2018 USHL Playoffs Thread

[ALF AmericanLionsFan]

Any word if Hughes or York made the trip to Ytown?

 

[Whalers Fan]

Any word if Hughes or York made the trip to Ytown?

No Hughes or York in the lineup, according to the box score. That doesn't bode well for Team USA's chances.

 

[JMCx4]

Another goalfest in the Eastern Conference Finals, this time in Youngstown for Game #3.

Final score = Phantoms 7 - Team USA 5.

 

[JMCx4]

Out West on Friday night, the Fargo Force took a 2-1 Conference Finals series lead with a 6-3 victory over visiting the Black Hawks. Game 4 will be Saturday night on Fargo ice, with the Force looking to earn the Western Conference spot in the Clark Cup Finals.

 

[JMCx4]

The Phantoms score consecutive empty-netters in the 19th minute of Game #4, for a 5-1 victory over Team USA. That 3rd win in the series sends Youngstown to the Clark Cup Finals as the Eastern Conference representative.

 

[Whalers Fan]

It's too bad their season is over, but the U17 NTDP accomplished things never before done by the program in the USHL this season -- finishing first in the Eastern Conference regular season (with the combined efforts of the U18 and U17 teams), winning a playoff game (in both previous playoff appearances the U17's were swept), and winning a playoff series. All with their five best players having been promoted to the U18 team. The players should be proud of what they accomplished this season -- they are going to be a formidable team next season as the U18 team with most or all of the promoted players returning.

 

[JMCx4]

Fargo scores 2 in the 3rd period of Game #4 to complete their upset of the regular season champions Waterloo.
Instant Headline: "Force & Phantoms to Face off in Phinals."

 

[JMCx4]

From: The United States Hockey League > News > Top Story

Clark Cup Final Matchup Set
05/05/2018, 9:30pm CDT
By USHL
The Youngstown Phantoms and Fargo Force will vie for the first Clark Cup championship in their respective team's history.

The Fargo Force and Youngstown Phantoms will square off in a best-of-five series to determine the 2018 Clark Cup Champion.

Both teams are vying for the first Clark Cup championship in their club's history. Fargo swept Tri-City in the First Round to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals, where they knocked off the Omaha Lancers in four games. Following their series win over Omaha, the Force defeated the Anderson Cup champion Waterloo Black Hawks in four games to advance to the Clark Cup Final since 2013. Youngstown, after receiving a first-round bye, swept Dubuque in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series before knocking off Team USA in four games in the Eastern Conference Final to reach the Clark Cup Final for the first time in team history.

Fargo is considered the higher seed in the series due to having the higher regulation season point total. ...

2018 Clark Cup Final Dates and Times Announced
05/05/2018, 9:30pm CDT
By USHL

... All Clark Cup Final games will be broadcasted at USHL.HockeyTV.com. Below is the schedule for the 2018 Clark Cup Final:

2018 Clark Cup Final

Updated thru Saturday's Game, 5/19/18


(3) Fargo Force vs. (2) Youngstown Phantoms ... Fargo wins series 3-1 ... Fargo Force Win 2018 Clark Cup

Game 1: Friday, 5/11/18 at 7:05 PM CT at Scheels Arena ... Youngstown [1], Fargo [4] ... Game 1 Recap: The Fargo Force score three power play goals en route to a 4-1 victory in Game 1 of the 2018 Clark Cup Final

Game 2: Saturday, 5/12/18 at 7:05 PM CT at Scheels Arena ... Youngstown [3], Fargo [2] (1OT) ... Game 2 Recap: Nicholas Cardelli's overtime winner gives Youngstown Game 2 victory, evens series at 1-1

Game 3: Friday, 5/18/18 at 7:05 PM ET at Covelli Centre ... Fargo [3], Youngstown [2] ... Game 3 Recap: Fargo Force win Game 3 to move within one win of first Clark Cup in team history

Game 4 ... : Saturday, 5/19/18 at 7:05 PM ET at Covelli Centre ... Fargo [4], Youngstown [2] ...

Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, 5/23/18 at 7:05 PM CT at Scheels Arena ...

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Always nice to see a guarantee first championship matchup.

 

[JMCx4]

From: The United States Hockey League > News > Top Story

Clark Cup Final Preview: Fargo Force vs. Youngstown Phantoms
05/09/2018, 11:00am CDT
By USHL
Preview of the 2018 Clark Cup Final between the Fargo Force and Youngstown Phantoms. ...

Both teams are vying for the first Clark Cup championship in their club's history. Fargo swept Tri-City in the First Round to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals, where they knocked off the Omaha Lancers in four games. Following their series win over Omaha, the Force defeated the Anderson Cup champion Waterloo Black Hawks in four games to advance to the Clark Cup Final for the first time since 2013. Youngstown, after receiving a first-round bye, swept Dubuque in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series before knocking off Team USA in four games in the Eastern Conference Final to reach the Clark Cup Final for the first time in team history. ...

Overall Record ...
Clark Cup Playoffs
Fargo: 8-2
Youngstown: 6-1

Home Record ...
Clark Cup Playoffs
Fargo: 6-0
Youngstown: 4-0

Road Record ...
Clark Cup Playoffs
Fargo: 2-2
Youngstown: 2-1

Head-to-Head Regular Season Series
Teams split season series 1-1

• Oct. 13: Fargo 3, Youngstown 2 (OT)
• Oct. 14: Youngstown 4, Fargo 3 (SO)

Leading Scorer ...
Clark Cup Playoffs
Fargo: Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup: 10 GP, 10 points (4G, 6A)
Youngstown: Chase Gresock (7G, 5A) and Matthew Barry (3G, 9A): 7 GP, 12 points each

Leading Rookie ...
Clark Cup Playoffs
Fargo: Sammy Steele: 10 GP, 2 points (1G, 1A)
Youngstown: Jack Malone: 7 GP, 2 points (0G, 2A)

Leading Defenseman ...
Clark Cup Playoffs
Fargo: Ty Farmer and Robbie Stucker: 10 GP, 7 points (2G, 5A) each
Youngstown: Michael Joyaux: 7 GP, 4 points (0G. 4A)

Leading Goaltender ...
Clark Cup Playoffs
Fargo: Strauss Mann - 10 GP, 8-2, 2.16 GAA, .931 SV%
Youngstown: Ivan Prosvetov - 7 GP, 6-0, 2.51 GAA, .923 SV%

Power Play ...
Clark Cup Playoffs
Fargo: 17.5% (8/45, 6th overall)
Youngstown: 18.2% (4/22, 4th overall)

Penalty Kill ...
Clark Cup Playoffs
Fargo: 92.7% (38/41, 1st overall)
Youngstown: 84.4% (27/32, 6th overall) ...

 

[JMCx4]

Fargo wins Game 1 of the USHL Finals, 4-1, over Youngstown. Game 2 is on Saturday night in Fargo.

 

[JMCx4]

The Force force (??) Game 2 into an overtime period by scoring with less than a minute in regulation. But the Phantoms score next @ 6:32 of the extra session to win 3-2 and send the Finals series to Youngstown tied at 1 game each. Game 3 is scheduled for next Friday.

 

[Captain Crash]

Hopefully Youngstown's success on the ice brings a big crowd this weekend.

 

[JMCx4]

The Final series Final-ly resumes tonight.

 

[JMCx4]

The Force tie Game 3 in the middle of the 2nd period, then score the winner in the middle of the 3rd to defeat the Phantoms 3-2 in Youngstown. Fargo takes a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 on Saturday in Northeastern Ohio, with the opportunity to hoist their first Clark Cup.

 

[JMCx4]

S/T to the Fargo Force on their second road win of the Finals series, ousting the Youngstown Phantoms with a 4-2 Game 4 victory to win their first Clark Cup.

 

[JMCx4]

From: KVRR-TV, Fargo, ND

Fargo Force Win Franchise’s First-Ever Clark Cup Title

Ty Farmer notches game-winning goal.

May 19, 2018
Jeremy Klein

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The Fargo Force lost their top nine scorers from last season and their starting goalie from last season is also gone. Despite all of that the Force captured the franchise’s first-ever Clark Cup title with a 4-2 win in game four over Youngstown to take the series 3-1. ...

See Video Report (with some foggy details) at: http://www.kvrr.com/2018/05/19/fargo-force-win-franchises-first-ever-clark-cup-title/

 

[Captain Crash]

I took a peak at the box scores to see the reported attendance in Youngstown. Over 3,000 in game 3 and over 2,000 in game 4. Positive signs for a franchise on shaky footing. Hopefully despite the loss that momentum with the fanbase will carry into next season.

 

[Whalers Fan]

I took a peak at the box scores to see the reported attendance in Youngstown. Over 3,000 in game 3 and over 2,000 in game 4. Positive signs for a franchise on shaky footing. Hopefully despite the loss that momentum with the fanbase will carry into next season.

That's a decent turnout. I miss getting those sized crowds here in Plymouth. We used to get that all the time for the Whalers from the OHL, but only see crowds like that for special events for the US NTDP. The USHL home playoff games were a ghost town... probably only a few hundred for the conference finals games. They were weeknight games, which pretty much guaranteed a bad turnout.

Congratulations to Fargo!