Fargo Ready for Playoff Series with Familiar Foe Sioux City
FARGO (KVRR) – The Fargo Force are gearing up for another chapter in a growing postseason rivalry, as they prepare to face the Sioux City Musketeers in round two of the Clark Cup playoffs. After earning a first-round bye, Fargo enters the best-of-five series rested—and motivated.
For players like Brooks Cullen, the matchup carries extra meaning.
“I think, especially for the guys that are returning, we want to give it back to them,” Cullen said. “Especially ending our season last year, we kind of want to give it back to them there.”
This marks the third consecutive postseason meeting between the two teams. Fargo got the better of Sioux City during its 2024 championship run, knocking them out in the conference finals. Last season, however, the Musketeers responded with a sweep in round one. Now, with each team having claimed a playoff victory, this series serves as the rubber match.
“I think we have a big rivalry with them,” forward Mason West said. “We play them a ton of times here and there, and we’ve had some good battles. That playoff-type hockey will be super fun against an opponent like them.”
The regular season only added to the anticipation. The teams split their eight meetings, winning four games apiece—further proof of how evenly matched they are heading into the series.
Head coach Brett Skinner emphasized both the familiarity and the challenge that comes with facing a conference rival.
“There’s some familiarity there with their systems and their personnel and those types of things,” said Skinner. “But you’ve got to drop the puck. We’ve got to get the players going, banging into each other and get that playoff intensity going, but definitely a team we’re familiar with.”
Fargo appears to be hitting its stride at the right time, entering the postseason on a three-game winning streak. After a long regular season filled with roster changes and adjustments, Skinner believes the team has finally found its identity.
“Now we’re a team, and we know who we are,” he said. “The players have built that identity themselves. But playoff hockey is different—you have to adjust, learn, and grow as you go.”
That adaptability will be key in a series format, where momentum can swing quickly and adversity is inevitable.
“I think it’s about full effort and compete,” West said. “There’s going to be adversity—we might even lose a game. That’s part of playoffs. It’s about staying resilient and keeping that winning mentality throughout.”
The series between Fargo and Sioux City is set to begin this weekend, with game on Saturday night at 6:05 P.M. at Scheels Arena.
Game two is Sunday before the series shifts to Sioux City for game three.
