April 29, 2009
Team Notes
Both teams were the #3 seed in their respective divisions at the beginning of the playoffs.
Fargo is the second expansion team in the history of the USHL to advance to the Clark Cup Finals in their first season of play (Lincoln Stars, 1996-97).
The teams represent the far reaches of the USHL footprint. 826 miles separate the cities, the furthest distance between any two opponents in the USHL.
Fargo is undefeated in the playoffs (6-0) and has won all four of their road games.
Fargo ranks first during the playoffs on the power play with an impressive 30.3% (10-33) conversion rate. During the regular season, the team ranked 10th in the league with a 14.8% success rate on the man-advantage.
Indiana is the top power play on home ice during the playoffs converting on 36.8% (7-19) of their opportunities.
Indiana has scored four shorthanded goals during the postseason, including a league playoff record three in Game One of their first-round series vs. Cedar Rapids.
College Commitments
Fargo and Indiana have a combined 34 players committed to play for Division I college hockey programs. Five of those are committed to Miami University, which advanced to the championship game at the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four; Fargo – Steve Spinell (D), Indiana – Shane Berschbach (F), Max Cook (F), Joe Hartman (D), Garrett Kennedy (D)
NHL Prospects
Five players in this series are listed on NHL Central Scouting final rankings for North American players leading up to the NHL Entry Draft in June.
Skaters: Goaltenders:
#43 Josh Birkholz (F), Fargo #4 Mike Lee, Fargo
#109 Keegan Flaherty (F), Fargo
#156 Oleg Lee (F), Fargo
#166 Mike Cichy (F), Indiana
Both clubs feature a pair of NHL Draft picks. Fargo forward Nate Condon was selected 7th Round (200th overall) of the 2007 Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche and defenseman Luke Witkowski was selected in the 6th Round (160th overall) of the 2008 Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Indiana's Brent Gwidt was selected in the 6th Round (157th overall) of the 2006 Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals and goaltender Brett Bennett was also a 2006 NHL Draft selection, taken by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 5th Round (130th overall).
Player Notes
Fargo goaltender Mike Lee is the top playoff goaltender posting a perfect 6-0 record with a league-leading 1.81 GAA and a .948 SV%. He is listed as the No. 4 ranked North American goaltender by NHL Central Scouting heading into the NHL Entry Draft in June. Lee is committed to play collegiately at St. Cloud State University.
Indiana goaltender Brett Bennett led the USHL in minutes played during the regular (3,110) and holds the top ranking in the playoffs also (549). He led the regular season with 35 wins and has recorded the six playoff victories for Indiana. Bennett, who played previously at Boston University before joining the Ice this season, has committed to the University of Wisconsin for next season.
Indiana forward Mike Cichy is the playoff leading scorer with 16 points (4g, 12a). He currently has an eight-game point streak during the playoffs including six multi-point games. Cichy was a mid-season acquisition by the Ice. Since coming over from the Tri-City Storm where he scored 29 points (10g, 19a) in 26 games, he has registered 47 points (23g, 24a) in 30 games for Indiana.
Fargo forward Andy Taranto is tied for the playoff lead with six goals. He tied for the regular season league in goal scoring (34). Taranto, who is committed to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, has recorded two game-winning goals and two shorthanded goals in the playoffs which ranks tied for the league lead in both categories.
Indiana defenseman Torey Krug leads all skaters in the playoffs with a plus/minus rating of +11. Krug, who turned 18 this month, scored the series-clinching goal for Indiana in the first round vs. Cedar Rapids. He netted the goal with just 15 seconds remaining in Game Five to give Indiana the 7-6 victory. Krug is committed to play for Michigan State University.
Zach Golembiewski scored four goals for Indiana in the series vs. Green Bay. The Michigan State University commitment also has two shorthanded goals in the postseason.
Former Teammates
Fargo forward Chris Stafne will see many familiar faces on the other side of the ice during the final series as he began the season playing for the Indiana Ice. He scored nine points (6g, 3a) in 22 games for Indiana before registering five points (2g, 3a) in 20 games with Fargo. Stafne has scored two playoff goals, including the game-winner in Game Two of the first round vs. Omaha.
California Products
Fargo forward Matt Leitner ranks second in the playoffs with eight assists. The Los Alamitos, California native led the club with 43 assists during the regular season. Indiana forward Brandon Richardson has at least one point in all six playoff games he has played. The San Clemente, California native had a league playoff game high four points (2g, 2a) in Game Five of the first-round series vs. Cedar Rapids. Glendora, California native Loren Barron has registered an even-or-better plus/minus rating in eight of the nine playoff games for Indiana. He ranks tied for the team lead among defensemen in the playoff scoring (1g, 5a).
International Flavor
Stanislav Galiev of Indiana, a 17-year-old Moscow, Russia native, ranked second on the club in scoring during the regular season with 64 points (29g, 35a) playing in all 60 of the team's games. Galiev has added eight points (4g, 4a) in nine playoff games, including three power play goals.
Oleg Lee of the Fargo Force is also a native of Moscow, Russian. He tallied 14 points (6g, 8a) in 42 games during the regular season and has chipped in one assist in five playoff contests for Fargo.
Mikael Owilli of Indiana recorded 20 points (5g, 15a) during the regular season. The defenseman from Stockholm, Sweden added two assists during the series vs. Green Bay.
Jake Areshenko is the lone Canadian playing in the series. The Port Coquitlam, British Columbia product ranks second in playoff plus/minus (+8) having registered an even-or-better rating in all six playoff games. Areshenko is committed to play for Bemidji State University which recently qualified for the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four, the first in school history.
The Coaches
Dean Blais is in his first USHL season guiding the expansion Fargo Force to the finals. He has enjoyed a successful coaching career at many levels of hockey. He was an associate head coach for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets and previously was the head coach for ten seasons at the University of North Dakota. He led the Fighting Sioux to two NCAA Championships (1997, 2000). Blais also captured a Minnesota state high school championship in 1991 as the coach for Roseau High School. He played collegiate hockey at the University of Minnesota earning Rookie of the Year honors for the Gophers and was a NCAA All-Tournament selection in 1971.
Jeff Blashill is also in his first USHL season after spending the previous six years on the coaching staff at Miami University. He helped build a program that reached three straight NCAA tournaments and advanced to the school's first ever NCAA Final Four this season. Blashill also spent time on the staff of Ferris State University, his alma mater. As a player, the goaltender was honored three straight seasons with the Ferris State President's Award for having the highest grade-point average on the team. Blashill also played three seasons in the USHL playing for the Des Moines Buccaneers posting a 43-11-0 record and helping the team capture the Anderson Cup in 1994 and the Clark Cup in 1992.
The USHL is celebrating its 30th season of junior hockey in 2008-09. With nearly 170 players already committed to NCAA Division I schools and 16 NHL Draft picks playing in the league, the USHL is the nation's foremost producer of junior hockey talent. For more information, visit us on the web at www.ushl.com.
