‘It’s a long series’ Fargo hands Steel first shutout in three years, takes Game 1 of Clark Cup Finals

GENEVA – With approximately 80 to 100 members of friends and family in the stands, Kyle Smolen gave them all something loud to cheer about.

Smolen, a second-year Fargo Force forward and Crystal Lake native, knocked in a goal with 12:33 remaining in the first period to help lift Fargo to an ultimate 3-0 victory over the Chicago Steel in Game 1 of the Clark Cup Finals on Friday.

Entering Friday, the top-seeded Steel (38-12-3-2, 4-1 in postseason) had won 12 consecutive games, and had not been shut out all year. In fact, it was the first time the Steel had been shut out since April 2018.

“Looking back, it’s a dream come true [playing in the USHL],” said Smolen, who tallied his first goal of the postseason. “Growing up as a kid watching the Chicago Steel, I remember thinking: ‘I want to be there’. I have to [give] thanks and credit to all my coaches growing up.”

Both the Steel and Force – who never met in the Clark Cup playoff before Friday – are vying for their second Clark Cup championship. The Steel won the franchise’s first in 2017, while Fargo won the following season.

Game 2 of the Clark Cup is set for 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Fox Valley Ice Arena. The best-of-five series then shifts to Fargo, North Dakota for two games before a potential Game 5 back in Geneva.

With 4:59 left in the first period, Force defenseman Jack Peart knocked in in his second goal of the postseason for the 2-0 Fargo lead, where it remained at the first intermission. Fargo (35-22-3, 5-1 in postseason) tacked on an insurance goal with 12:28 remaining in the third period on a tally from forward Aaron Huglen for his third goal of the postseason.

“I actually thought we had a really good start to the game. Had some really good opportunities; if those go in the back of the net, maybe it’s a little bit different,” Steel coach Brock Sheahan said. “I thought [Fargo] scored those two goals and it [caught] us back on our heels a little bit.”

“I do think we played a pretty good game, we just couldn’t find a way to score. We got a little bit frustrated there [at the end], but this is a long series. It’s one game. Credit to Fargo. I thought they played really hard and made it hard on us, but I expect us to bounce back [Saturday].”

The Steel were outshot 26-20 over three periods and were 0-for-4 on the power play. Fargo, however, was also 0-for-4 on their advantage chances.

“I thought the [penalty kill] was really good,” Sheahan said. “Obviously, the four minute kill [in the second period] was big. As far as our power play, they did what we expected them to do, I just don’t think we executed. It’s not [like] we haven’t seen aggressive penalty kills before, but I don’t think we executed what our game plan was there.”

The Steel, who set a regular season record 264 goals in 54 games, came into Friday averaging four goals a game in the postseason and outscoring opponents 16-9.

“I liked the battle,” said Steel captain and forward Erik Middendorf, who was minus-1 and tallied one shot on goal. “I liked [how we competed]. I don’t think we had our legs under us tonight, which can’t happen in the first game of the Clark Cup finals; but I thought we had a lot of chances, so that’s a positive.”

“But, what we’d like to see better is taking advantage of those chances and playing harder on our net, which caused one of those goals,” Middendorf continued. “It’s a long series, though. It’s only one game, so I think we’re going to be a lot better [Saturday].”