KEARNEY – The Tri-City Storm is set to host the USHL-leading Fargo Force for a three-game series this weekend at the Viaero Center. Tonight’s game will mark the Force’s first trip to the Viaero Center this season. Tickets to tonight’s game are still available, and may be purchased online at www.StormHockey.com, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office at 308-338-8144. Puck drop for tonight’s matchup between the Storm and the Force is set for 7:05pm CT.
Tonight’s game is another $5 Kids Friday presented by the Big Apple Fun Center. The season-long promotion features discounted Kids’ tickets for Friday home games. Kids are encouraged to visit the purple tent on the Viaero Center concourse during the game to collect their coupon for 50% off 1-hour of bowling (Restrictions Apply). The Storm will host the Force tomorrow night for the team’s annual Puck’s N’ Paw’s Night Presented by PetSmart. Fans are encouraged to bring their dog to the game, and help the Storm raise money to benefit the Kearney Arena Animal Shelter. Dog tickets are available at the Viaero Center Box Office. The three-game weekend series will conclude on Sunday in a 3:05pm CT battle between the Force and the Storm at the Viaero Center. Sunday’s game will serve as Tri-City’s annual United Way Night. Tri-City players will wear specialty sweaters during the matchup. The jerseys will be auctioned off in a postgame auction and online auction. A Nebraska Lottery Family 4-Pack will also be available for purchase. The ticket deal includes four tickets to Sunday’s home game at the Viaero Center between the Tri-City Storm and the Fargo Force, four hot dogs, four sodas, and two Nebraska Lottery Scratch Off Tickets for $40.
Tri-City (26-17-3-3) collected one point in the USHL’s Western Conference after hosting the Sioux City Musketeers for back-to-back home games at the Viaero Center last weekend. The Storm most recently dropped an overtime decision to the Musketeers on Saturday, March 18th. The game proved to be one of the most exciting of the season, with Tri-City falling behind by a goal with sixty-five seconds to play, only to bounce back and force overtime with six seconds remaining in the final period. Cameron O’Neill, Kieran Cebrian, and Dane Dowiak netted Tri-City’s goals in the loss. Despite the overtime loss on Saturday, the Storm has continued to consistently produce wins over the past few weeks. The team’s 8-1-1-0 record over the last ten games is the best during that stretch of any team in the league. Tri-City is now only eight points away from qualifying for the 2023 Clark Cup Playoffs, but could clinch a spot in the postseason this weekend with scoreboard help from around the league. The Storm finished last year with a 6-1-1-0 record in head-to-head games against the Force, but has only produced one win through the first five games of this year’s series. Tri-City is 9-3-1-0 in games played against Fargo at the Viaero Center over the last five years. Scoring leaders for the Storm entering tonight’s 50th game of the regular season include Jake Richard (26), Graham Gamache (16), Trevor Connelly (16), Evan Werner (15), Kieran Cebrian (13), and August Falloon (13).
Fargo (37-9-2-4) will play a game at the Viaero Center for the first time in 339 days after dropping an 8-3 decision to the Storm on April 19th, 2022. The Force currently holds a double-digit lead (11 points) over the Waterloo Black Hawks (33-17-1-0) for 1st place in the USHL’s Western Conference standings. Fargo recently became the first Western Conference team to clinch a spot in this year’s postseason, and is the only Western Conference team that has already scored 200 goals this season. The Force holds a 7-1-1-1 record over the last ten games, but fell to the Waterloo Black Hawks by a final score of 7-1 in a home game at Scheels Arena last Saturday night. Cole Knuble netted his team-leading 26th goal of the season during the 1st period of the battle. Goaltender Matej Marinov recorded the loss in net, his first regulation loss of the season. Marinov now holds a 20-1-1-3 in twenty-five appearances in goal for the Force this season. Scoring leaders for Fargo entering this weekend’s road series at the Viaero Center against the Storm include Cole Knuble (26), Bret Link (21), Anthony Menghini (20), Owen Mehlenbacher (16), Kyle Smolen (15), and Charlie Russell (14). Fargo is 12-15-1-0 in head-to-head matchups against Tri-City over the last five seasons. The Force’s only loss to the Storm this season came at Scheels Arena on November 3rd, 2022, in a 5-4 decision.
The 2023 NCAA Men’s Division I Hockey Tournament is underway with thirty-six Storm alumni competing in the event (thirty-four former players, and two former coaches). Tri-City’s thirty-four former players in the tournament are the most alumni of any team in the USHL. The second day of the event gets underway this afternoon, and all games will be broadcast on the ESPN Family of Networks. More information about the Storm’s alumni in the event can be found at www.StormHockey.com.
Tonight’s game is set to begin at 7:05pm CT and will be streamed on FloHockey, and Storm Radio. Tickets to future home games at the Viaero Center may be purchased online by skating to www.StormHockey.com, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office hours at 308-338-8144.
