Thursday's box score

KEARNEY, NE – Kiernan Poulin's two goals and Alan Lendak's consistent goaltending in the Fargo net helped lift the Force over the Tri-City Storm 4-3 on Thursday night at Viaero Center. 

Fargo (11-5-2, 24 pts) improved to 7-2-1 against Western Conference teams in 2024-25. Tri-City (8-8-3, 19 pts) has now won just two of its first ten home games this season. 

Three different players recorded their first USHL goals in the game, including Tri-City's Attila Lippai and Bode Laylin, and Fargo's Kiernan Poulin, who tallied twice on the night. 

Tri-City collected the game's first goal a little over two minutes into the first period. Rylan Bonkowski, who possessed the puck at the right point in the Storm offensive zone, rifled a high snapshot toward the Fargo net. Lippai, a forward acquired from the BCHL last week, grabbed his first tally in his first career USHL game after tipping the shot past Lendak. 

Fargo evened the game with a power play goal late in the first. Denver commit Finn McLaughlin received the puck at the center point, then ripped a high shot toward the Tri-City cage. The puck deflected off a Storm player in front of Tri-City goaltender Erick Roest prior to going in. McLaughlin collected his second goal of the year. 

The Force took their first lead of the night early in the second. Ryan Zaremba, who carried the puck down the left wing boards into the Storm zone, centered a well-timed pass in front of the Tri-City net to Poulin. The UMass commit made a nifty forehand-backhand move to stuff the puck past Roest. 

The Storm answered at the 13:15 mark of the second. As Tri-City exited its end of the ice, Shaun McEwen fed a pass to Laylin. The defenseman marched the puck down the left wing into the Fargo zone, then sent a snap shot from the left wing faceoff circle that deflected off the right post of the Force net into the back of the cage.

On a Fargo rush about three minutes later, Poulin walked the puck down the right wing of the Storm zone to the goal line. The Norwell, Massachusetts native released a centering pass that immediately deflected off the stick of Tri-City's Colby Woogk in front of the Storm net. After hitting off Woogk's twig, the puck bounced into the back of the Tri-City cage to put Fargo ahead 3-2. 

The Force doubled their lead with 14:33 gone by in the third period. Ryan Zaremba, who handled the puck on the left wing of the Tri-City zone, sent a quick pass to a streaking Sam Laurila in the right faceoff circle. Laurila slammed the puck past Roest's blocker just inside the left post of the Storm cage for his third tally of the season. 

Roughly four minutes afterward, during a brief 4-on-4 situation with 1:39 left in regulation, Artemi Nizameyev sent a shot from the right wing faceoff circle top shelf in the Fargo cage. The goal, which cut the Force lead to one, came in the midst of a lengthy Storm offensive zone possession. 

After a Lincoln Hjelm minor for tripping expired with just short of 90 seconds left, Fargo's Peter Cisar remained in the box to set up a Tri-City power play for the remainder of regulation. The Storm pulled Roest with just over one minute left, but could not find the equalizer after plentiful offensive zone time during their 6-on-4 advantage. 

The Force victory was Fargo's sixth in their first eight road games of the season. 

Lendak halted 26 of 29 Tri-City shots to earn his league-leading ninth win of the year. Roest stopped 21 of 25 shots in the Storm net. 

Up next: Tri-City continues the series with Fargo on Friday and Saturday at Viaero Center. Friday's contest will begin at 7:05 pm CT. Saturday's puck drop is slated for 6:05 pm CT. 

Any fan who purchased a ticket to Thursday's game can stop by the Viaero Center box office during business hours, show their Thursday ticket, and receive a free ticket to either Friday or Saturday's contest. 

The Storm will put on a coat and food drive during Friday's matchup. Bring a new or slightly used coat and/or non-perishable food items, and receive a ticket voucher to a future Tri-City game. All coats and food items will be donated to local charities. $5 Kids Friday also takes place tomorrow night.

On Saturday, the Storm will host Teacher Appreciation Night. All teachers in the Central Nebraska region will, or have already, received an email link to purchase special discounted tickets. 

For tickets and additional information, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person.