Fargo Force | |
City: | Fargo, North Dakota |
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League: | United States Hockey League |
Division: | West |
Founded: | 2008 |
Home Arena: | Scheels Arena |
Colors: | Black, Blue, White
|
Owner(s): | Ace Brandt |
General Manager: | Cary Eades |
Head Coach: | Cary Eades |
Franchise history | |
2008-Present: | Fargo Force |
The Fargo Force is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team in the West Division of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
Coaches[]
- Head Coach/General Manager: John Marks
- Assistant Coach: Byron Pool
History[]
In early 2007, Fargo was granted a USHL team, intended as an anchor tenant for the then-under-construction Urban Plains Center, which is now called Scheels Arena. Dean Blais, former coach of the North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey program, was installed as the franchise's initial coach and general manager. The team was formed, in conjunction with a name-the-team contest to decide what the team would be called. After the choices were narrowed to Fargo Force, Fargo Phantoms, and Fargo Fire, the Force name was chosen. Twelve people submitted the Force name; as a result, they won a dinner with head coach Dean Blais and each received two season tickets to the Force's inaugural season.
As a result of the Force's entry, the area's previous hockey team, the Fargo-Moorhead Jets of the North American Hockey League announced they were leaving the area in April 2008, and folded later that year.[1]
Blais coached the team to the USHL's Clark Cup Finals in 2008-09, leaving to take the head coaching position at Nebraska-Omaha. His successor, Chad Johnson, a former assistant, again led the Force to the Finals in 2009-10. Assistant Jason Herter took over the team in 2010 when Johnson left to join the Lincoln Stars. Jason Herter left after the 2010-11 season to become an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. John Marks became head coach after leaving the same position for the Winkler Flyers in Manitoba, Canada.
Marks retired following the 2014-15 season and was replaced by former University of North Dakota player/assistant coach Cary Eades, who had just led the Sioux Falls Stampede to the 2014-15 Clark Cup Championship.
The team would win their first Clark Cup championship in 2018
Season-by-season record starting 2008[]
United States Hockey League
Season | GP | W | L | OL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008-09 | 60 | 32 | 23 | 5 | 69 | 191 | 166 | 1135 | 3rd Western Conference(1) |
2009-10 | 60 | 37 | 17 | 6 | 80 | 227 | 214 | 1474 | 2nd Western Conference(2) |
2010-11 | 60 | 33 | 22 | 5 | 71 | 173 | 151 | 1201 | 4th Western Conference(3) |
2011-12 | 60 | 31 | 23 | 6 | 68 | 188 | 160 | 1007 | 4th Western Conference(4) |
2012-13 | 64 | 38 | 19 | 7 | 83 | 201 | 187 | 981 | 2nd Western Conference(5) |
2013-14 | 60 | 14 | 39 | 7 | 35 | 122 | 229 | 1275 | 8th Western Conference(6) |
2014-15 | 60 | 26 | 28 | 6 | 58 | 148 | 191 | 933 | 6th Western Conference(7) |
2015-16 | 60 | 32 | 26 | 3 | 66 | 157 | 150 | 995 | 5th Western Conference(8) |
2016-17 | 60 | 36 | 19 | 5 | 77 | 193 | 149 | 792 | 3rd Western Conference(9) |
2017-18 | 60 | 37 | 16 | 5 | 83 | 192 | 143 | 976 | 3rd Western Conference(10) |
2018-19 | 62 | 34 | 23 | 5 | 73 | 188 | 172 | - | 5th Western Conference(11) |
2019-20 | 48 | 27 | 15 | 6 | 60 | 153 | 143 | - | 3rd Western Conference(12) |
2020-21 | 54 | 31 | 21 | 3 | .583 | 169 | 148 | - | 4th Western Conference(13) |
2021-22 | 62 | 28 | 28 | 6 | 62 | 187 | 207 | - | 5th Western Conference (14) |
2022-23 | 62 | 40 | 14 | 8 | 88 | 230 | 159 | 1st Western (15) |
(1)The Force qualified for the USHL playoffs as the conference's third seed and defeated the Omaha Lancers 3-1 in a best-of-five series in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs. This advanced Fargo to the Western Conference Finals, where the Force defeated the Lincoln Stars 3-0 in the best-of-five series. The Force then were defeated in the Clark Cup Finals by the Indiana Ice, 3-1.
(2)The Force qualified for the USHL playoffs as the conference's second seed and defeated the Sioux Falls Stampede 3-0 in a best-of-five series in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs. This advanced Fargo to the Western Conference Finals, where the Force defeated Omaha 3-2 in the best-of-five series. The Force then were defeated in the Clark Cup Finals by the Green Bay Gamblers, 3-2.
(3)As the fourth seed in the Western Conference, the Force qualified for the USHL playoffs and defeated the Lincoln Stars 2-0 in a best-of-three series in the qualifying round of the Western Conference playoffs. Fargo went to the quarterfinals where they were subsequently swept by the eventual USHL champions, the Dubuque Fighting Saints, in a best-of-five series.
(4)The Force qualified for the USHL playoffs as the conference's fourth seed and defeated the Sioux City Musketeers 2-0 in a best-of-three series in the qualifying round of the Western Conference playoffs. Fargo went to the quarterfinals where they met, and were defeated by, the Lincoln Stars in a best-of-five series 3-1.
(5)The Force enjoyed a very successful season which saw them entering the USHL playoffs as the number 2 seed from the Western Conference. Fargo met the Waterloo Black Hawks in the first round of the playoffs and escaped with a 3-2, best-of-five series win. In the semifinals, the Force ran into the number 1 ranked Sioux Falls Stampede, but were able to dispatch them in a best-of-five series 3-2. The Force made it back to the Clark Cup Finals for the 3rd time in their short history, looking to reverse their fortune of several failed Clark Cup appearances. Unfortunately, Fargo's season would not end in a championship. The Force were eventually swept by the Dubuque Fighting Saints in a best-of-five series.
(6)The Force failed to qualify for any post season action.
(7)The Force failed to qualify for any post season action.
(8)The Force failed to qualify for any post season action.
(9) The Force finished third in the Western Conference. They lost 3 games to none in the Conference semifinals.
(10) The Force finished third in the Western Conference The Force won in the First Round 2 games to none against the Tri-City Storm. They defeated the Omaha Lancers 3 games to 1 in the conference semifinals. The defeated the Waterloo Black Hawks 3 games to none in the Conference Final. They defeated the Youngstown Phantoms 3 games to 1 in the final to claim their first Clark Cup.
(11)Lost First round series 2 games to none to the Des Moines Buccaneers.
(12) Balance of season and playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
(13) Qualified for playoffs as fourth seed in conference. Defeated Tri-City Storm 2 games to 1 in Conference semifinals. Defeated Sioux City Musketeers 2 games to none in Conference Final. Lost to Chicago Steel in Final 3 games to 1.
(14) Lost to Omaha Lancers 2 games to none in Conference Quarterfinals.
(15) The Force qualified as the first seed in the Western Conference. They earned a bye to the Conference semifinals where they defeated the Tri-City Storm 2 games to none, defeated the Lincoln Stars 3 games to 1 in the conference final and then lost to the Youngstown Phantoms 3 games to none in the Clark Cup Final
References[]
External links[]
United States Hockey League | |
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East Division | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders · Central Illinois Flying Aces · Chicago Steel · Dubuque Fighting Saints · Green Bay Gamblers · Madison Capitols · Muskegon Lumberjacks · US National Team Development Program · Youngstown Phantoms |
West Division | Des Moines Buccaneers · Fargo Force · Lincoln Stars · Omaha Lancers · Sioux City Musketeers · Sioux Falls Stampede · Tri-City Storm · Waterloo Black Hawks |
Related articles: Clark Cup · Anderson Cup · Annual awards · NHL alumni · NHL draftees |
Current arenas in the United States Hockey League | |
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East Division | Alliant Energy Center • Covelli Centre • Edge Ice Arena • ImOn Ice Arena • Mercy Health Arena • Mystique Ice Center • Resch Center • USA Hockey Arena • U.S. Cellular Coliseum |
West Division | Buccaneer Arena • Denny Sanford PREMIER Center • Fleet Farm Arena • Ice Box • Ralston Arena • Scheels Arena • Viaero Event Center • Young Arena |