Story by Tri-City Storm Communications
FARGO, ND. – The Tri-City Storm returns to action tonight at Scheels Arena following the holiday break for a showdown against the league-leading Fargo Force. Tonight’s game is the first of two back-to-back road battles the Storm will have with the Force before returning home to the Viaero Center for a New Year’s Eve matchup against the Lincoln Stars. Tri-City’s New Year’s Eve Game will include a postgame autograph session with Trevor Connelly and Philippe Blais-Savoie. Tickets to Sunday’s upcoming home game at the Viaero Center may be purchased online at www.StormHockey.com, or by calling the Viaero Center Box Office during Box Office hours at 308-338-8144. Tonight’s road game at Scheels Arena will begin at 7:05pm CT, and puck drop for Sunday’s rivalry game against the Lincoln Stars at the Viaero Center is scheduled for 6:05pm CT.
Tri-City (13-9-1-1) completed the pre-holiday break portion of the 2023-2023 regular season schedule with a five-goal victory over the Lincoln Stars at the Viaero Center on Saturday, December 16th. Blake Steenerson scored twice during the game, and recorded the first multi-goal game of his USHL career. Artemi Nizameyev netted a powerplay goal during the 1st period, and Seth Constance scored his second goal of the season during the 1st period. Ryan Smith scored the only goal of the 2nd period, and Owen Beckner netted his sixth goal of the season during the 3rd period. Cameron Korpi backstopped Tri-City to the victory, recording 29 saves on 30 shots during the rivalry showdown. The Storm has posted a 17-8-2-0 record in head-to-head matchups against the Force over the past five seasons, and Tri-City narrowly won last year’s eight-game season series against Fargo with a final record of 4-3-1-0. The Storm is 6-6-1-0 against the Force in games played at Scheels Arena over the last five years. Tonight’s game is the opening game of this year’s six-game series between the two Western Conference opponents. Scoring leaders for the Storm through the first twenty-four games of the regular season include August Falloon (11), Ryan Smith (11), Trevor Connelly (8), Cam Briere (8), and Artemi Nizameyev (7). Tri-City has posted a 10-3-0-0 record in head-to-head games against Western Conference competition this season.
Fargo (22-3-1-0) currently holds a six-point lead over the Sioux City Musketeers for first place in the USHL’s league standings following last year’s Anderson Cup Championship season. The Force began the 2023-2024 regular season on an organizational-record ten-game winning streak, and fourteen-game point streak. Fargo has won eight of its last nine games entering tonight’s home game at Scheels Arena against Tri-City. The Force has posted a 9-0-1-0 record in ten games played at Scheels Arena during the 2023-2024 regular season. Tonight’s battle is the first meeting between the Storm and the Force since last year’s postseason battle where Fargo eliminated Tri-City in the Western Conference Semifinal Round of the 2023 Clark Cup Playoffs. The Force reached the Championship series, but fell in three games to the Youngstown Phantoms. Fargo has posted a 14-0-0-0 record when leading after the 1st period, and a 15-0-1-0 record when leading after the 2nd period this season. The Force’s 110 goals scored this season are the second-most of any Western Conference team (Sioux City-115). Fargo has allowed only 49 goals this year, the best mark of any team in the league by 25 goals (Youngstown-74). Scoring leaders for the league-leading Force entering tonight’s home game against the Storm include Zam Plante (13), Lee Parks (11), Harper Bentz (11), Michael La Starza (9), Leo Gruba (8), and Jake Fisher (8). The Force will host the Storm tomorrow night, and again on Thursday, January 18th, before traveling to Kearney for the final three games of the season series on Friday, March 15th, Saturday, March 16th, and Sunday, March 17th.
Ticket specials for the Storm’s New Year’s Eve home game include a Nebraska Lottery Rivalry Four-Pack. The rivalry pack ticket package includes four tickets to the game, four hot dogs, four sodas, and ten Nebraska Lottery Scratch-Off Tickets for $44. For more information on Sunday’s ticket specials, call the Viaero Center Box Office at 308-338-8144.
Storm duo, and World Junior A Hockey Challenge Bronze Medalists, Trevor Connelly and Philippe Blais-Savoie will be available for autographs and photos following the Storm's New Year's Eve game on Sunday, December 31st at the Viaero Center. The Meet and Greet will begin approximately thirty minutes after the game ends. Canned goods and non-perishable food items will be collected and donated to various local organizations. The first 500 fans who bring an item to be donated will receive a limited-edition photo of Trevor and Philippe, which was taken following the Bronze Medal game, when the United States defeated Sweden 8-5. Canned goods and non-perishable food items will be collected at the start of the Meet and Greet line.
Tonight’s game is set to begin at 7:05pm CT and will be streamed on FloHockey and Storm Radio. Tickets to 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. The Tri-City Storm is presented by Viaero Wireless.