(Fargo Force) Fargo, ND – The Fargo Force won a nail-bitter Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Lincoln Stars 1-0 Thursday night. Cole Knuble notched the game’s only goal on a 5 on 3 power play at 19:16 in the third period. Matej Marinov earned his first United States Hockey League postseason shutout, turning aside all 21 shots on goal. Cameron Whitehead played excellent for the Stars, stopping 30 of 31 shots he faced.
A feeling out process started off the first period, which stayed primarily in the Fargo offensive zone with few shots on goal for either side. Chances for both teams were few and far between through the first half of the first. The best chance early came off a Lincoln giveaway where Owen Mehlenbacher drove a shot just wide of the Stars’ net. The Force slowly rose the pressure on a barrage that was turned away by Whitehead. Marinov stopped Lincoln’s first true chance, a 2 on 1 off a faceoff turnover. Joe Palodichuk had a golden opportunity in front of Whitehead, but the Stars’ netminder went post to post, robbing him. Lincoln received a penalty shot at 13:32, but Marinov stood tall, denying the chance. Lincoln put a couple pucks towards the Fargo net, but they pinballed off skates in front. A boarding call against the Stars late at 16:00 gave the Force their first power play of the game. Fargo had a good cycle game, and the puck actually popped in the air, landing on top of the net and walled off by Whitehead. Charlie Russell drove hard to the net as the penalty expired, but the Force couldn’t convert on the man advantage. End to end rushes for the Lincoln and Fargo concluded the period.
The second period started off feisty with offsetting roughing minors at 1:50 to Cole Knuble and Lincoln’s Mason Marcellus. Leo Gruba had a beautiful between the legs pass to Mac Swanson that was somehow stopped by Whitehead. Charlie Russell drew a tripping call at 5:36 sending Fargo back to the power play. The Force played catch on the man advantage, with Mehlenbacher getting another doorstep chance turned aside again. Despite not cashing in on special teams, Fargo tilted the ice against Lincoln, continuously pinning the Stars in their own end. Lincoln had some sporadic shots, which Marinov handled with ease. The defense for the Force held up well, holding the Stars to just two shots on goal through the first 12 minutes of the second period. Fargo got their third power play at 12:49 on a holding call. The movement was well executed, but couldn’t find a way through Whitehead. Anthony Menghini had a 2 on 1 with JP Turner, who followed his shot flying toward the Lincoln net. Fargo won board battles and continued to control the pace of play to end the second period.
Boris Skalos and Zam Plante had a chance streaking in, that was emphatically squeezed by Whitehead for yet another stop to start the third period. Knuble hit the post from just outside the blue paint, inches away from drawing first blood. The Force used their sustained zone pressure to turn up the heat, including a wraparound attempt by Zam Plante. Jacob Napier dismantled a Stars’ 3 on 1 from his stomach, and Marinov flashed the leather on a Lincoln breakaway, keeping the game scoreless. Fargo hit the post again, this time from Turner. Lincoln got their first power play of the game when Menghini was called for cross checking at 16:47. The man advantage didn’t last, as a slashing penalty at 17:23 to the Stars resulted in 1 minute and 24 seconds of 4 on 4 time. The 4 on 4 turned into a seven second 4 on 3, when the Stars took an interference penalty at 18:40. After the 4 on 3, Fargo had 36 seconds of 5 on 3 time. Knuble was the hero on the 2 man advantage, scoring top shelf at 19:16, the only goal of the game to make it 1-0 Force.
Fargo plays these same Lincoln Stars tomorrow night for Game 2 at Scheels Arena with puck drop at 7:05pm CST.
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