meyer from USHLimages.com

Game Four Links:
Force lose captain, home ice, and game four
Game Four Recap by USHL
Here is a video from Green Bay's news station:

Green Bay Gazette Article

For Game Three Highlights check it out below:

Green Bay at Fargo, Game 3 - Live Blog 7:35pm

It will be a packed house for Game Three tonight between the Fargo Force and the Green Bay Gamblers.  You can't even get tickets to this anymore.  Standing room only!  If you weren't lucky enough to get tickets, we will be providing you with live updates below.  Force can win the Clark Cup tonight at home.  Game starts at 7:35pm.

Massa, Force take Game Two 4-1

Photo courtesy of mJoy Photography -->

The Fargo Force were led once again by goaltender Ryan Massa and picked up two big road wins to start the Clark Cup Finals in Green Bay.  Massa stopped 31 Gambler shots and even added an empty net goal late to put the exclamation point on the Force win.

Colten St. Clair added his second goal in the last two games on a slap shot that found Summerhays' 5-hole to give the Force a 1-0 lead in the 1st period.  St. Clair was assisted on the goal by future Minnesota Golden Gopher Nate Schmidt.

Green Bay tied the game quickly to start the second period but Fargo answered 5:13 later on a jab at a loose puck by John Stampohar.  Stampohar was assisted by Joe Rehkamp.  Garrett Allen gave the Force an insurance goal on the power play after wristing the puck over Green Bay goaltender on a feed from Matt Leitner. 

The game would remain 3-1 after a couple of close calls for Green Bay in the second and third period with a shot that rang the post in the second and a high sticking call that led to a "no goal" call in the third that upset the Gamblers' announcer.  Later in the third period, with the Green Bay net vacated, Ryan Massa would score an empty netter to put the icing on the cake.  Massa celebrated Teemu Selanne style after his goal which is a rare feat for any goaltender and deserving of a celebration but he was whistled for excessive celebration on the play.  Green Bay fans, announcer and goaltender Steve Summerhays took exception to Massa's celebration as the announcer and fans were livid and GB goaltender Summerhays apparently challenged Massa to no avail (according to the Gamblers' radio announcer). 

It definitely might make for another interesting homestand in Fargo at the Urban Plains Center.  I don't see why everyone has beef with Massa celebrating.  A goalie scoring an empty netter is a once in a lifetime feat, give him a break.  Not only did he score a goal, but it was also a goal in a championship series...  Very deserving of a celebration (Teemu Selanne style shown below).

Game Two Links
USHL Game Two Recap
Fargo Forum's story on Game Two
Fargo Hockey Examiner Recap
In-Forum Article

Fargo Force win Game One, 2-0

It was a battle between one of the top offensive teams in the USHL (Fargo Force) and the top defensive team in the USHL (Green Bay Gamblers) for Game 1 of the Clark Cup Finals tonight.  Fargo proved they could play a little bit of defense themselves as they shut out the Gamblers 2-0 in the first contest of the Finals.

Garrett Allen started the scoring for the Force with 5:47 left in the second on a rebound that was initially shot by Matt Leitner.  Colten St. Clair added a little insurance a little more than a minute later on a rebound flip shot over Green Bay goaltender Steve Summerhays.  St. Clair's goal was assisted by Oleg Yevenko.  The Force didn't need that insurance with Ryan Massa between the pipes.  Massa stopped all 35 Gambler shots on net and Allen's goal would be the eventual game-winner as the Force held on in the third to win the game 2-0 and lead the series 1-0.  The Force are back in action tomorrow night and the action will once again be on at the Buffalo Wild Wings locations. 

Anyone go to BWWs to watch the game tonight?  How was it?

Game One Links
USHL - Game One Recap
Fargo Hockey Examiner Article
In-Forum Article
Picture by H. Marc Larson - GB Gazette

Force grab Clark Cup Finals berth

The Fargo Force didn't like the way Game 4 started.  They fixed that problem tonight as they scored 4:52 into the game and sent the message that this game was going to be different.  The Force had a little bit of a scare late in the first period when Ryan Massa went off the ice with what appeared to be a leg injury and Dayn Belfour came in.  Belfour saw 31 seconds of action after he misplayed the puck leading to the Lancers' tying goal and Massa came back in.  Massa stopped all 8 Lancer shots he faced in the first.

Fargo jumped on the Lancers quickly once again in the second period thanks to a goal with some nifty stickhandling work by JP Burkemper to regain the Force lead 2-1.  Ryan Massa remained in the net for the 2nd period stopping 10 more Omaha shots.

The Lancers got on the board quickly in the third on a tic-tac-toe play on the power play finished off by Troy Power with assists from Ryan Daugherty and Nick Oddo.  Chase Grant would answer on a feed from Colten St. Clair less than three minutes later to regain the lead yet again for the Force.  Grant's goal would be the eventual game winner after Matt Leitner would net another couple of goals (one empty-netter) to finish off the scoring for the Force and send the Lancers home for the season.  Ryan Massa stopped another 10 shots in the third and stopped 27/28 in the 5-2 Force win.

The Force will now compete in their second Clark Cup Finals in their second year in the league.  This time they hope the outcome is a little better against the Green Bay Gamblers after losing to the Indiana Ice in four games in the '09 Finals.

Force end season with 4-game losing streak

The Force ended their season exactly how they didn't want to end it, with yet another loss to Green Bay pushing their losing streak to 4 games.  The new 4-game losing streak is the longest losing streak of the year and it couldn't come at a worse time for the Force going into the USHL playoffs.  The Force were able to get some help from Tri-City with their win over Sioux Falls to give Fargo home ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs against the Stampede.  Fargo will be the number two seed and Sioux Falls will be the number three seed in the West Division.

Johnnie Searfoss scored the lone goal for the Force tonight on the power play.  Colten St. Clair assisted on the goal.  Jason Goldsmith was the backup tonight and he saw some action stopping 3 shots in just over two minutes in relief of Ryan Massa who gave up 4 goals on 14 shots.

Anyone concerned with the longest losing streak of the season going into the playoffs?  Hopefully they think "fresh start" as the begin the second season (playoffs).  The Force were lucky enough to get some help from Tri-City to get the crucial home ice advantage.  Fargo has been good at home (19-7-4) so getting three games at home will be beneficial.

USHL PLAYOFFS - ROUND 1
Game 1: @ Sioux Falls: Wednesday, April 7: 7:05 PM

Game 2: @ Fargo: Friday, April, 9th: 7:35 PM
Game 3: @ Fargo: Saturday, April 10th: 7:05 PM
Game 4: @ Sioux Falls: Tuesday, April 13th: 7:05 PM, if necessary
Game 5: @ Fargo: Wednesday, April 14th: 7:05 PM, if necessary

Force lose in a shootout

The Fargo Force had a great turnout for their last regular season home game of the season.  4,837 fans were able to see a good hockey game that the Force eventually lost in a shootout to the top team in the USHL.  With the win, Green Bay clinched the Anderson Cup.  


The Force are pretty much locked into the 2nd spot in the West Division and will probably take on the Sioux Falls Stampede in their first round of the Clark Cup playoffs.  In order to get first place in the West Division, Omaha would have to lose their remaining two games and the Force would have to win their remaining three games.  With one more win, the Force will clinch home ice advantage for the first round playoff series with Sioux Falls.


Check out the article in the Fargo Forum here.


From USHL.com:  Green Bay Gamblers 4, Fargo Force 3 (SO)
Ryan Furne tied the game with under two minutes remaining in regulation and Ludwig Karlsson was the only player to score in the shootout to help the Green Bay Gamblers clinch the Anderson Cup for the second straight season as regular season champions.  Karlsson also scored in regulation and defenseman David Makowski netted his 18th goal of the season for the Gamblers.  Goaltender Ryan McKay made just 17 saves but turned away all five Fargo shootout attempts to seal the win.  Matt Leitner scored two goals for the Force and goaltender Ryan Massa made 40 saves in the loss. 

Last regular season home game of the year

Tonight's game against the top ranked team in the USHL and probable winners of the Anderson Cup, the Green Bay Gamblers will mark the last home game of the regular season for the Fargo Force.  Fargo will look to sweep the Gamblers and inch closer to the top spot in the West Division as they trail the Omaha Lancers by 5 points.  Omaha has played one more game than Fargo.

I hope to see a lot of Fargo Force fans at the game as we had a good turnout yesterday but were still unable to crack the 4,000 mark for attendance (3,835 were in attendance for last night's Force win).  Also, fans should consider getting season tickets for 2010-11 TODAY because if you purchase season tickets for next season, you will receive FREE tickets to the playoffs this year! 

Here's to a good run going into the USHL playoffs and your future Clark Cup champions, the Fargo Force!

Schmidt's shot nets win

From the Fargo Forum:

Nate Schmidt has had to play forward for the Fargo Force the past few games.  The standout defenseman still knows what to do when he gets the puck at the point.

Schmidt’s blistering rip from the left point early in the third lit the lamp for what would be the game-winner in Fargo’s 3-1 win over Green Bay on Friday at Urban Plains Center.  Read the rest of the article here.

The Fargo Force take on Green Bay once again Saturday night at 7:05pm.

There is another story you should read from the Fargo Forum on Matt Leitner.  Check out that article here.

Fargo at Green Bay Live Blog - 7:35pm

Fargo Force take on Chicago Steel tonight

The Fargo Force will look to rebound tonight at 7:30pm in Chicago as they take on the Chicago Steel.  Fargo lost last night 5-2 to the top team in the East, the Green Bay Gamblers.  Fargo will look to get it going a little quicker tonight as they found themselves in a early hole last night that they were never able to get out of. 

Last night, Dayn Belfour saw his first action as a Force goaltender after Ryan Massa struggled in the 1st.  Belfour stopped 16/18 in two periods in relief of Massa.  Colorado Avalanche prospect Nate Condon continued to put the puck in the net as he netted his 11th goal in 12 games for the Force.  Garrett Allen also scored for the Force with assists going to Colten St. Clair and Nate Schmidt.

Tonight the Force take on a struggling team in Chicago.  The Steel have lost their last four games after losing to Sioux City last night 3-2 in OT.  Fargo will hope to kick its two game losing streak and begin a new winning streak after their 6 game winning streak was halted on Wednesday against the Sioux Falls Stampede.

Be sure to check out all of the action on the B2 Network.

Force take on top team in East Division

The Fargo Force take on the top team in the East Division and the hottest team in the league in Green Bay tonight.  The Green Bay Gamblers have won their last 5 games and are sitting at the top of the East Division in the USHL.  The Force will look to return to their winning ways after being shut out by the Sioux Falls Stampede on Wednesday 5-0.  Islanders 6th round draft pick and former Edina High School standout, Anders Lee leads the Gamblers with 24 points.  Fargo will need to bring their A game to get back on track against one of the best teams in the USHL.  Check out the game on the B2 Network to watch your Fargo Force in action at 7:05 in Green Bay.

Force drop final game of Fall Classic

The Fargo Force put up 61 penalty minutes and 15 shots on net on their way to a 5-3 loss to the Green Bay Gamblers.

Many people questioned who would step up and be the guy who would be able to drop the gloves for the Force in their second season with the absence of Luke Witkowski. The Force answered that question with four fights against the Green Bay Gamblers. The four fights were not able to give the Force the momentum they were looking for as the Green Bay Gamblers pulled away with three goals in the second period to beat the Fargo Force.

Colten St. Clair proved that he was not only able to score goals, but drop the gloves as well as he was the first to take on Matt Stewart with 5:48 remaining in the first period. Grant Scott, Kodie Curran and Nick Romanick also provided the early morning wake up calls for the Force, all fighting in the loss. Eamonn McDermott was ejected from the game with a cross checking penalty in the second period. Despite putting up 61 minutes in penalties, the Force only gave up one powerplay goal on 8 chances.

Joe Rehkamp, Chad Demers (powerplay) and Gavin Hartzog scored for the Force. Luke Sandler, Chris Stafne and Roman Graberenko each picked up an assist.

Martin Janzons stopped 8 of 10 and Keegan Asmundson stopped 13 of 16 for the Force. Cody Campbell got the day off.