USHL Final Four Set As Conference Finals Open This Weekend
The United States Hockey League’s Eastern and Western Conference Finals are set to begin on Friday night as four teams remain in the hunt for the Clark Cup. The top two teams in the Western Conference from the regular season, the Sioux Falls Stampede and Fargo Force, will square off beginning in Sioux City on Friday and Saturday before shifting back to Fargo the following weekend. The Eastern Conference has seen its fair share of upsets, as the fifth-seed Muskegon Lumberjacks will host the sixth-seed Madison Capitols this weekend before heading back to Madison next weekend.
How each team made it here: Sioux City Stampede The Stampede finished the regular season with 89 points, the second-most in the USHL, trailing only the Youngstown Phantoms. After earning themselves a first-round bye, the Stampede took on the Lincoln Stars in Round 2. The two teams split the first four games before returning to Sioux City for the winner-take-all Game 5.
Merrimack College commit and former World Junior standout goaltender, Linards Feldbergs, stood tall in both elimination games for the Stampede, turning aside 25-of-26 shots in Game 4 before posting a 24-save shutout in Game 5. J. J.
Monteiro led the way offensively for the Stampede, recording three goals and two assists over the five-game series. The Stampede captain picked up where he left off in the regular season, where, over 55 games, the 20-year-old forward posted 51 points. Detroit Red Wings’ fourth-round draft pick from 2025, Brent Solomon, made his mark in Game 5, recording both goals, including a short-handed game-winning goal in the 2-0 victory.
The 19-year-old will be heading to the University of Wisconsin next season after recording 24 goals and 29 assists through 54 games this past season. Fargo Force The Force, like the Stampede, earned a bye through the USHL playoffs opening round after finishing with a 38-19-3-2 record. The Force took on the Sioux City Musketeers in round two, dispatching the Musketeers in four games.
Continue to the original source for the full article.