Saturday's box score
FARGO, N.D. – Two goals and an assist by Elias Zimmerman plus solid goaltending from Alan Lendak helped the Fargo Force to a 6-3 victory over the Tri-City Storm on Saturday night at Scheels Arena.
Fargo (28-26-6, 62 pts.) swept the two-game series after collecting a 6-2 win on Friday. The Force hold a four-point lead over Tri-City for fifth place in the Western Conference standings. The Storm (27-28-4, 58 pts.) have dropped five of their past seven contests.
Fargo was first to score. With 8:40 gone by in the opening period, Brooks Cullen collected his first career goal on a one-time shot from the Tri-City slot. The Force's Pavel Proosek fed Luke Schelter from the right point. Schelter, positioned inside the left circle, immediately shipped a pass to Cullen to set up the one-time shot, which beat Storm goaltender Kyle Jones on the blocker side.
The Storm evened the game exactly 90 seconds later. Tri-City earned possession on the right wing of the Fargo zone as the Force attempted to move up ice. Bode Laylin sent a pass to Ilya Morozov, who was beyond Fargo's defense and open in front of Lendak. Morozov swiftly ripped a top-shelf shot past Lendak's blocker side for his 11th goal of the season and first since February 14.
Fargo retook the lead 12:10 into the opening period. Merril Steenari collected his 28th goal of the season on a shot from the left circle after receiving a feed from Matthew Lansing. Lansing gathered the puck in the right corner and drove to the Storm net, where he directed the puck to Steenari.
The Force grew their advantage to 3-1 just over two minutes later. After Fargo won a puck battle in the left corner of the Storm zone, Riley Bassen centered from the end boards to Zimmerman in front. The Sweden native glided in front of Jones, then slipped a backhand shot top-shelf.
Down 3-1 at the beginning of the second, Tri-City fought back to tie.
Cooper Simpson grabbed his fourth goal in six games this season with the Storm 2:46 into the middle frame. After a feed from Rylan Bonkowski, Simpson sent a hard snapshot from the top of the right circle past Lendak's glove side. It was Tri-City's lone power play goal of the series.
About ten minutes later, Tri-City knotted the game while shorthanded. After the Storm won a board battle in their zone, Carmelo Crandell fed Artemi Nizameyev in the middle of the ice. The Miami commit sped down the sheet and came out victorious in a one-on-one race with Fargo's Sam Laurila. As he approached the Force net, Nizameyev slipped a shot through the pads of Lendak for his 26th marker of the year. The goal was produced while Tri-City's Cole Ward served a minor penalty for cross checking.
Fargo answered with two late second period tallies and led by a pair at the second intermission.
Mason West grabbed his first career USHL goal 16:53 into the second. After trapping a Tri-City clear on the right wing boards of the Force zone, West received a quick pass from Hayes Hundley, then ripped a shot over Jones' glove side from the right faceoff dot for the eventual game-winner. West joined the Force in mid-March after finishing his season at Edina High School in Minnesota.
Zimmerman tallied his second of the night with 20 seconds left in the period. The UMass commit intercepted an errant Storm pass in the right circle of Tri-City's zone and immediately snapped a shot past Jones' blocker side for his ninth of the campaign. Zimmerman put up his second multi-goal game of the season on Saturday.
Fargo capped the scoring in the middle part of the third. Jordan Ronn finished a rebound off Jones' right pad after a Zimmerman shot was halted by the Bakersfield, California native. It was Ronn's second tally of the series.
Jones rejected 30 of 36 Fargo shots in his first start since March 22. Lendak, who started both installments of the two-game set, stopped 24 of 27 Tri-City attempts en route to his 19th win of the year.
Up next: Tri-City ends its final "three-in-three" of the regular season with a Sunday matchup at Sioux City. Puckdrop is scheduled for 3:05 pm CT. The game will be broadcast on FloHockey and Storm Radio.
On Wednesday, April 9, the Storm would like to invite all fans to the Kearney Raising Cane's for a special meet-and-greet featuring Tri-City players and coaches. The event will take place between 7 - 9 pm. Storm players will be available to sign autographs and take pictures. Stormy will additionally appear between 7:30 - 8:30 pm. Those in attendance can enter a drawing for a chance to win 2025-2026 Storm season tickets and a Raising Cane's Gift Basket.
Tri-City ends its regular season with a home-and-home series against Lincoln next weekend.
The Storm visit the Stars on Friday, April 11. Puckdrop is set for 7:05 pm CT.
Saturday, April 12, the series shifts to Viaero Center for 25th Anniversary and Fan Appreciation Night. Puckdrop is scheduled for 6:05 pm CT. During the contest, Storm players and Stormy will wear special 25th Anniversary-themed uniforms to celebrate the 25th season of Tri-City Storm Hockey. Each uniform will be auctioned off live on the ice after the game.
In addition, each fan who purchases a ticket to the Saturday, April 12 matchup will be automatically entered to win a variety of prizes from local businesses.
Saturday, April 12 is also a Nebraska Lottery Rivalry Pack night. Get four tickets, four hot dogs, four cans of soda, and ten Nebraska Lottery Scratch off tickets for only $44. Availability is limited.
To purchase tickets or the Nebraska Lottery Rivalry Pack for April 12, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person.
Playoff tickets: Tickets for potential Tri-City home playoff games will go on sale immediately after seeding is determined for the 2024-2025 Western Conference Playoffs following the April 12 conclusion of the USHL regular season. Playoff tickets will be available at stormhockey.com, by calling 308-338-8144, or stopping by the Viaero Center box office in-person.
