LINCOLN, NEBRASKA – The Fargo Force have been riding a hot streak throughout the playoffs. Friday night would prove no different as the Force played Game 2 of their second round series in Lincoln against the Stars. Having already swept the Omaha Lancers and winning Game 1 by a score of 4-1, the Force had won four straight games going into the second game of the series. Fargo has played very well on the road winning three and has only played one home game this playoff season, the third game of the Omaha series. Riding the monumental streak heading into the first period proved to be the straw that would break the camel’s back in Lincoln Friday evening. The Force scored four times in the opening period to take a 4-2 lead into the first intermission. Fargo didn’t waste anytime as Chase Grant scored at 3:07 on assists by Andy Taranto and Matt Leitner. The game would remain calm until Eamonn McDermott opened up a plethora of scoring while on a Fargo power play at 9:39. In total, the Force had six power plays in the first period going three for six. Tim McCarthy and Josh Birkholz would also chip in two goals for the Force in the first as Lincoln took themselves out of the period, and the game with slopping play in the opener. The second period would prove to be an extension of the first for Birkholz and the Force when he opened the period at 1:31 with his second power play goal of the evening. Lincoln would take an additional three penalties in the period as Kirt Hill scored a shorthanded goal for the Stars putting the game at 5-3 going into the second intermission. As the puck dropped upon the final period, the Lincoln Stars finally began to understand the message on shorthanded skating. Already giving up four power play goals in the game, the Stars were reminded constantly by the Force that they would control the game if given the opportunity. Fargo would reiterate that point once again in the third as Luke Witkowski scored the fifth power play goal of the evening for the Force at 2:41. For only the second time in the game, Johnnie Seafross would score shorthanded at 15:04. In all, Fargo dominated the game on special teams going an impressive five for ten on the power play, and did not allow a single goal on six penalty kills. Game three will be played Saturday, April 25, 2009 in Fargo, North Dakota at the UPC Arena. The Force will go for their second straight sweep in the USHL Playoffs this season. Fargo leads the best-of-five series 2-0.
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