(KFGO/KNFL) The Fargo Force survived a wild and active first period, and finished with a flourish. The Force scored five third-period goals en route to an 8-4 win to clinch the USHL’s Western Conference final in four games.
Fargo will meet Chicago or Youngstown in the Clark Cup Final, and will host Games 1 and 2 with dates and times to be determined.
Lincoln outshot Fargo 21-5 in the opening period and took a 4-3 lead. Force goalie Matej Marinov was pulled after the opening period and replaced with Anton Castro. Castro stopped 42 shots on Sunday night in Game 3.
After a scoreless second period, Fargo tied at 5:58 of the third period on a Jacob Napier goal, and took the lead on consecutive power-play goals from Owen Mehlenbacher and Cole Knuble to make it 6-4. Knuble and Mac Swanson added empty-net goals late in the 3rd to clinch the victory.
Knuble tallied a hat trick and scores five goals in the series. Mehlenbacher added a pair of goals. Castro stopped all 13 shots he faced.
It’s Fargo’s sixth Western Conference championship in franchise history, dating back to the 2008-09 season.
