SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — So, what are the odds we see overtime this weekend? Jokes aside, it's the first time the Sioux Falls Stampede and Fargo Force are facing off in the 2026-27 regular season, and expectations for the weekend are high.
First comes Friday, and it's Country Night at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center! Throw on your cowboy hats and boots as you take in the best show in town!
The last time the Force came to town for a game that counted was for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, and they'll be looking to start the season series off with a win. That won't be an easy task, however, with the Stampede having their sights set on defending the Clark Cup all season long. Friday night's game is also a bit of a redemption game for the Herd after dropping the home opener, 5-3. Both teams will turn right around after the game on Friday, heading to Fargo for a game at SCHEELS Arena on Saturday night.
Seeing each other twice in the preseason, the Stampede and Force split their games, with Fargo claiming a win in Fargo and the Herd victorious at Midco Arena in Sioux Falls.
Stampede Players To Watch
Cooper Soller has appeared in four games for the Stampede this season, after missing the USHL Fall Classic due to being at training camp with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he hasn't missed a beat. Scoring twice in the home opener, Soller has four goals in four games and has been a driving force of the Herd's offense early in the short season. Soller leads the Stampede with three goals on 15 shots, for a shooting percentage of 26.7.
Wade Weil does as Wade Weil does, and he put on a show for Stampede fans on Saturday night. Dropping the gloves 15 seconds into the game and having his home-opener goal called back for a high stick, he's going to want to get one back for the home crowd, and getting it against Fargo would be such a satisfying one to get.
Matteo Alvarez has been a consistent presence for the Stampede in all six games this season, picking up two goals, including the game-winner against the USNTDP U18s at the Fall Classic. Alvarez has scored his pair of goals at big moments for the Herd, and he's still very early in his USHL career.
Force Players To Watch
AJ Francisco spent the last two seasons as a member of the NTDP and has been establishing himself as a reliable defenseman for the Force this season. With two goals and three assists in Fargo's six games, he's been picking up the points from the blue line and will be one the Stampede will need to hold off the scoresheet over the weekend series.
Max Cullen was traded to the Force over the summer after finishing last season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Cullen has just two points (1G, 1A) in six games, but has a hockey IQ that can't be counted out, especially as he continues to settle into his first full season in the USHL.
Samuel Hrenák has been taking the USHL by storm, having appeared in just nine games for the Force last season. He's off to just a 3-2 record, but don't let that fool you. The Slovak netminder has a .930 SV%, an assist and a 36-save shutout under his belt, having started in five of Fargo's six games.
The Sioux Falls Stampede are celebrating Country Night on Friday, October 9. Doors open at 6 PM CT. Get your tickets now!
About The Sioux Falls Stampede
Established in 1999, the Sioux Falls Stampede is a proud member of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league and leading producer of both NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The organization has set out to achieve excellence in on- and off-ice performance since its inception. The Sioux Falls Stampede plays home games out of the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, providing players with a taste of high-stakes, high-adrenaline hockey in front of sold-out crowds of over 11,000 fans.
